It's Time To Grow Up Series

COLOSSIANS #01 - It’s Time To Grow Up - Introduction

It’s Time To Grow Up

Colossians 1:18, 28; 2:6-7, 10

1. Spiritual Growth begins with Spiritual Birth.

A. Through creation each of us is an “offspring” of God

· (Acts 17:28-29) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

B. Through sin each of us is a child of Satan.

· (Psa 51:5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

· (Isa 59:2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

· (John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

C. Through the New Birth each of us can become a “Child of God”.

· (John 3:3) Jesus … said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

· (Gal 3:26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

2. Spiritual Growth develops in Three Stages.

A. Little Children

· (1 John 2:12) I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. …I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

B. Young Men

· (1 John 2:13) I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one … I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

C. Fathers

· (1 John 2:14 KJV) I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. … I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.

3. Spiritual Growth is Imperative. Lack of Spiritual Growth is exhibited by:

A. Inability to digest Spiritual Food

· (1 Cor 3:1-3) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: …

B. Envy

· (1 Cor 3:1-3) … For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying,

C. Strife

· (1 Cor 3:1-3) ... For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you … strife,

D. Pettiness

· (1 Cor 3:1-3) … For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you … divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

E. Greed

· (James 4:1-2) What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it because there is a whole army of evil desires within you? You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.

4. Spiritual Growth is Illustrated by Physical Development.

A. Breathing = Prayer (1 Thess 5:17)

· (1 Th 5:17 KJV) Pray without ceasing.

B. Eating = Bible Study (2 Tim 2:15)

· (2 Tim 2:15 KJV) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

C. Bathing = Confession (1 John 1:9)

· (1 John 1:9 KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

D. Exercising = Obedience (1 John 2:3)

· (1 John 2:3 KJV) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

5. Spiritual Growth is Incremental and requires Consistency.

G - Go to God in prayer. (Luke 18:1)

· (Luke 18:1 KJV) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

R - Read your Bible daily. (1 Tim 4:13)

· (1 Tim 4:13 KJV) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

O - Obey what you learn in the Bible. (John 14:15)