11/11/2015 THEN AND NOW
2 Corinthians 5: 17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in CHRIST, he is a new creature; the old has gone, the new has come! All this from GOD, who reconciled us to HIMSELF through CHRIST… . [New International translation]
1 Corinthians 13:11 It’s like this: when I was a child I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I became a man [a woman] my thoughts grew far beyond those of my childhood, and now I have put away the childish things. [Living Bible translation]
BEING A CHRISTIAN AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH
It is easy to confuse being a Christian and spiritual growth.
To be a Christian is to experience an instant, miraculous conversion. The moment one expresses belief and faith in CHRIST, he or she becomes a member of the body of CHRIST. It is a new birth. (See, Romans 10:9)
Spiritual growth involves growing in GOD’s GRACE (i.e., the free and unmerited FAVOR OF GOD) and in the knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. (See 2 Peter 3:18).
There are verses in the Bible about being a “baby Christian” as well about growing into greater Christian maturity for the benefit of the body of CHRIST. See for example:
1Peter2:2: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.
Ephesians 4:1-16 But GRACE was given to each of us according to the measure of CHRIST’s gift…to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of CHRIST, until we all attain to the unity of the faith….so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine…rather speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into HIM, who is the head, into CHRIST.
Spiritual growth is not the same as physical growth. It does not just occur “automatically” over time. But, just as one can look back at over a human life and see the difference between babyhood, childhood, teen years, young adult years, older adult years, senior years, etc. one should also “recognize” or “distinguish” when we were a “newborn spiritual baby Christian” and when we became a “growing in GRACE body building Christian.” There ought to be a difference spiritually between then and now.