Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With this chapter, I am planning to complete the growth of the new creation. This should be a very short chapter.
If we keep ourselves reading the Word of God and spend quality time with God through Prayer every day, God's Holy Spirit will keep us growing the new creation in us. Actually, for a successful growth, the contribution of both ourselves and Holy Spirit is needed. If we do our part, then definitely God will do His part and help us overcome every obstacles or problem created by devil against our growth. Now, the important question is when shall we know that we are grown to full level of
growth ? The simple answer is we cannot grow completely in our spiritual growth but gets advanced day after day as we learn and serve the Lord. That is what the starting verse says, Paul, the apostle who wrote 13 books of the New testament, who had more revelations about the Word of God than any one else and who had established many churches, just say that he had not attained yet and not perfect yet. So, we are getting grown day by day in our inner man. We also see this point in 2 Corinthians 4:16, For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
So, we understand that our spirit has been revived once we accept Jesus and gets into covenant with Him through baptism where as our inner man which is the soul that changes into new creation and it gets renewed day by day. So, now the question that remains is, when the growth shall be complete? The growth will complete only when we get transfigured to God's own image and during that time we will considered to be equivalent to Him. So, for that either we need to die here in earth or we need to be alive until Christ's day of rapture. This is as per the verse 1 John 3:2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. So, until that growth and bearing fruits are necessary for our spiritual life.
At the same time, there is a difference in the growth level that the scripture calls most of the believers as babes instead of fully grown up matured persons. We can read this in I Cor 3:1,2 where Paul addressed the believers of Corinth as babes, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." and the author of Hebrew calls the audience as babes as well, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe." Hebrews 5:12,13. Here, both Paul and the author of Hebrew says that most of the believers are like babes in Christ whereas they have to be like fully grown up matured person. So, obviously the growth was stagnating. The growth was triggered once a person becomes new creation in Christ, but later if the new creation is not fed the Word of God which is obviously the milk for new born as mentioned in I Peter 2:2 that says "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." and the Word of God and the hidden revelation in the scriptures is the meat (strong food) that matured persons can take in.
So, one thing is obvious. For growth, the meditation of the Word of God is essential. Prayer and the assistance of the Holy Spirit is also essential. But, meditation is the first and foremost stuff through which the Holy Spirit works and Prayer helps to build ourselves on the foundation that is Christ Jesus. So, now there are two things that are clear. One is whatever we grow, our growth is not complete until we die and then resurrect to be with the Lord or transform to His likeness in rapture. But, at the same time, we cannot use this as an excuse for not growing our new creation as there are different growth levels and different stages of maturity so that we cannot say that we can only be complete after our death or during rapture. Because, unless and until we grow, we can never be complete.
Now, I want to quote from a book called Power for Living written by Jamie Buckingham where he expands each letters of the word GROWTH.
G - Go to God in prayer daily
R - Read and meditate the Word of God
O - Obey God's Word
W - Witness Christ to others
T - Trust God for every detail of your life
H - Holy Spirit's dependence
We will touch these areas in the upcoming posts. But, let's close the growth chapter and will see about the maturity and bearing fruits in our lives for Christ and few other important topics before we complete the New Creation series. As you keep growing in the Christian life which is the life through the new creation, no need for others to teach you. The Holy Spirit's anointing with you will teach you and reveal His truths which are required to fulfill His will in your life. I John 2:27
I would like to complete the New Creation series and move on to other general articles as there are many other new revelations but this series is one most important for our Christian Lives and it has been dragging since last year.
May all Glory, Honor, Praise to our God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With this chapter, I am planning to complete the growth of the new creation. This should be a very short chapter.
If we keep ourselves reading the Word of God and spend quality time with God through Prayer every day, God's Holy Spirit will keep us growing the new creation in us. Actually, for a successful growth, the contribution of both ourselves and Holy Spirit is needed. If we do our part, then definitely God will do His part and help us overcome every obstacles or problem created by devil against our growth. Now, the important question is when shall we know that we are grown to full level of
growth ? The simple answer is we cannot grow completely in our spiritual growth but gets advanced day after day as we learn and serve the Lord. That is what the starting verse says, Paul, the apostle who wrote 13 books of the New testament, who had more revelations about the Word of God than any one else and who had established many churches, just say that he had not attained yet and not perfect yet. So, we are getting grown day by day in our inner man. We also see this point in 2 Corinthians 4:16, For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
So, we understand that our spirit has been revived once we accept Jesus and gets into covenant with Him through baptism where as our inner man which is the soul that changes into new creation and it gets renewed day by day. So, now the question that remains is, when the growth shall be complete? The growth will complete only when we get transfigured to God's own image and during that time we will considered to be equivalent to Him. So, for that either we need to die here in earth or we need to be alive until Christ's day of rapture. This is as per the verse 1 John 3:2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. So, until that growth and bearing fruits are necessary for our spiritual life.
At the same time, there is a difference in the growth level that the scripture calls most of the believers as babes instead of fully grown up matured persons. We can read this in I Cor 3:1,2 where Paul addressed the believers of Corinth as babes, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." and the author of Hebrew calls the audience as babes as well, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe." Hebrews 5:12,13. Here, both Paul and the author of Hebrew says that most of the believers are like babes in Christ whereas they have to be like fully grown up matured person. So, obviously the growth was stagnating. The growth was triggered once a person becomes new creation in Christ, but later if the new creation is not fed the Word of God which is obviously the milk for new born as mentioned in I Peter 2:2 that says "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." and the Word of God and the hidden revelation in the scriptures is the meat (strong food) that matured persons can take in.
So, one thing is obvious. For growth, the meditation of the Word of God is essential. Prayer and the assistance of the Holy Spirit is also essential. But, meditation is the first and foremost stuff through which the Holy Spirit works and Prayer helps to build ourselves on the foundation that is Christ Jesus. So, now there are two things that are clear. One is whatever we grow, our growth is not complete until we die and then resurrect to be with the Lord or transform to His likeness in rapture. But, at the same time, we cannot use this as an excuse for not growing our new creation as there are different growth levels and different stages of maturity so that we cannot say that we can only be complete after our death or during rapture. Because, unless and until we grow, we can never be complete.
Now, I want to quote from a book called Power for Living written by Jamie Buckingham where he expands each letters of the word GROWTH.
G - Go to God in prayer daily
R - Read and meditate the Word of God
O - Obey God's Word
W - Witness Christ to others
T - Trust God for every detail of your life
H - Holy Spirit's dependence
We will touch these areas in the upcoming posts. But, let's close the growth chapter and will see about the maturity and bearing fruits in our lives for Christ and few other important topics before we complete the New Creation series. As you keep growing in the Christian life which is the life through the new creation, no need for others to teach you. The Holy Spirit's anointing with you will teach you and reveal His truths which are required to fulfill His will in your life. I John 2:27
I would like to complete the New Creation series and move on to other general articles as there are many other new revelations but this series is one most important for our Christian Lives and it has been dragging since last year.
May all Glory, Honor, Praise to our God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
