Articles
Growing In Christ
Growing In Christ
Greg King
As Christians we are to be engaged in a process of growth. God warns us in His word about the possibility of becoming stagnant and failing to grow as we should. His word teaches us that we must be growing or it is possible for us to wither and fall away from the Lord. Paul admonishes the Christians at Ephesus, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
In 1 Peter 2:2 it is written, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” As Christians we are to be engaged in the process of change. By applying the scripture and following the example of our Savior it is to be a change for the better. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:5-14)
When a person is baptized into Christ, they rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Having been washed in the blood of Jesus, the new-born child of God embarks on an exciting journey with the goal of growing up in Christ. Are you growing?
