We Must
Grow Up
In Every Way
The gifts he gave were that some would
be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to
equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no
longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of
doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But
speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every
ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes
the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
How does God measure your progress? He
does not do it with a yardstick as we did with our children, as they grew up.
However, measurements can be good indicators of growth. Do you go to Church and
Sunday School? Do you witness, when you have an
opportunity? Do you read the Bible on a regular basis? Do you pray before you
make a decision? Do you rely on the Spirit to provide you with guidance? How do
you use your spiritual gifts? How much better do you know the Spirit, Jesus,
and God than you did a year ago?
A child seems to grow up all of a
sudden, but it is actually a continual process. Just as Jesus grew in both
wisdom and stature, we as believers are to continue growing as well.
Salvation is
the miracle of a moment;
growth is the labor
of a lifetime.
Our Daily
Bread –