Tag: growth

Salvation is Personal: The Christian Life is Not

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In a few days, my third grandbaby will be born. When he makes his anticipated entrance into this world, he will be placed in the nurturing arms of his mother. He will be held by his father and surrounded by loving siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He will be well loved, cared for, fed, and protected. This is by God’s design. When we are born into the world, we are born into a family.

The day we are born is significant. Most celebrate it each year. Yet, Christians understand that their physical birth is only their first birth. Every Christian has a spiritual birth. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” John 3:3. This new birth changes everything. Old things have passed away; all things have become new. Stony hearts are replaced with hearts of flesh. And where we were once children of wrath, the new birth makes us children of God, granting us eternal life with Him.

When we are born again, we should also be joined to a family of believers.  In this family, we are fed by elders (1 Peter 5:2), and the older teach the younger (Titus 2).  The strong in the faith help restore those overtaken in faults (Galatians 6:1).  The brethren lovingly exhort and warn the unruly (I Thessalonians 5:14).  We encourage one another daily so that sin will not harden hearts (Hebrews 3:12-13).  And we love those in sin enough to have compassion and make a difference in their life.  Jude 22-23 says, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

The idea of experiencing salvation without belonging to a local church is foreign in the New Testament. When individuals repented and believed in Christ, they were baptized and added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47; 16:5). They did not live out a private commitment to Christ. They joined formally with other believers in a local assembly and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42).

It is also important to note that the New Testament epistles were written to churches, not individuals. In them, we read about the significance of one another. The scriptures call us to love one another, honor one another, edify one another, admonish one another, care for one another, serve one another, restore one another, bear one another’s burdens, and be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving toward one another.  We are to teach one another, comfort one another, exhort one another, and consider one another.  The Bible says we are to confess our sins to one another, have compassion with one another, be hospitable to one another, minister to one another, and fellowship with one another.[i] It is easy to see a theme here.

Salvation is personal, but the Christian life is not. Just as children who are orphaned, abandoned, and left to themselves can face harm or failure to thrive, so can children of God without a family. God designed us for accountability.  We need each other.  It was never intended for the child of God to be an island unto themselves.  I can’t imagine my grandson being born and left to himself without love, care, and protection. I can’t imagine him not having nourishment or his needs provided for.  Every child born needs and deserves a nurturing family to thrive. In the same way, every born-again child of God needs to be a part of a family, the local church.

[i] John 13:34, Romans 12:10, Romans 14:19, Romans 15:14, I Corinthians 12:25, Galatians 5:13, Galatians 6:1-2, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:16, I Thessalonians 4:18, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:24, James 5:16, I Peter 3:8, I Peter 4:9-10, I John 1:7

How Does Your Garden Grow?

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Ladies, spring is just around the corner and before we know it people will start planting their gardens.  Everyone wants to see their plants healthy and growing.  For that to happen, plants need food, water, sunshine, fertilizer, and some tending to.  Without one or more of these key ingredients plants will die.

Plants are not the only things in life that grow.  People grow too or at least they should.  Growth is healthy.  People get very concerned when a baby does not physically grow.  Likewise, people get very concerned when a child does not mentally grow.  But, what about a child of God who does not spiritually grow?

Just like a plant depends upon food and water, so do we.  Without either we will not survive.  But, what about our spiritual food?  A child of God will spiritually wither away without daily feeding upon the Word of God.   If you only ate once a week you would be starving.  How many people are starving spiritually?  They go days, weeks, or months without feeding their spirit.

Fertilizer is also very beneficial to the healthy growth of a plant.  Fertilizer is a little extra boost of nourishment every now and then.  That extra nourishment in a Christian’s life comes in the form of weekly corporate worship.  When we come together to pray, praise God, and hear His Words proclaimed we are nourished in our faith.  Without it, or when it is sporadic, our spiritual growth will become stale and stagnant.

Plants also need tending to.  Sometimes we need to give plants extra support or they will fall over.  Sometimes we must pull out the weeds that are choking them.  Sometimes plants need to be transported to a better location.  God has created us to need tending to as well.  In order for us to spiritually grow we need extra support and encouragement from our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Without it we might fall over.  Sometime we need someone to come alongside us and point out the “weeds” growing in our lives and help to “pluck them out.”  Sometimes, we need a helping hand to bear our burdens because the environment we are in is detrimental to our spiritual life.  But a person who does not fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ will not be tended to as they should.  Many people miss blessings and opportunities for God to work because they are not involved in the local church, fellowships, and activities.

Ladies, how does your garden grow?  Are you healthy?  Are you strong in the Lord?  Are you spiritually growing in your faith?  Do you need some sonshine?  If so, read your Bible daily.  Be faithful  to the Lord and His church.  Be sure and fellowship with your brothers and sisters as often as possible.  When you do all of this, you will bloom!  You will flourish!  And you will find yourself healthy and thriving for the Lord!