Thursday, April 9, 2020

Spiritual Growth or Back-slidden State?

Remembering back in the day when we were heathens without Christ, over the years we became disappointed at those who were supposed to be more spiritual than us. perhaps even have influenced us in some way toward the Lord.

Why the disappointment? Because you see how much you have left behind and where God has brought you all these years realizing that those who influenced you were now backslidden.

Or should I say they are where they were before but you didn't realize their attitudes were ungodly because they seemed so much better than us at that time?

When we have grown in the Lord it is often the case that those who were our friends when we were heathen enjoyed us more when we were ungodly, perhaps it made them feel superior to hang out with us.

After we began to grow because we trusted Christ our hunger grew too. We were famished for the word of God never looking back and always peering into the Bible for our answers. Those friends we looked upon as icons now seemed like faded glory, dimming in fervor, almost out from the lack of light.

While our friends were attending endless seminars to learn how to be spiritual we were delving into the word of God as though our life depended on it, and it did.

The more I learned the truth from God's word the more I realized the Christianity we saw in our baby years was only a superficial social Christianity based on feelings and a desire to appear spiritual without the depth that comes with Spiritual growth, that is growth from seeking Christ and walking the way He instructed us to walk.

Many of my former friends could no longer tolerate me because they were not moving, in fact, I noticed they were regressing, less tolerant of my enthusiasm to make all my thoughts based on the Word of God.

This is why I wrote the theme of my Facebook and my blog in these words:

"Rejecting the cultural Christianity I grew up with to embrace and enjoy a relationship with Christ."

There are many people who say they are Christians, whether or not they are is up to God, but I grieve to watch them indulging in worldly thoughts and actions that make them popular but do not glorify Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:31
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Psalm 115:1
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!"

Psalm 86:12
"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever."

May the Lord wake up all of us to reject the false ways we believe that are not Biblical. Anyone who questions God to know the truth will not be disappointed. God will always answer an honest plea to know the truth.

James 1:4-6 "…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"

Lastly: never compare ourselves with others, always compare with God and we will find things that need improvement. Often we will be ashamed and confess to be cleansed.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."



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