Living things grow.
There are certain characteristics that are true of all living things[i]:
- Organization
- Metabolism
- Homeostasis
- Growth
- Reproduction
- Response
- Adaptation
For something to be considered “living” it must grow. This tells us something of the creator. He designed for us is continual, eternal growth in him!
This is a study of Fundamental Belief #11, Growing in Christ.
Remember when there were 27 Fundamental Beliefs? Growing in Christ is the newest, added in 2005. The proposal document for the belief[ii] is a fascinating read that shares the rationale for adding the belief, a brief history of SDA fundamental beliefs, and comments on the meaning of each sentence. Throughout this study I will reference this document to give background and understanding.
We will see 3 guiding truths for unlimited spiritual growth that are outlined in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.
- Jesus gives us the freedom to grow!
- Jesus is the way to grow!
- Jesus is the goal of growth!
Do you notice a common characteristic about growth? JESUS!
Guiding Truth #1: Jesus gives us the freedom to grow!
We are free to grow spiritually because Jesus has defeated the spiritual forces of evil!
Verse 17- Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:3-18 describes the freedom and glory of the New Covenant. There are new growth opportunities because of the New Covenant. Previously there was veil, but the veil was taken away in Christ (vv. 14,16) with his death (Matthew 27:51).
Fundamental Belief # 11 speaks of our freedom with these words.
By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us… No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus…
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
The powers of evil do all they can to prevent our growth, but they don’t have the power to stop it! We are free to grow! His victory is our freedom.
We experience this freedom in being set free from past sins. The guilt can weigh us down. The victory of Jesus forgives and cleanses us when we confess our sin (1 John 1:9). Don’t let past sins keep you from growth.
There is no past deed that disqualifies you from freedom. This is illustrated in the rationale for Fundamental Belief #11.
First, it explicitly addresses Christian growth in order to exclude eastern transcendental meditation as a spiritual exercise that is incompatible with the gospel of salvation through Christ. Second, it proclaims freedom through Christ from demonic powers to demonstrate that seeking help and guidance from them in our spiritual growth is not only unnecessary but totally incompatible with the work of Jesus on our behalf.
When they speak specifically of the “burden of past deeds” they add, “These include freedom from karma; from our sense of guilt, meaninglessness, and emptiness of life, and from the painful stigma of the past. This freedom brings true knowledge of salvation and dispels darkness and the ignorance that often led to superstitious beliefs.”
This statement of belief was targeted at some strong demonic chains. The world church was dealing with demonic influences that were embedded into cultural practice. There is no past deed that disqualifies you from freedom because there is no past deed that the victory of Jesus can’t set us free from.
We also experience this freedom with victory over current sin. If we don’t know that we have the option of being free from the hold of Satan we won’t pursue freedom. We have dismissed victory over sin with phrases like “nobody’s perfect”. We must get this straight! Freedom is not about you being perfect but about Christ being victorious. In the context of 2 Corinthians 3:17 we are reminded that Christ is our sufficiency (verse 4-5). Christs’ victory over sin gives us freedom from sin. Don’t be enslaved by a defeated foe.
Consider some Scripture…
We are called to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:10-11). Christ set us free so we might live free (Galatians 5:1). Listen to the call to freedom from sin in Romans 6:1-4.
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.”
Later in the chapter he tells them to not let sin therefore reign in their mortal bodies (v.12) and to not present their members to sin (v.13). Then he reminds them that sin does not have dominion over them (v.14).
CAUTION– Don’t make victory over sin about earning salvation!!! It is about living in freedom. What so easily happens is that we hear about victory over sin and then we consider the sin in our life, and we doubt our salvation. We start comparing ourselves with others. Christ saves us by grace. Victory over sin is bonus grace! It is a grace so good that it doesn’t just save us it changes us. But don’t let the slowness of your growth cause you to forget where your salvation comes from. The devil and demons are still alive so we should expect temptation. They have influence on us but the don’t have dominion over us.
Your growth is possible because Jesus’ victory is certain! If you have believed that growing in Christ was unavailable to you or that freedom from sin is not possible for you, you have believed a lie. A lie that God wants to set you free from right now. Christ is victorious over the powers that wish to hold you captive. You may have thought yourself too old, to young, to sinful… Growth is possible. How do I know? Jesus is victorious! If you are uninterested in spiritual things, if you have fallen deep into sin, if you have repeated the same destructive cycle again, if you have lost hope that does not make Jesus any less victorious. So, your growth is possible.
