| Poster | Thread |
| | What Is Growth In Christ? | | What Is Growth In Christ?
When a person experiences being born again he is considered to be a baby in Christ.
1 Peter 2:2; Heb 5:13
There are many aspects of this new birth that never change or increase in the slightest way. Here are just a few examples of some things that are true of all Christians no matter what stage they are in. Everything listed here is what God has already accomplished for us and in us. Mankind did NOT have any role or part of this at all. The truth is God himself accomplished all this for mankind before the foundation of the world.
We are just as righteous as Christ is. This righteousness can not increase or decrease.
2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 1:30
We all have the faith of Christ. We do not need more faith but we can grow in the knowledge and use of the faith that we already have.
Gal. 2:20
We are as holy as Christ is. We can not get more holy and we can not get less holy.
1 Cor. 3:17; 1Cor. 6:19
We have been made one with God. It is impossible to closer to God or to be further away from Him.
John 17:21-22
Our old corrupt sinful nature has died and buried with Christ.
Rom. 6:1-10
We only have one nature and that is the Divine nature because we have Christ's nature.
Jer. 32:39-40; Ezek. 36:25-27; Deut. 30:6; Jer. 24:7;Jer. 31:31-34;
Heb. 8:8b; 2 Pet. 1:4
We are completely free from the law. The law does not apply to us at all/
Rom. 7:4-6
Now, this list could go on and on but I need to talk about growth in Christ.
Even thought all these facts are completely true, not all Christians know these truths or have experienced the reality of all these things for themselves yet. For example, a real Christian may not know that he is as righteous as Christ is and may make efforts and attempts to get the righteousness he thinks he lacks.
The real issue of the problem here is this person does not yet fully see or realize what God in Christ has already accomplished for him so he thinks that he must accomplish it himself. Now this is totally impossible for any person to do. Now as a result of this person's failure to do something that he could never accomplish, he often feels dirty, unclean, unworthy, wicked, evil and just absolutely worthless to God and others.
Now the only solution to this problem is to get this person to see and realize what God in Christ has already accomplished for him and in him. As long as this person is looking at his own failures; he will only experience more commendation and guilt.
Once this person is directed away from this own failures and to what God has already accomplished for him and to hem, he will begin to see what he had not realized before. Than he will find the victory that he had the whole time but just was not aware of, all that God had already accomplished for him.
Examine Paul's prayer for the saints.
Eph 1:16-23; "Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
Truth growth in Christ is the never ending process of the Holy Spirit taking the truth of Christ and then showing it to you.
John 16:13-15, "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
What is the difference between a babe in Christ and a mature Christian? The mature Christian has had his eyes opened more to what God has already accomplished for him and to him than the babe and than as a result the mature Christian walks daily in all that truth that he sees and knows.
God has already done every necessary for you and in you. He has left NOTHING undone! HE HAS DONE IT ALL!!! The ONLY possible solution to sin and the human condition is the gospel message of what He has already accomplished. Once you realize this fact, it is easy to see that no law, rule, moral code, or any self effort or anything you could possibly do would ever cause you to be like God or cause you to grow in Him.
Any real acceptable outward change must be the result of the exchange that God has already accomplished for you. Your old rotten, wicked, deceitful heart was taken away and replaced (exchanged) with His own heart. Now not only have His very Life but as a result you have a 100% clean heart containing His Devine Nature.
We are only changed form glory to glory and from faith to faith by the Holy Spirit who knows all that Christ has done for you and in you. The Spirit then will reveal these truths to you by opening the eyes of your understanding to see and realize what Christ has already done. Once you see that you can joyfully embrace that truth and start enjoying the truth that existed before but that you where not aware of yet.
2 Cor. 3:18. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
Rom. 1:17, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
All true Christianity is based ONLY on what God has already done. There is absolutely nothing left to be done but to simply embrace, walk and truly enjoy all that he has already done for you.
When God corrects me - He opens my eyes to see WHAT HE HAS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED in a way that I had never realized before. When I see that - with joy I embrace that and then walk in what He has shown me.
There is ALWAYS more to be seen!!!! You will never see it all.
Growing in Christ is just the never ending discovery of His accomplished work. If you are having any problems in your Christian experience than the real issue could be that you do not yet fully recognize or see all that God has already accomplished for you and in you. Do NOT attempt to fix something that that you can never fix. God has already fixed everything! There is nothing left to fix. Repent by giving up all hope in your self or any efforts that you could ever take. Know that it is totally impossible for you to accomplish anything of value.
