Accepting the Challenge to Grow

MEMORY VERSE: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” —Colossians 2:6,7

MATTHEW 5:43-48; II TIMOTHY 1:3 through 2:7

HAVING briefly discussed in prior lessons some of the areas of Christian growth relating to helps that are available; the positive benefit of trials in promoting Christian growth; the place of personal relationships as we grow; and the need to find various ways to let our light shine as we progress, we now turn our attention to the challenge of growth itself.

The question may be asked whether or not we ever stop growing. And, perhaps even more importantly, should we stop growing? The best source of information that we have is, of course, God’s Word, the Bible; and the best example we have is our Lord Jesus. We know little of Jesus’ early life, although there is a passage that lends itself to this discussion, and is recorded by Luke. (2:52) It reads, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” A careful reading of this text seems to indicate that there was development and maturity in our Lord’s character. It was not static.

When our Lord Jesus selected his apostles he found among them some who were fishermen, and others who, seemingly, were of limited talents. However, we must note that Jesus knew that they had latent talents and that after association with the great Teacher they would develop those characteristics most suitable for the work that lay before them. Or when we consider Paul, who earned his livelihood as a tent-maker, we must acknowledge the growth and development that inevitably led him to be the founder and overseer of so many of the early churches. Consider Timothy, also, who became a Christian leader under Paul’s assistance.

Indeed, the whole history of the Gospel-Age church has been highlighted by individuals who were especially chosen for a particular work, although it is perhaps safe to say that none of them realized at the beginning of their course the challenge for growth that lay ahead of them.

Maturity among the Lord’s people may be distinguished, in part, by their increased understanding of God’s will in their lives, even as expressed by Paul in his letter to Timothy which says “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” (II Tim. 2:7) Understanding will, of course, include an intellectual grasp of the various features of the plan of God; but it will also assist the child of God to bring his life into conformity, more and more, to the perfect pattern which has been provided in our Lord Jesus.

To the extent that we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, in the words of our memory text, let us so walk in him as to be rooted in righteousness, keep before us the perfect pattern of his character and life, and strive to increase our faith in the blessed promises which stretch before us.

As the days become more evil and violent in the closing years of this Gospel-Age Harvest, the footstep follower of Christ will need to fortify himself with knowledge and grace to overcome the many temptations that exist. Now is the time, however, to set affections on things above and to lay aside the temporary allurements of this world, which are but a thin veneer at best.

In accepting the challenge to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus, it will be necessary to deaden the corruptness of the old nature and to put on the Christian graces of the new man, thereby becoming alive to mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forgiveness, love, and peace. For those who are successful in this growth will receive the everlasting joys of the kingdom as members of that glorious body of Christ. Then they, together with their Lord, will have the privilege of bringing the whole world back into relationship with God. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”—Rev. 20:6

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