The veil has been torn. Step into your God given freedom to grow!
Guiding Truth #2: Jesus is the way to grow!
We grow spiritually when we see Jesus!
2 Corinthians 3:18a And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
Well, that makes it simple. Like Zacchaeus, do what it takes to get in a position to catch a glimpse of Jesus.
This highlights some wonderful growth potential in the vision statement of our church. We are a community striving to intentionally reflect the character of God. Where his character is reflected growth happens.
This gets exciting! Growth opportunities are everywhere because the glory of God might be displayed anywhere. We can see his glory in a relationship, in nature, in education, in service, in pain, in loneliness… and wherever we see Jesus, growth is there.
Practical Suggestions: Growth potential is everywhere but here are three common places to see God’s glory and grow. These are all highlighted in Fundamental #11. To grow you need to see more of Jesus and here are three likely places to see him!
- We see Jesus when the Holy Spirit is in our lives.
God desires to give us the Holy Spirit and he has not put limits on it (John 3:34; Luke 11:13). The Spirit has all these fruits (Galatians 5) that we can grow in.
Fundamental Belief #11 speaks of our growth through the Holy Spirit with these words.
Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us.
His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.
2. We see Jesus when we practice spiritual disciplines.
Our habits shape us. We can’t control outcomes but can chose inputs and practices. Scripture instructs us to be trained in godliness (1 Timothy 4:7; Hebrews 12:11). Common spiritual disciplines include prayer, bible study, fasting, Sabbath, silence, confession, worship, fellowship, rest, celebration, service, generosity…
Fundamental Belief # 11 speaks of growth through spiritual disciplines with these words.
…communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the Church.
There is this phrase in the proposal document, “Freedom from leads to freedom to”. We are free to engage in holy practice because we are free from demonic control.
Growth doesn’t take place just by doing the acts but by seeing God’s glory through the act.
Look back to 2 Corinthians 3:14-15, “But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.”
You don’t grow just by listening to this sermon but when the veil is lifted and you see Jesus in the sermon. You don’t grow just by reading your Bible or keeping the Sabbath. Christ has removed the veil so we can see him.
In addition to addressing demonic influence in global mission, the proposal of Fundamental Belief #11 noted that “the Fundamental Beliefs contain no reference to prayer, devotional life, and service.” Our statements of belief were lacking an important piece when they didn’t affirm spiritual disciplines.
3. We see Jesus when we use our gifts for a holy purpose.
Service is included in the above spiritual disciplines. I am highlighting it. When we serve, we grow.
Fundamental Belief # 11 speaks of growth through service with these words.
…participating in the mission of the Church. We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.
Here is a strong sentence to consider from the proposal document, “Participation in the mission of the church is not optional for those who are growing in Christ”.
Guiding Truth #3: Jesus is the GOAL of grow!
The goal of growth is to be like Jesus!
Verse 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. Edward Abbey
Growth is a big deal in our modern culture. Every good business plan has a goal for their growth. Classes are taught on how to have a growth mindset, how to reach 10,000 subscribers, or how to build wealth. We are not just pursing growth, we are pursing Christlikeness!
The end goal of being like Christ is all at once achievable and inexhaustible. We can be like him in the moment of showing patience or giving grace. But we will grow eternally more like him because his glory is limitless. We can be eternally successful in our goal without reaching the end of our quest! The glory we are being transformed into is big. Look back over the chapter (vv. 7-11) and see that it a surpassing and permanent glory!
In a recent Speak Lord episode I reflected on the truth that we become like the thing we love[iii]. Listen to it for more thoughts on the law of the human mind, by beholding we become changed.
Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached. Before the student there is opened a path of continual progress. He has an object to achieve, a standard to attain, that includes everything good, and pure, and noble. He will advance as fast and as far as possible in every branch of true knowledge. But his efforts will be directed to objects as much higher than mere selfish and temporal interests as the heavens are higher than the earth. Education p. 18
Want to grow? Grab ahold of these three guiding truths for unlimited spiritual growth.
- Jesus gives us the freedom to grow!
- Jesus is the way to grow!
- Jesus is the goal of growth!
[i] The list of characteristics vary between sources. This list referenced a biology course from Kahn Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/intro-to-biology/what-is-biology/a/what-is-life
[ii] https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2004/06/the-fundamental-beliefs-and-growing-in-christ.html