Take your eyes of yourself and that problem and begin to look at the finished work of Christ. Do not forget that you have Christ's Life in you now. You are now righteous, holy and perfect in his sight!! |
|  2011/12/13 18:22 | | Christinyou
Member
Joined: 2005/11/2
Posts: 3710
Ca.
| | Re: What Is Growth In Christ? | | There you go again tuc, Amen to all you wrote.
We don't receive a leaky bucket, we receive the whole bucket of Grace in Christ Jesus. I don't get part of the Spirit of Christ birthed in me I get Him as a whole person.
I don't get part of the Holy Spirit now and part later, I get the whole Person of the Holy Spirit. Paul said this takes a revelation of the mystery and that mystery is "Christ in you the Hope of Glory", and Jesus Christ also even brings the Father to make their abode with us.
My Labour or if you want to call it works, that is ok as long as we understand it is by His working in us that makes us perfect before the Father.
Colossians 1:25-29 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, (((to fulfil the word of God;)))) Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the ((((riches of the glory of this mystery)))) among the Gentiles; which is ((((Christ in you, the hope of glory:)))) Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may ((((present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:)))) Whereunto ((((I also labour, striving according to his working,)))) which worketh in me mightily.
This truly is our perfection, the mystery revealed in the mystery and the total and last fulfillment of the Gospel of the WORD Himself, Paul's Gospel; Christ in you the hope of Glory. Amen
Thank you brother tuc, The outside pressure from religion of works salvation is so draining, it is wonderful to hear freedom in Christ.
In Christ; Phillip
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Phillip
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| | 2011/12/13 20:47 | Profile |
| | Re: Phillip | | Phillip
I would like to contact you personally. I tried sending a message on youtube but got no response. Can you somehow give me your email or something? |
| | 2011/12/14 8:25 | | ArthurRosh
Member
Joined: 2011/9/26
Posts: 940
| | Re: What Is Growth In Christ? | | Can growth in Christ also be related to the promises of God?
2 Peter 1:4
he has granted us his precious and very great promises so that
THROUGH THEM
you may become partakers of the divine nature.
2 Corinthians 7:1
SINCE WE HAVE THESE PROMISES
let us cleans ourselves from every defilement of body AND spirit bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
1 John 3:3
And everyone who has this HOPE FOCUSED on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure.
The promises of God are the means to purity and holiness? |
| | 2011/12/14 9:09 | Profile | davidc
Member
Joined: 2010/8/15
Posts: 272
France
| | Re: Growth in Christ | | Amen to all three of you. It is so good and edifying to see Christ being lifted up.
David
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david
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| | 2011/12/14 9:30 | Profile | Christinyou
Member
Joined: 2005/11/2
Posts: 3710
Ca.
| | Re: | | Quote: """
I would like to contact you personally. I tried sending a message on youtube but got no response. Can you somehow give me your email or something?"""
530-218-4074
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Phillip
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| | 2011/12/14 18:23 | Profile | Sree
Member
Joined: 2011/8/20
Posts: 1953
| | Re: What Is Growth In Christ? | | Quote:
We are just as righteous as Christ is. This righteousness can not increase or decrease.
2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 1:30
Dear Brother,
Both the verses that you have posted does not mean what you are quoting. We are not already perfect. These verses give us hope that we can be made perfect. Again similar to your last post on Sin and morality, here also the fundamentals of your post are not correct.
2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The verse clearly says that we might become the righteousness of God. In other Jesus became Sin so that we will receive righteousness from God. It never says that we are already righteous as quoted by you. This verse is a powerful verse that gives us hope that we will be called Righteous one day by God. Righteousness should always come from God, we cannot assume that we are righteous or already made righteous.
1 Corinthians 1:28:-
The base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.
The context of this verse is very important, please do not take it out of context to find a new meaning to it. In this context God has called those who are fools in the eyes of the world to be united with Christ Jesus who will become source of our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and redemption. So it means Jesus is our only source, we cannot generate it by our self. This does not mean that we already have the wisdom of God, or Righteousness of God. It means he is our only source, so that no man can boast on his work.
_________________
Sreeram
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| | 2011/12/15 16:34 | Profile |
| | Re: | | I am NOT boasting in anything that I have ever done, am now doing or will ever do.
The fact is that God in Christ has made me completely righteous.
Christ Himself is my righteousness.
1 Cor. 1:30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:"
Jesus Christ is not only my only source, He is my Life.
Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith."
I never claimed to generate anything.
It is simple, I am just resting, embracing and participating in what God in Christ has already accomplished for me and in me.
I have been redeemed and I am saying so.
