Edifying Equilibrium
Spiritual equilibrium is essential for effective reproduction and fulfillment in our spiritual growth, requiring a balance between personal development and serving others.
Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and balance in the Christian life, highlighting the need for believers to shine as lights in a dark world, remaining blameless and harmless. He warns against spreading a diluted version of Christianity without first being spiritually worthy to share the Gospel. Stanford stresses the significance of reproduction in the faith, not just personal development, and the need to use our gifts to impact others for Christ, ensuring our labor is not in vain.
Text
"That ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).
There should be neither undergrowth, nor overgrowth, but balanced growth. Spiritual equilibrium alone will bring forth much fruit both in us and in others.
"A popular notion that the first obligation of the Church is to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. The first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it. . . to spread an effete (worn out) and degenerate brand of Christianity to pagan lands is not to fulfill the Great Commission."
"We were created for more than our own spiritual development; reproduction, not mere development, is the goal to mature being--reproduction in other lives. There is a tendency in some characters, running parallel to the high cultivation that spends its whole energy on the production of bloom at the expense of seed.
"The flowers that are bent on perfecting themselves, by becoming double, end in barrenness, and a like barrenness comes to the soul whose interests are all concentrated upon its own spiritual well-being, heedless of the needs around. The true, ideal flower, is the one that uses its gifts as means to an end; the brightness and sweetness are not for its own glory; they are but to attract the bees and butterflies that will fertilize and make it fruitful." -L.T.
"Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain" (Philippians 2:16).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Spiritual Equilibrium
- A. Balancing growth to avoid undergrowth or overgrowth
- B. Focusing on being spiritually worthy to spread the Gospel
- II. The Purpose of Spiritual Growth
- A. Reproduction, not mere development, is the goal
- B. Using gifts to attract and fertilize others
- III. The Dangers of Self-Focus
- A. Concentrating on personal spiritual well-being
- B. Ignoring the needs of others
- IV. The Value of Fruiting
- A. Attracting and fertilizing others through our gifts
- B. Bringing joy and fulfillment through reproduction
Key Quotes
“A popular notion that the first obligation of the Church is to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. The first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it.” — Miles J. Stanford
“The flowers that are bent on perfecting themselves, by becoming double, end in barrenness, and a like barrenness comes to the soul whose interests are all concentrated upon its own spiritual well-being, heedless of the needs around.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must prioritize being spiritually worthy to spread the Gospel over simply spreading it to the uttermost parts of the earth.
- Our spiritual growth should focus on reproduction, not just personal development, to attract and fertilize others.
- We risk becoming barren and ignoring the needs of others if we focus too much on our own spiritual well-being.