Lack of Spiritual Growth Brings Blindness
I am afraid that many Christians believe that once they are saved from their sins everything about their lives will be great. They discount the need to grow. They think growth is optional. That is far from true. Let me share a passage with you that I shared with some men and teens this past Sunday.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.(II Peter 1:5-9)
Do you see what I mean? This passage tells us in verse 9 that a lack of spiritual growth leads to spiritual blindness. That is a serious condition, don't you think? You are saved, but you can't see what God wants you to do. You don't have the right direction in life. In fact, you might think wrong is right, and right is wrong, because you have spiritual blindness. That is no way to live.
The only cure is to grow in Christ, and this progression outlined in these verses is the right way. Take some time to examine this list. Think about each facet of the Christian life that needs to be added to your life once you get saved, and start allowing the Spirit to work them into your life. You will notice that you will be fruitful for the Lord, and you will have clear spiritual vision.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 8-10.
February 28 – Philippians 1:9-11
Pray for our church family to abound in love more and more and always to approve of God’s excellent things in sincerity and blamelessly, so that we can be full of the fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.(II Peter 1:5-9)
Do you see what I mean? This passage tells us in verse 9 that a lack of spiritual growth leads to spiritual blindness. That is a serious condition, don't you think? You are saved, but you can't see what God wants you to do. You don't have the right direction in life. In fact, you might think wrong is right, and right is wrong, because you have spiritual blindness. That is no way to live.
The only cure is to grow in Christ, and this progression outlined in these verses is the right way. Take some time to examine this list. Think about each facet of the Christian life that needs to be added to your life once you get saved, and start allowing the Spirit to work them into your life. You will notice that you will be fruitful for the Lord, and you will have clear spiritual vision.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 8-10.
February 28 – Philippians 1:9-11
Pray for our church family to abound in love more and more and always to approve of God’s excellent things in sincerity and blamelessly, so that we can be full of the fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus.