How Old Will You Be When You Die? pt. 1

No, this is not an article trying to predict your age or the future. This article will not tell you how much longer you have to live. What this article will tell you, however, is your duty as a Christian. Becoming a Christian is easy. Often the five steps of salvation are quoted, "Hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized," and the list is true! The hard part of Christianity, though, comes after salvation. Becoming a Christian is not enough to get one to heaven; Peter wrote, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1:10). This is where Christianity becomes difficult. Many Christians spend their entire lives going to worship every service, going to Bible study on Sundays and Wednesdays, and going to gospel meetings and vacation Bible schools, but spend little time in a personal relationship with God. Oh, how sad it is when a child of God does not spend time trying to grow to be like his or her Father! Christians must grow! Of the lack of growth, there can be no excuse! How does a Christian grow? What does it take to mature as a child of God?

Growth takes a conscious effort. Unlike physical growth (which just happens), spiritual growth requires though, purpose, and much effort. The writer of Hebrews scolded those brethren for their failure to grow by telling them,

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of god; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful int he word of ritheousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).

This conscious effort of growth begins with a conscious effort to study! That is what the Hebrews had failed to do. The writer was trying to speak to them about one called Melchisedec (a character from the Old Testament), of whom they knew nothing! They had failed to study; therefore, they had failed to grow!

Paul chastised the Corinthians:

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: for whereas ther eis among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

A conscious effort for growth also involves a conscious effort to love. 1 Corinthians 13 is the great chapter of love amid sixteen chapters of division, turmoil, and troubles. The main problem with Corinth was their lack of love: For this cause, Corinth was weak, unstable, and immature.

A conscious effort to grow also involves a conscious effort for moral uprightness. The Hebrews were told that a mature person is one who "by reason of use have [his] senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14). Moral uprightness is essential in a Christian. However, a mature Christian should be able to look at a situation and determine whether it is right or wrong.

These three things--study, love, and moral uprightness--are a good start to spiritual growth. If conscious effort is given to growing in these three aspects of Christian life, growth will inevitably follow.