Spiritual Growth
Pastor Dave Monreal, Lead Pastor
| One older lady in my church stopped me Sunday Morning to ask me a question right before the service. Honestly, it usually isn’t a good time to stop a pastor to say something deep or ask the pastor a challenging life question (unless you’re telling me my fly is down). She was in failing health and really wanted to go home to be with Jesus. She asked me this question, “Pastor, how long does it take a person to die?” I think she wanted me to wax eloquent on the nature of life or perhaps share some facts I had gleaned for various readings. Instead, I responded, “Your whole life.” This answer got me to thinking about spiritual growth (or sometimes the lack of spiritual growth). How long does it take to become a mature Christ-follower who is like Jesus in his thoughts, attitudes, actions, feelings, and responses? The biblical answer is, your whole life. One of the books I have been reading is by Steve Brown, titled, What Was I Thinking?: Things I’ve Learned Since I knew It All. He is a former pastor and seminary professor who continues to do a daily national radio program called, “Key Life.” He writes this book as an 81-year-old man looking back at his life and ministry sharing things he has learned about the Christian life along the way. One of his chapters is titled, “Obedience is a lot more difficult than I thought it was.” He writes, “I’ve decided to accept the fact that obedience is harder than I thought it was, and because it is, it’s going to be slow in coming. I don’t like it, but it’s true. So if I can’t get better quickly, then what am I to do? I’m going to Jesus. I’m going to him because he doesn’t care how I come.” (p. 161 Kindle Edition) Anyone who has been a Christian for any significant amount of time and is honest with himself will realize that sin is much more pernicious and stubborn on many areas. Some sins seem more easily defeated and others continue to rear their ugly heads for years or decades even as we continue to grow and be conformed more into the image of Christ. Paul says as a mature Christian, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15) People do not like the thought that Paul is speaking about his present reality, so they say that he is looking back to the time he was a young Christian or even a non-Christian. But Paul uses present tense verbs which the plain reading indicate he is looking at himself as a mature believer. Later in life he adds, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15) We have looked at these passages before, but it bears repeating, Paul considers himself the foremost or chief sinner at the end of his life. This does not mean he wasn’t far more mature than his earlier life. It also doesn’t mean that he sinned in the ways or degrees he did as a young man. But the reality of his sin considering the holiness of God is so much more acute and his heart so much more sensitive to the reality of indwelling sin. He looks at the end of his life and says, “I still need Jesus to save me as much as I did when I first believed.” This is the beauty of the gospel, on your best day God does not love you any more and on your worst day he does not love you any less if you are truly a child of God by faith. His love for you is perfect and complete in Jesus. The penalty for all your sin has been paid. He never deals with you in anger or wrath but always only in love. Spiritual growth is hard and hard work. It often goes much slower than we wish it would and it will take a lifetime to become the person God wants you to be. But you can be honest about your sin and continue to run to Jesus because he loves you more than you will ever know. |
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