Spiritual Growth
Regenerative
Redemptive
Renewing
We must work to Grow
• Physical Growth requires
– Food - eating
– Exercise – walking, swimming, weights
– Hygiene – cleaning teeth, brushing hair, bathing
• Spiritual Growth requires
– Food – reading and listening to God’s word
– Exercise - reproofing, rebuking, and correcting
– Hygiene – meditating on Godly things, pure food.
Grow Physically and Spiritually
• Baptism - Titus 3:5 (ESV) he saved us, not
because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy, by the
washing of regeneration and renewal of the
Holy Spirit,
Walk - Romans 6:4 (ESV) We were buried
therefore with him by baptism into death, in
order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might
walk in newness of life.
Growing Spiritually
• A Command of Jesus
• Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and
said to them, “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I
have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.”
Apostles teach us to grow.
• 2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV) 5 For this very reason, make
every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge
with self-control, and self-control with
steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and
brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these
qualities are yours and are INCREASING, they
keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in
the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A rebuke for not growing.
• Hebrews 5:12-14 (ESV) 12 For though by this time you
ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you
again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You
need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on
milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he
is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those
who have their powers of discernment trained by
constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 6:1
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ
and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of
repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Growth requires diligent effort
• Jesus said - John 6:27 (ESV) Do not work for
the food that perishes, but for the food that
endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man
will give to you. For on him God the Father has
set his seal.”
Growth requires diligent effort
• Philippians 2:12 (ESV) Therefore, my beloved, as
you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in
my presence but much more in my absence, work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
• Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV) 13 Brothers, I do not
consider that I have made it my own. But one
thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on
toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of
God in Christ Jesus.
Growth requires diligent effort
• 2 Peter 1:5 (ESV) For this very reason, make
every effort to supplement your faith with
virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
• 2 Peter 1:10 (ESV) Therefore, brothers, be all
the more diligent to confirm your calling and
election, for if you practice these qualities you
will never fall.
Assisted by God
• God works in us
– Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) 12 Therefore, my
beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not
only as in my presence but much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
God helps, similar to our birth
• Titus 3:5 (ESV) he saved us, not because of
works done by us in righteousness, but
according to his own mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
• God wishes to finish the work he started in us.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV) And I am sure of this,
that he who began a good work in you will
bring it to completion at the day of Jesus
Christ.
God strengthens our effort
• Ephesians 3:16 (ESV) that according to the
riches of his glory he may grant you to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in
your inner being,
• Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) Now to him who is able
to do far more abundantly than all that we ask
or think, according to the power at work
within us,
God provides us armor
• Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV) 10 Finally, be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to stand against the schemes of
the devil.
• Ability Granted through God - Philippians
4:13 (ESV) I can do all things through him
who strengthens me.
We are blessed by God
• Blessings begin in this life
• Romans 5:1-2 (ESV) 1 Therefore, since we
have been justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Through him we have also obtained access
by faith into this grace in which we stand, and
we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
We are blessed abundantly by God
• John 10:10 (ESV) The thief comes only to
steal and kill and destroy. I came that they
may have life and have it abundantly.
We are blessed by God
• Blessings continue into the life to come
• 2 Peter 1:11 (ESV) For in this way there will be
richly provided for you an entrance into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
• Revelation 14:13 (ESV) And I heard a voice from
heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed
indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from
their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Knowing Our labors are not in vain
• 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV) Therefore, my
beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in
vain.
Conclusion
• God expects us to grow
– He commands it.
– He requires a diligent effort.
– He assists us in many ways
– Blesses us when we are obedient.
• Matthew 11:27-30 (ESV) 27 All things have
been handed over to me by my Father, and no
one knows the Son except the Father, and no
one knows the Father except the Son and
anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal
him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take
my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.”