The Pathway of Spiritual Growth

Posted on by BETH

Purification through temptation is the pathway that leads to the finish line. We have already seen the scriptures that direct us to be perfect (complete in love) as the Father and Son and saw that this is the goal for which Paul was aiming (Phil. 2:12). James describes the same pathway in very clear terms. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4). We note the succession of steps on the pathway.

Temptation (trying of our faith) => Patience => perfect/entire/lacking nothing

Paul gives the same process saying that he glories in tribulation. Why would anyone glory in tribulation? No doubt it was the same reason that James commands us to count it all joy when we fall into various temptations. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:3-5).

Tribulation => Patience => Experience

The word ‘experience’ is the same word used by James (the trying of your faith) and Peter (that the trying of your faith) referring to the process of purifying metal (1 Pet. 1:6-7). Let it be said at the outset, that not just any suffering will cause spiritual growth. There is a certain kind of suffering which god has ordained for our spiritual growth. This brings us to a very confused subject in Christianity.

One of the great attacks on Christianity is the question of the existence of evil. Men ask whether a righteous God could create such a thing as evil. They cannot fathom a righteous God allowing all of the pain, suffering and evil in the world. Our God has a grand purpose for both suffering and evil. Consider some of the principles of God and the possibility of these standards if there were no evil on earth.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same (Matt. 5:43-46)?

We can be children of our heavenly Father. Jesus gives the definition of spiritual children when he informed the Jews “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). If we are God’s children, we will do the works of God. God returns good for evil. If there were no evil we could not be God’s children. If we return good to those who do good to us, we have no reward and are no different than the tax collectors. Returning good for good is a far lower standard than returning good for evil. Without evil in the world we cannot grow to be God’s children.

X. THE PATHWAY TO THE FINISH LINE

Posted on by BETH

Jesus told the apostles that there was a way to go to the Father.  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:3-4). The early Christians thought of Christianity as the way.  After Paul had been a Christian for many years he said “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women” (Acts 22:4).  The Ephesian Jews “spake evil of that way” (Acts 19:9).  Demetrius and the other Ephesians caused “no small stir about that way” (Acts 19:23), Apollos “was instructed in the way of the Lord,” (Acts 18:25-26) and the devils knew it as “the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17).  The way of salvation includes the five steps and the five acts of worship, but it is much more than that.  Felix had “more perfect knowledge of that way.”  What is this way?

The pathway of the race that leads to the finish line is narrow. Jesus said “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). The narrow way is the Greek word ‘thlipsis,’ which is generally translated affliction or trouble.  This pathway is the afflicted or troubled way.  It is no wonder that there are only a few who find the strait gate and narrow pathway.  Jesus is the author and finisher of this race (He 12:2).  He made this race and he ran it ahead of us.

The pathway that leads to life is described as being “through much tribulation.” Paul was “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). If God’s children are going to reign with Christ, they must be willing to suffer with him (2 Tim. 2:12).  The godly will inherit eternal life but “. . . all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12). The disciples at Thessalonica knew they were called to suffer much persecution. Paul sent Timothy to encourage them so “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know” (1 Thess. 3:3-4).  Paul warned these disciples that the persecution would come for they were preparing to walk on that narrow way with all other faithful Christians.

NEW TESTAMENT CHILDREN OF GOD

Posted on by BETH

The same principle discussed in the last lesson applies to being children of God under the New Covenant.  God’s children will walk in the steps of God.  He returns good for evil in causing His sun to shine on the evil as well as the good (Matt. 5:43-45).  Those who do good to those who are evil, walk in the spiritual steps in which God walks, and are thus true children of God.  Returning good for evil makes it possible “…that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven (Matt. 5:44, 45).  When we walk in this kind of love, we are “followers of God, as dear children” (Eph. 5:1, 2).  If we do not love our enemies we are not God’s children.  Jesus was a true child of God in that he watched to see what his Father did, and then did the same thing (John 5:19, 20).  If we walk in the steps of Christ, and do only what we see Christ doing, we will be walking in the steps of God and be his children also.  This is not talking about the physical steps of the Nazarene that walked the dusty roads of Jerusalem.  This is walking in the spiritual steps of Jesus, some of which were humility (Phil. 2:5-8), meekness (Matt. 11:28-30), growing in wisdom and in favor with God (Luke 2:52), sanctifying oneself (John 17:19), suffering for having done right (1 Pet. 2:18-23), etc. .

Though God’s children can see the spiritual kingdom and the world of that kingdom, they can lose their spiritual sight, after they have been born. He told the Christians in Galatia etc., “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Pet. 1:9).  Some Christians were so blind they did not see even the first principles (Heb. 5:11, 12).  The Laodiceans had lost their spiritual sight and did not know it (Rev. 3:17). God will take His sight back again if a man is not careful how he hears (Luke 8:18).  This spiritual birth is a birth strictly by and from God (John 1:10-13).  These souls “. . . were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).  This is not to say Calvinism is true. Unless man does his part, God will not give birth to him.  There is an essential qualification before one can even have power to become a child of God (John 1:12).  We will study more on that later.

God’s Eternal Purpose Has Been the Same Since Creation

Posted on by BETH

God has always had the same eternal purpose for each person.  Whether it was Noah or Abraham–many years before the Old Testament law, David under the law, or Christ, the apostles or his children under the new the law, he aimed to have his eternal love in each mind and heart.  He said: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5), Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (1 Pet. 4:1).

His plan is for every child to be thoroughly prepared for every good work is based in the perfection (completion) of a good heart (2 Tim. 3:17).  His plan to furnish his children unto every good work is accomplished by first purging the evil out of the inner man (2 Tim. 2:20, 21).  His plan to prepare the church as a bride for her husband (Rev. 21:2) is accomplished by taking out every spot, wrinkle and blemish (Eph. 5:26, 27).

Can we obey all of God’s commands?

Posted on by BETH

Which of the commands of God is too grievous (literally, weighty – 1 John 5:3) to obey?  Is there any command that is more than we can bear?  He says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).  If we can bear it, why would we not bear it?  Which one of the commands of God can we not obey?   Someone argues that we can obey all the commands from time to time, but we will never come to the point where we obey all the commands all of the time.  Is it that we can not obey God’s commands or is it that some folks do not want to obey God’s commands?  He has not given us impossible commandments.  Which thought can we not take captive with his weapons?  His weapons are powerful, to  the  “. . .bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:4,5).  If his weapons can take every thought captive, why do we not do it?  Which fiery dart can Satan throw that the complete shield of faith can not quench?  The shield of faith can make us able to quench all of Satan’s fiery darts.  In fact, this is one of the chief commandments.  He says: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16).  If we are able (though his weapons) to quench all the fiery darts of Satan, why do we not do it?  Is it not lack of faith that causes some to say that we can not obey all of the commands of God?  The power is not in us, but “. . . the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God”  (2 Cor. 10:3,4). He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20).  What is left beyond what we can ask or think?  Notice the context of that statement.  Paul is praying that the brethren will be filled with all the fulness of God – the heart of God or Christ.  Our Father is ready to help us in all we ask or think if our purpose is to fulfill his purpose.  Through Christ we can obey all of the commands of God.  Now we want to consider the “power that worketh in us.”