Continuing Pastor Kyle’s message, he explains that it isn’t our effort that grow us; it is the Holy Spirit given to us by the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. We respond willingly and we partner with God in the good work that Jesus has already accomplished. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
In the Old Testament, God’s people brought spotless lambs as sacrifices to God for the remittance for sin. At the Cross, Jesus brought Himself as the once and for all sacrifice and shall one day return for His flock/ His church. In response to what Christ has done for us, we are to bring our lives unto the Lord daily without spot or blemish of sin. We are to live obedience and faithful lives unto our Lord God and His Holy Word every single day. I’d like to ask you a question. We you spiritually growing right now, plateaued and stagnated, or regressing in your faith life? You and I cannot ease our sin, but what we can do is repent of it and grow through it, because at the Cross Jesus said: “It is finished”. The “born again” Christian’s sins against God, self and their fellow man have been paid in full by Jesus’ atoning death on the Cross and because that is true, we should be growing into the sinless likeness of Christ. I know that this factual concept is complicated and some godly aspects of our live grower faster or slower for some reason. But, are there some specific spots and blemishes that God wants us to work on now? Don’t break yourself up or give up because of them. Work on them with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit and grow through them.
2 Peter 3:14 “So, beloved, since you are looking forward to these things, be diligent and make every effort to be found by Him [at His return] spotless and blameless, in peace [that is, inwardly calm with a sense of spiritual well-being and confidence, having lived a life of obedience to Him]” (AMP).
Spiritual growth leads to more peace and stability in life. Peace is freedom from agitation or disturbance by the passions, as from fear, terror, anger, anxiety or the like; quietness of mind; tranquility; calmness; quiet of conscience. Harmony; concord; a state of reconciliation with God producing heavenly rest; the happiness of heaven. The inward calm and peace that the Apostle Peter is referring to comes from spiritual wellbeing and confidence in the Lord. Jesus said in John 14:26-27 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
God’s peace and the peace of Christ does not come from anything earthly materialistic or relational. Nothing on earth, other than the Lord, offers this inwardly calm with a sense of spiritual well-being and confidence. The calm and peace that we all are looking for comes by living dedicated and devoted obedient life to God, our sovereign Creator and Jesus, our King of kings and Lord of lords. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The more faithful and obedient to the Lord, the peace from God through the Holy Spirit grows exponentially through the course of our lives.
God’s peace starts at Christ’s atoning salvation; the initial joy we experience when we realize that we are no longer destined for God’s wrath against sin, but now we are forgiven and no longer held to account for our sins, we are adopted into God’s family as His children, and citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. We know where we are going when we pass from this life to eternity. We never forget that moment of realization. If and when we go down, we go up. The peace that God gives for us is not only about eternity though. We grow in peace through the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now. Simply put, the road to deeper inward peace in this life is paved with our obedience and faithfulness to God. In life there are so many things that we have no control over and they work against our sense of inward peace. The peace that God gives starts in the areas that we can control. If we are increasingly faithful in the areas that we can control, we start to get increasing peace over the areas that we cannot.
Let's conclude Pastor Kyle's message about growing in grace and kno0wledge in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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