Growing Up Into Christ
The sermon emphasizes the importance of ongoing spiritual growth and development, challenging the idea of 'instant Christianity' that suggests we can discharge our total obligation to our souls by one act of faith.
A.W. Tozer addresses the misconception of 'instant Christianity,' emphasizing that while conversion can be a sudden experience, true spiritual growth requires ongoing effort and character development. He warns against the belief that a single act of faith can absolve us of all spiritual responsibilities, urging believers to seek a deeper relationship with Christ and to embody their faith through their character. Tozer highlights the importance of recognizing the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives and the necessity of continual growth in faith, rather than relying solely on past experiences.
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By "instant Christianity" I mean the kind found almost everywhere in gospel circles and which is born of the notion that we may discharge our total obligation to our own souls by one act of faith, or at most by two, and be relieved thereafter of all anxiety about our spiritual condition. We are saints by calling, our teachers keep telling us, and we are permitted to infer from this that there is no reason to seek to be saints by character. An automatic, once-for-all quality is present here that is completely out of mode with the faith of the New Testament.
In this error, as in most others, there lies a certain amount of truth imperfectly understood. It is true that conversion to Christ may be and often is sudden. Where the burden of sin has been heavy the sense of forgiveness is usually clear and joyful. The delight experienced in forgiveness is equal to the degree of moral repugnance felt in repentance. The true Christian has met God. He knows he has eternal life and he is likely to know where and when he received it. And those also who have been filled with the Holy Spirit subsequent to their regeneration have a clear-cut experience of being filled.
The Spirit is self-announcing, and the renewed heart has no difficulty identifying His presence as He floods in over the soul. But the trouble is that we tend to put our trust in our experiences and as a consequence misread the entire New Testament. We are constantly being exhorted to make the decision, to settle the matter now, to get the whole thing taken care of at once--and those who exhort us are right in doing so. There are decisions that can be and should be made once and for all.
There are personal matters that can be settled instantaneously by a determined act of the will in response to Bible-grounded faith. No one would want to deny this; certainly not I. The question before us is, Just how much can be accomplished in that one act of faith? How much yet remains to be done and how far can a single decision take us?
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Instant Christianity
- The Role of Experience
- The Limits of a Single Decision
- What Can Be Accomplished in One Act of Faith
- What Remains to Be Done
- The Ongoing Nature of Spiritual Growth
Key Quotes
“We are saints by calling, our teachers keep telling us, and we are permitted to infer from this that there is no reason to seek to be saints by character.” — A.W. Tozer
“The true Christian has met God. He knows he has eternal life and he is likely to know where and when he received it.” — A.W. Tozer
“The Spirit is self-announcing, and the renewed heart has no difficulty identifying His presence as He floods in over the soul.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must not rely solely on our initial conversion experience, but rather continue to seek to grow and develop in our faith.
- Ongoing spiritual growth and development require effort and commitment, and cannot be accomplished in a single decision or act of faith.
- We must be careful not to misread the New Testament and instead seek to understand its emphasis on the ongoing nature of spiritual growth.