Growth (Col. 1:10c)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/2/2017 10:44 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                                     Focus: Growth

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Colossians 1:10c

            Message of the verses:  “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

            In our SD for today we are looking at the last part of verse ten as we consider growth of believers in this part of the verse and this is the third result of knowledge, something we have been looking at in this section of Colossians chapter one.  As we continue to grow up in the Lord we are growing in the knowledge of God, so more knowledge means more growth in the Lord.

            John MacArthur writes “Te epignosei (‘in the knowledge’) is an instrumental dative case.  It indicates the means by which our ‘increasing’ or growth, takes place.  The knowledge of God revealed in His Word is crucial to spiritual growth.”  Peter had something to say about this in 1 Peter 2:2 where he writes “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”  And one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is the very last thing that Peter writes in 2^nd Peter 3:18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  It is as always that the Holy Spirit is the One who enables our own efforts to grow as He gives us enabling grace.

            We will now look at four marks of spiritual growth beginning with a deeper love for God’s Word as seen in Psalm 119:97 “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

            The next mark of spiritual growth is a reflection in more perfect obedience as seen in 1 John 2:3-5 “3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him”

            Thirdly spiritual growth will result in having our faith enlarged as seen in 2 Thess. 1:3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;”  We can also look at 2 Corinthians 10:15 “not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,”

            Lastly we see that a mark of spiritual growth is having a greater love as seen in Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.”

            Now as mentioned we cannot do this on our own for if we could do this on our own then how would that bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We need the aid of the Holy Spirit to guide us into our spiritual growth.

1/2/2017 11:03 PM