Posted by James 5:16 on October 09, 2001 at 11:15:24:
In Reply to: Spiritual growth. posted by Lulu on October 07, 2001 at 08:58:41:
: What does it mean - to grow spiritualy?
I really believe that to grow spiritually, a Christian grows in faith to better follow the Lord and to have a better relationship with Him.
When a person becomes a Christian, an agreement, in effect, is made between God and the individual. The agreement has a basis in faith. Faith is the fundamental mechanism that allows such a relationship. As Christians, we spend our lives in an attempt to perfect the relationship that we have with God in the basis of faith.
Not an easy task. Nor one that we can complete.
Only through death can we achieve such a relationship. The reason being that we are sinful by nature. We alone cannot achieve a perfect relationship with God. God has to build that bridge for us. As you probably have suspected, that's what Christ did on the Cross for us. That sacrifice allowed the bridge to be built.
Now, can we see a contract that provides for this?
No.
However, we take the promise that God made through the death of Christ as faithful. We have faith in that promise. The more faith we have, the more faith we have in that promise. It's a belief in the truthfulness and sanctity of God that a Christian relies upon in this case.
Throughout our walk with the Lord, faith grows in Him. That is really what the phrase means. To say that we have "spiritual growth", says the same thing. We have a growth in faith in God and His promises.
Thanks for listening,
James 5:16