Spiritual Growth - VI-A

Spiritual Growth
The Need For Perseverance – Part One

In our studies on spiritual growth, we have stressed these essential elements.... Making the choice to obey God's command to grow - 2 Pe 3:18. Believing we are capable of growth with God's help - Ph 4:13. Setting behavioral and functional goals:
1) Striving to develop Christ-like behavior - 2 Pe 1:5-8
2) Seeking to determine and develop our function in the body of Christ - Ro 12:3-5
Developing habits that help us obtain such goals:
1) Habits that change our behavior (Bible reading, prayer, etc.) - 1 Pe 2:2; Ph 4:6-7
2) Habits that utilize our functions in the body of Christ (assembling, participating)
- He 10:24-25; Ro 12:6-8
Maintaining a positive attitude about the value our efforts - 1 Co 15:58

Another crucial element in spiritual growth is perseverance, or endurance, which the Hebrew Christians needed to have - He 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” Which is part of the Christ-like attitude we are to develop - 2 Pe 1:6 “and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,”; He 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” The Greek word for perseverance is hupomone, which is defined as: Steadfastness, constancy, endurance. In the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings (Thayer).

As our purpose is one of spiritual growth, let's first review some reasons why we need the virtue of perseverance. Perseverance is needed because spiritual growth takes time. Time to grow is implied in He 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,” It takes time to learn; to learn the Word of God; to learn what is expected of us; and to learn what areas of service may be open to us. It takes time to develop; to develop a Christ-like character; and to develop our function(s) in the body of Christ. -- Unless we persevere in our efforts, there will not be adequate time to grow!

Spiritual growth requires repetition. Repetition is implied in the principle of sowing and reaping - 2 Co 9:6 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” It takes repetition to overcome mistakes. Mistakes are common when one is starting. We are spiritually "babes". We can expect to stumble frequently as we learn to walk. Repeated efforts help to determine whether one is suited for a particular task. Are my mistakes due simply to inexperience? Or might I be better suited to serve in a different capacity? It takes repetition to hone skills. Sharpening our knowledge and use of the sword of the Spirit - Ep 6:17 “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Sharpening our abilities and functions in the body of Christ - 1 Pe 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” -- Unless we are persistent, we will never progress with the help of repetition!

Spiritual growth can regress. Regression is implied in Jesus' words to the Ephesians - Re 2:4-5 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” We can regress by simply failing to grow. Such was the case with the Hebrew Christians who were reproached for their need to be retaught - He 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,” We can regress by going back into the world. Such was the case with false teachers who were described as entangled in "the pollutions of the world" - 2 Pe 2:20-22 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."’ -- Like physical health, spiritual health requires persistent exercise or we will regress into spiritual sickness.

The need for perseverance should be clear. What can we do to maintain perseverance...? In the next part of this lesson we will examine what we can do to maintain perseverance.