KEYS TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH PART ONE

2 Peter 3:17-18

2 Peter 3:17-18 (NIV) - 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

AMP - 17Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind]. 18But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and ^[h]recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)!

INTRO:  We are starting a new 4 part series entitled, “Keys to spiritual growth.”  Some of the topics we will cover during this series are, “(1) Keys to spiritual growth; (2) Principles of spiritual growth; (3) Attitudes of spiritual growth; (4) Fasting to spiritual growth.”

I read an article about a man who had lived in a tree after a fight with his wife for 50 years.  This person, who lives in India is now 83 years old.  He has spent the last 50 years living in a tree house.  He has repeatedly turned down pleas from his wife and children to come back.  When his wife was asked by a reporter why he is living in the tree her reply was, “We have an argument over a tiny issue and that is why he left me and promised not to live with me until he dies.  I’ve tried everything to have him come back, and he always refuses.”  The man made his home with a makeshift shed in a tree, located about a half a mile from his actual house.  You may ask yourself, “What does this man hope to accomplish by living in a tree house?”  He claims that his decision to move into this tree because of conflict with his wife has helped his spiritual growth and has helped overcome tensions with his wife.  In reality, this man has a complete misunderstanding concerning spiritual growth.

So this begs the question:  What is spiritual growth?  A minister by the name of Freddie Fitz gives I think a good definition:  Spiritual growth is not mystical, sentimental, devotional, or psychological.  It is not the result of some clever secret or formula.  Spiritual growth is simply matching your practice with your position in Christ.

And what is our position in Christ?  Well first off it is perfect:  We have a righteousness from God (Romans 1:17).  We are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).  We have all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).  We have all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph. 1:3).  But the thing is we must make spiritual growth a life long journey.  We should be always growing and improving our practice or way we live to see it get closer to our actual position in Christ.

So let’s look in this introductory sermon at 3 ways that we can begin to grow spiritually.

1.      Watch out who you listen too!

v. 17 AMP - 17Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].

A.     During the time that Peter wrote this Epistle here, there were many false teachers that had reared their head in the church.

1.      They were going behind men of God like Peter and Paul and others and teaching false doctrines like circumcision and the keeping of the law, to pure Gnosticism and the denial that Christ came in the flesh.

2.      Peter called these men lawless, wicked (amp) and unprincipled (net).  In verse 16 he talks about them twisting and distorting the Scriptures to their own destruction.

3.      The Believers who received this letter were to be on their guard, to watch out.  Why?  Because of the ease of being led astray. 

4.      If they listened and believed these unprincipled men, they would be in danger of falling from their condition in Christ, or as the amplified Bible says, “the steadfastness of mind”  Their minds would become confused about the truth and they would start to believe a lie.

B.     We ourselves this day and hour have to watch who we listen too as well.

1.      If you are not grounded in the Word, it is very easy to be led astray because there will come people who will scratch our itching ears, saying things that we want to hear, and not necessarily God’s Word.

2 Timothy 4:3 AMP - For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,

2.      When ministers or people will try to tell you to compromise what the Bible says, and tries to take away from truly obeying the Word of God – run to the hills.  Avoid such a person, they are causing divisions and strife.

Romans 16:17 Mess. - One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They're only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren't above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents.

2.  Grow in grace.

v. 18a AMP - But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength)

A.     The word “grow” in the Greek means, “Continue growing.

B.     Believers grow and grace and favor as they understand that they are living by God’s grace alone – so everything they do is a result of that grace.

Eph. 4:15 AMP - Rather, let our lives lovingly ^[a]express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

3.  Grow in the knowledge of Christ.

v. 18b AMP - But grow in…recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

A.     To grow in the knowledge of the Lord is to study the Scriptures on your own, pray, listen to sound doctrine and teachers and apply that knowledge to your everyday life.

B.     The amazing this is if you do these things, you will not need to fear being influenced by false teachers and those who might try to bring division.

C.     To grow in the knowledge of Christ is to also grow in the understanding of the character, person, and work of just who Jesus Christ is.

1.      It was the full desire of Paul’s life, even after all the years of ministry he had, all the salvations he saw, and the miracles that God performed, to truly know Him.

Philippians 3:10 AMP - [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [^[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death…

4.  Spiritual growth is for God’s glory, not ours.

v. 18c NIV - To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

A.     True spiritual growth is never about bringing us glory and honor, or making us look impressive to others.

B.     True spiritual growth is about bringing glory and honor to Jesus Christ, who has delivered us and called us out of our old wayward way of life and established our ways in Him.

CONCL:  How is your walk with Christ today?  Are you growing daily in His grace and in the knowledge of Him?  Or are you at a standstill?  Are you drifting away because of something that was said to you?  God’s desire is for every believer to continue to grow in Him.  That is only going to come if we all lay aside those things that hinder; commit to follow after the Lord in Prayer and searching the Scriptures; listening to good, sound doctrine; realizing it is by grace we are saved; and a burning desire to become more like Him and experience His life flowing through us more and more each day.  Do you have that burning desire.  If not, ask the Lord for it.