I believe
that if a person comes to Christ for the right reasons - because he/she has been
brought into an understanding of Who He is, and of their need for repentance,
and a realization of His love for them - if they are honest with themselves,
they will not be able to resist His call. After they accept His gift of
salvation, the most natural thing will be spiritual growth and a desire to know
Him better. But often they do not grow - they have received a false idea
that they can have the hope of a Christian just by believing in their head, and
so they settle down on that belief and never realize they don`t really have the
real thing at all. And so they remain, if christian at all, very immature
babies in the deep things of God. But the one who grows deeply will much to
learn, and enjoy in his spirit. With this deeper fellowship there also comes
increased knowledge of the spiritual battle, and our part in it.
Many
Christians refuse to recognize this, and prefer to pretend there are no such
things as evil spirits, or attacks from the enemy - but those who continue to
grow cannot deny these things because they will find them all too true, when
they dare to step out for the Lord. But they will also find the greater power of
the Lord in that battle, as they learn to walk with Him, and as they learn to
listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit - and learn to obey Him.
I
believe also that another reason some Christians do not grow is because they are
unwilling to become involved in that spiritual battle. They would rather "stay
behind the lines", so to speak - and because they are unwilling to go forward,
they go backward without even realizing it. And lest you think that battle is
only about evil spirits and demons, and all that makes us think about, let me
hasten to say that we have not one, but three enemies to deal with - the world,
the flesh, and the devil. And of course, behind them all is the devil. But
as Christians we have the Lord Jesus Christ interceding for us, the Holy Spirit
to empower us, and the armies of the Father - The Almighty - fighting with
us. And even more we are indwelt by this Triune God! And it is His
will and desire that all His children grow to full maturity. If we do not,
either we are reluctant to pay the cost of involvement, or out of fear of what
might be asked of us, or just plain not wanting to (which might even be called
laziness ), or maybe just refusing to surrender our will to another - even
God. Whatever the reason , the outcome is the same - unhealthy immature
Christians, still babies in the faith. We may call it what we will, it is still
disobedience. We may try to cover it up by saying we are not gifted in this or
that thing - but God says we all have been gifted in some way. Or we may plead
shyness, or some other thing - but although it's true we can't all so
everything, and some can't do the more obvious practical housekeeping things -
still all of us can partake in worship, and indeed we are commanded to, and
expected to.
What it all
really boils down to is the attitude of our heart- and this question: Do we
really want to grow into spiritual maturity, or do we just want - hope to - get
in by the skin of our teeth?
Esther Swyer©July
10,2003
