GROW IN GRACE
COLOSSIANS 1:3-6; 2 PETER 3:18
“ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Introduction:
I am not speaking of a grace, but all of the graces mentioned in the Scriptures. This is the Christian growing and maturing in the knowledge of what Christ has done for us in Salvation and beyond in our Christian experience.
I. GROW IN THE ROOT OF GRACE – FAITH
A. BELIEVING the promises, Romans 4:20-21, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”
B. INCREASING our faith,
1. Lack of faith limits what we can do for the Lord, Mathew 17:19-20, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
2. Lack of faith results in not being filled with God’s FULLNESS, Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
3. Strengthening our faith in the Lord results in CONSTANCY, Romans 4:20, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” 1 Peter 5:10, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
4. Strong faith sees the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ, (not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generosity), 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
II. GROW IN HUMILITY.
A. Seek to grow UPWARD.
1. Having FELLOWSHIP IN PRAYER with the Lord, Psalm 69:13, “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.”
2. Having more INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP with Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
B. Seek to “grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.” Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Philippians 1:9, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;”
III. GROW IN LOVE…
A. For the brethren, 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”
B. For the lost sinner, James 5:20, “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”
IV. REST NOT CONTENT WITHOUT AN INCREASING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
A. Seek to know more of him in his divine nature.
1. In his human relationship, John 13:1, “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
2. In his finished work, John 5:17, “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
3. In his death, Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
4. In his resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:19-21, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.”
5. In his present glorious intercession, 1 John 2:1, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”
6. And in his future His royal advent, John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
B. The best tests of growth in grace is…
1. An increase in love for Jesus, Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
2. A more perfect understanding of his love toward us…
a. He laid down his life for us, 1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
b. God sent his Son to be the propitiation [the means of appeasing] for our sins, 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
c. If we love one another his love is perfected in us, 1 John 4:12, “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”
CONCLUSION
Are we growing in grace? If you don’t see some of these signs in your life, perhaps it is time to take stock to see where you stand in your relationship to Christ.