INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. The blessings enjoyed in Christ include not only redemption, but renewal from baptism, for we rise to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4)<\/p>\n B. The renewal we find in Christ involves the concept of spiritual growth…<\/p>\n 1. Just as a healthy physical life is one of growth<\/p>\n 2. So a healthy spiritual life is a process of growth<\/p>\n C. Sadly, not all Christians grow spiritually…<\/p>\n 1. Many have been Christians for years, with little change or improvement<\/p>\n 2. They are no more, often less, useful to the Lord than when they first became Christians<\/p>\n 3. Failing to grow become as a stagnant pool of water<\/p>\n D. That is because Spiritual Growth Is A Choice<\/p>\n 1. It doesn’t happen by default (unlike physical growth)<\/p>\n 2. Spiritual growth (like emotional maturity) occurs only when we choose to grow<\/p>\n 3. If we do not make that choice, and stick to it, there will be no spiritual growth!<\/p>\n E. To encourage us to make the right choice regarding spiritual growth, consider that…<\/p>\n DISCUSSION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A CHOICE COMMANDED BY GOD<\/p>\n 1. This command is implicitly stated…Great Commission<\/p>\n a. Matthew 28:18-20<\/p>\n b. Jesus commanded His apostles to make disciples, baptize, and TEACH<\/p>\n c. Implicit in the command to teach, is that disciples would be obedient learners, i.e., constantly growing as they learned and obeyed their Lord<\/p>\n 2. Commanded explicitly in the Apostolic Epistles a. 2 Peter 3:18<\/p>\n a. We are to grow in grace<\/p>\n b. We are to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ<\/p>\n c. Peter begins his second epistle describing how we are to grow … _ 2 Peter 1:5-8<\/p>\n 1) We must add to our faith such graces as virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc.<\/p>\n 2) Abounding in these graces, being fruitful, which implies growth<\/p>\n 3. Christians who did not grow, were sternly rebuked _ Hebrews 5:12-6:1<\/p>\n a. Spiritual growth is a not an option, reserved for a few select Christians. The Word of God commands growth!<\/p>\n b. We should also remember that…<\/p>\n B. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A CHOICE THAT REQUIRES DILIGENT EFFORT<\/p>\n 1. This is unlike physical growth<\/p>\n a. People grow physically by default (unless … disorder)<\/p>\n b. No effort is required on our part; we mature physically whether we want to or not<\/p>\n c. Don’t think that just because you grow older, you are growing spiritually!<\/p>\n 2. Spiritual growth requires concentrated effort…<\/p>\n a. Jesus said it requires labor… John 6:27<\/p>\n b. Paul wrote that it requires work, pressing on… Philippians 2:12; 3:13-14<\/p>\n c. Peter wrote that it requires diligence… 2 Peter 1:5,10<\/p>\n d. Like physical health, spiritual growth requires regular exercise… 1 Timothy 4:7-8<\/p>\n 3. Spiritual growth is not easy. We must work at it. Today. Tomorrow. Always.<\/p>\n 4. But we can take comfort in knowing that…<\/p>\n C. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A CHOICE THAT IS ASSISTED BY GOD<\/p>\n 1. We are not alone in our efforts…<\/p>\n a. While we work out our salvation, God is at work in us … Philippians 2:12-13<\/p>\n b. God desires to complete the work He started when He saved us… Philippians 1:6<\/p>\n 2. We are strengthened by God in our efforts…<\/p>\n a. He strengthens us by His Spirit in our inner man… Ephesians 3:16<\/p>\n b. He empowers us with unimaginable power that is in us … Ephesians 3:20<\/p>\n c. He provides the armor to stand strong in the power of His might… Ephesians 6:10-11<\/p>\n d. There is no excuse not to grow, for Christ strengthens us! … Philippians 4:13<\/p>\n 3. With God as our aid, spiritual growth is possible. And not mediocre growth, but spiritual growth beyond what limits we might think hinder us!<\/p>\n 4. Finally, let us remember that…<\/p>\n D. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A CHOICE THAT IS BLESSED BY GOD<\/p>\n 1. The blessings begin in this life…<\/p>\n a. 2 Peter 3:18<\/p>\n 1) As we grow we experience the blessings of the grace in which we stand<\/p>\n 2) Such as peace with God, rejoicing in hope…Romans 5:1-2<\/p>\n b. We must also… 2 Peter 3:18<\/p>\n 1) When we grow we experience the blessings of adding virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. to our faith<\/p>\n 2) Such as a victorious life, in which we do not stumble so as to fall… 2 Peter 1:10<\/p>\n c. Indeed, it is spiritual growth that ensures the “abundant life” now that Jesus promised! … John 10:10<\/p>\n 2. The blessings continue into the life to come<\/p>\n a. We will experience an “abundant entrance” into the everlasting kingdom… 2 Peter 1:11<\/p>\n b. In some way, our works do follow us… Revelation 14:13<\/p>\n c. At the very least, we know that our labors will not be in vain! … 1 Corinthians 15:58<\/p>\n CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. We have been talking about growth; but not just any growth, for not all growth is good…<\/p>\n 1. The hearts of some grow dull (Mt 13:15)<\/p>\n 2. The love of many grow cold (Mt 24:12)<\/p>\n 3. There is the danger of growing weary in doing good (Gal 6:9; 2 The 3:13)<\/p>\n 4. There is possibility of growing corrupt according to deceitful lusts (Eph 4:22)<\/p>\n 5. There is danger of growing wanton against Christ (1 Tim 5:11)<\/p>\n 6. There are those who grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim 3:13)<\/p>\n 7. Like the growth of cancerous cells, the wrong growth can be deadly!<\/p>\n B. We have been talking about spiritual growth, the kind of growth that is…<\/p>\n 1. Commanded by God<\/p>\n 2. Requires diligent effort<\/p>\n 3. Assisted by God<\/p>\n 4. Blessed by God<\/p>\n 5. It is this kind of growth that Peter enjoined as he closed his epistle (2 Pet 3:18)<\/p>\n C. What kind of growth is taking place in our spiritual lives?<\/p>\n 1. Is it a deadly kind of growth, creating dull hearts, love that is cold, weariness in doing good, even moral corruption?<\/p>\n 2. Or is it a vibrant kind of growth in which we are abounding in love, joy, and peace, being faithful and fruitful in our service to Jesus Christ?<\/p>\n 3. The one kind of growth is often the result of neglect, the other kind of growth comes only when we make the right choice!<\/p>\n 4. If we desire to experience the blessings of the right kind of growth, then never forget that Spiritual Growth Is A Choice!<\/p>\n 5. Are you making the right choice today and every day?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sermon on Spiritual Growth INTRODUCTION A. The blessings enjoyed in Christ include not only redemption, but renewal from baptism, for we rise to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4) B. The renewal we find in Christ involves the concept of spiritual growth… 1. Just as a healthy physical life is one of growth 2. … Continue reading “Sermon on Spiritual Growth – Spiritual Growth is a Choice – Bible Outlines”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43533\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}