CHRISTIAN GROWTH LESSON 16 A

SOLID STEPS OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH LESSON 16 A

“Complacency Is Easy...And It Is A Deadly Foe Of Spiritual Growth.”

II Peter 3:18

2 Peter 3:18 KJV 1900

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Spiritual growth can be defined as simply growing and maturing in our knowledge and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

II Peter 1:1-11

2 Peter 1:1–11 KJV 1900

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Key Words / Phrases in Verses 3-4:

“His Divine Power” is the power a Christian relies on to first save them, and then to change them.

“Promises” are what God makes to us not what we make to God!

“Partakers” are those who take and received the person of Jesus Christ into their lives.

“The Divine Nature” refers to Jesus Christ, and His perfect, God nature that now indwells every believer.

Having escaped the “Corruption” is the effect of sin on a life – it ruins a person’s life.

“Giving All Diligence” means to work extremely hard at adding these things to your life:

HIS WORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HIS LOCAL CHURCH The Task (1:5) –

What God Is Commanding Us To Do? John 15:5,16,

John 15:5 KJV 1900

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:16 KJV 1900

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Constantly adding is the key to spiritual growth.

Where Do Every Believer Begin?

John 3:7,

John 3:7 KJV 1900

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The Steps To Take: Addition, Integration Of Biblical Things Into Your Life

Psalm 37:23-24,

Psalm 37:23–24 KJV 1900

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

EIGHT STEPS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

1. FAITH is believing God as He promised in His Word – increase it!

2. VIRTUE is the inner strength to do right.

3. KNOWLEDGE is personally knowing something to be true, not just accepting it as true.

4. TEMPERANCE is submitting yourself to God’s will and God’s Holy Spirit (allowing someone else to control your life).

5. PATIENCE is the ability to go through troubles without complaining.

6. GODLINESS is living and thinking like Jesus did.

7. BROTHERLY KINDNESS is loving believers like family.

8. CHARITY is living completely unselfishly.

A Successful Christian: Bearing fruit

Being useful to God Honoring God by your life

Laying up treasures in heaven

Being steadfast Having inner stability Being confident and unashamed

Stand instead of constantly falling Ultimately, receiving praise in heaven one day “Am I more like Jesus today, or more like the world around me?”

II Peter 1:10,

2 Peter 1:10 KJV 1900

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.Your “calling and election” is knowing God’s perfect will and plan for your life.

Success is conditional.

“IF… these abound…”

I Cor 9:27,

1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV 1900

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Three Scriptural Principles To Motivate Spiritual Growth:

1. People Who Are Moving Toward Growth Live Daily With The End In View.

Our goal is to become more like Christ.

“All reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

(Ephesians 4:13) (Romans 8:28-29)

Ephesians 4:13 KJV 1900

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Romans 8:28–29 KJV 1900

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2. People Who Are Growing Make A Personal Commitment To Grow.

Growth Requires Commitment.

We must make an intentional effort to grow., (Luke 9:23)

Luke 9:23 KJV 1900

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

3. People Who Are Growing Value Process More Than An Event.

The secret to our future is hidden in our daily routines. Growth starts with small steps.

Whoever can be trusted with truly little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with truly little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10)

Luke 16:10 KJV 1900

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Bible Study Follow-up Chat Questions:

1. How important is spiritual growth in the Christian’s life?

2. Do you ever feel like you are not growing fast enough?

3. What should a Christian’s diet consist of?

4. Why is Christian Community important for spiritual growth?

5. The expectation of scripture is not that we grow old together, but that we grow up together.

6. People who are new to the church often grow the quickest and appreciate it the most.

But people who have been around a while, those who know the church best and have served the longest, often feel the least helped and the most used.

7. How do you measure your growth? How do you know you are growing in Christ?

8. How important is surrender in your spiritual growth cycle?