THREE MISTAKES CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
1. I’m already there.
- “This is as good as it’s going to get.”
- “I’m mature enough.”
- “My life looks like the other Christians around me.”
- We need to recognize that God has more for us.
2. It’s automatic.
- “I come to church and listen to the sermons, so I’m growing, right?”
- “I’ve been a Christian for 15 years now, so I’m growing, right?”
- And so we don’t do anything else because we figure that the growth is happening by default.
3. I have another priority.
- Some of us would be honest enough to admit that “spiritual growth” isn’t all that important to us. We’re too focused on money or career or our hobby or Facebook or Netflix or whatever. Truth is, we’re just not really that interested in being like Jesus. We just want to go to heaven someday and be left alone in the meantime.
TWO KEY TO THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Attention and devotion.
- 1 Timothy 4:15-16.
a. Attention.
- v. 15 – “Be diligent. . .”
- v. 16 – “Watch your life. . . closely.”
- v. 16 – “Watch your. . . doctrine closely.”
- It’s not going to happen by accident. You have to be intentional about it.
- We have to put thought into it. We need to be attentive to our spiritual lives.
- Too often we’re phoning it in.
- It’s like talking to someone while they’re watching their TV show: “Uh huh, yeah, right. . .” without ever looking up.
b. Devotion.
- v. 15 – “. . . give yourself wholly to them. . .”
- v. 16 – “Persevere in them. . .”
- It’s going to take our full effort and it’s going to take time. Dedication is not optional.
THREE GOALS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
1. Growth to be like Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 4:15.
- v. 15 – “. . . may see your progress.”
- That is progress toward Christlikeness.
2. Seeing people saved.
- 1 Timothy 4:16.
- v. 16 – “. . . you will save. . . your hearers.”
3. Confidence in our salvation.
- 1 Timothy 4:16.
- v. 16 – “. . . you will save. . . yourself”
Conclusion:
- What is the tangible proof of your devotion and attention this week?
- Spiritual growth is possible, but it’s not a given.