Psalm 107:2, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;"
He gets all the Glory.
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| | 2011/12/15 17:29 | | Sree
Member
Joined: 2011/8/20
Posts: 1953
| | Re: | | Quote:
I am NOT boasting in anything that I have ever done, am now doing or will ever do.
The fact is that God in Christ has made me completely righteous.
Christ Himself is my righteousness.
Jesus Christ is not only my only source, He is my Life.
I never said you are boasting, I don't know where you got this from. I said you misquote the verses to say something which it does not say.
You are simply adding to God's promises by saying I am already Perfected.
I welcome you saying Jesus Christ is your life, but it is for the world and People around you to see and tell that they see Jesus in you. Not for you to tell people that you are already like Jesus. Do you find the difference? If the people around you are telling you that they see Jesus in you then it means you are living like Jesus who never Sinned no matter how bad the trails were. So it is for your life to speak.
Quote:
Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith."
Again you are misquoting this verse. Read it with context. With context it means the Gentiles were called to receive the righteousness of God though they did not seek for it in their initial life in which they did not know Christ.
If you take this verse literally like how you took then it can be taken as God has already made all Gentiles irrespective of accepting Jesus as Righteous. Because there is no condition specified here.
Brother I would advise you to read Bible carefully instead of misinterpreting it. Adding something to God's promise is equally dangerous like not trusting his promise. If you are willing to risk by adding to his promise then you can but please do not spread these false teachings.
If God has already made us all Righteous and that is the basis of Christianity as proclaimed by you then why is not a clear verse in Bible that directly states it? Why did Jesus, Paul, Apostles and all the Godly men of this age preach the spirit led life of attaining God's righteousness? Why can't they say just sit back and relax either.
Brother God never oversees our sins, even if you believe in Jesus or not. He will forgive our sins if we repent and ask him to forgive us in Jesus name. He forgives us not because we repented but because we came to him in Jesus name who has paid the praise for our sins publically. This does not mean God will stop seeing our future sins and will blind his eyes. If he does so then he is not a Just God.
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Sreeram
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| | 2011/12/16 10:50 | Profile | murrcolr
Member
Joined: 2007/4/25
Posts: 1839
Scotland, UK
| | Re: | | Any real acceptable outward change must be the result of the exchange that God has already accomplished for you. Your old rotten, wicked, deceitful heart was taken away and replaced (exchanged) with His own heart. Now not only have His very Life but as a result you have a 100% clean heart containing His Devine Nature.
Lets look at the heart
.
The heart in the bible. Upon examination one can determine of what the Bible heart consists Jesus mentioned "understanding with their heart" Jn. 12: 40 Hence, the intellect or reasoning ability resides in the heart. The Bible speaks of the heart possessing emotion John 14: 1. Emotions such as joy, love, and desire are emotions said to emanate from the heart Jn. 16: 22; Matt. 22: 37; 5: 28. The expression "willing heart" is a reference to the will of man being located in his heart Ex 35: 5. The language "pricked in their heart" is an allusion to the conscience or that part of the heart that pains us when we do wrong Acts 2:37
After these scriptures are gathered and studied about the heart, we can deduce that the heart consists of the intellect or thinking ability; emotions; the will or volition; and the conscience. The heart is the seat, source, reservoir, and instigator of our thoughts, attitudes, desires, character, and motivation. Pr 4:23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. (AMP)
According to the bible the heart is the source and the seat of the mind, will and emotions in this modern time we would call this the soul
After a time of fasting and prayer God revealed to me that in me sin remains, it Sin has so embedded itself into our nature that we are tricked into believing it is us but its not us
When you are born again its your Spirit thats born again
God also let me know that there was a additional work he needs to perform in the believer
Your Soul (Stony heart) has not been dealt with and this is where Sin resides
God also revealed to Paul this truth with these words But I see this speaks to me of revelation
. God revealed to Paul and when he saw it and he cried who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom 7:24
Roms 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
There is a dual work to be done in man one in the Spirit the other in the heart our soul
..
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The scripture above sheds some light the stony heart out of your flesh this stony heart of the flesh has works these are
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like.
Paul calls it flesh, to deal with flesh it must be dealt at the source and the source Pr 4:23 is the stony heart of your flesh
Jesuss words will also help us pin point the source. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Matthew 15:19
Getting back to growth until the stony heart of the flesh remains we will remain babes in Christ, carnal and walk as mere men because the Holy Spirit will be hindered because the flesh fights against God
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Colin Murray
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| | 2011/12/16 12:55 | Profile |
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