Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

After rebirth the primary issue for the saint is growth, for it not only causes us to “draw close to God” (Jam 4:8) but also increases the efficiency of our witness! NC

“Unto Full Growth”

By the Lord Jesus and to Him where He sits at the Father’s right hand in glory we are called. Old things, not evil things only, are passed away. We are by faith associated with the glorified Lord Jesus—we have a heavenly calling. The danger of the Christian therefore, and especially for the Hebrew Christian, was a lapse into earthly things; which was more easily done as the Old Testament was no less divinely inspired than the New, and hence might plausibly be pleaded to justify such a return.

Those that are Christ’s are cleansed once for all (Heb 9:12, 10:10), not only sanctified through the offering of the Savior, but “perfected forever” as Hebrews 10:14 tells us unhesitatingly. The Holy Spirit, instead of keeping our guilt continually before us, “testifies” (10:15) that through the Lord Jesus’ work the Father “will remember our sins and iniquities no more” (v 17). Thus for the believer, with full “remission there is no more offering for sins” (v 18); and hence he has boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of the Lord Jesus. By faith in Him Who died and rose we receive the adoption of sons (Gal 4:5), and through His Spirit cry, “Abba, Father.” So we draw nigh.

It was here the Hebrew Christians were slow to hear and learn of the Father. They did not doubt that Jesus was the Christ; but they were dull to own both the full glory of His person and the full present eternal efficacy of His work on the Cross. This Failure in faith kept them babes, and for this they were blamed, for God could not reveal more distinctly the dignity of His Son, nor could Father, Son and Holy Spirit add to the fullness of what the Cross is to God as well as to the believer.

It is really going back from heavenly glory and mature growth on the part of all who refused to go forward into the full privileges of the Gospel, content to know no more than what the disciples had before the Cross. All they had then did not give them peace with God, for it did not cleanse their consciences. There was no access for them into the Holiest, nor had they the Spirit of adoption. Neither the sting of death was gone, not the power of sin annulled. Full growth implies on the contrary all this blessedness, and more; and to this the Hebrew Christians were exhorted to go on. It is not attainment, but simply, faith in the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation—in a word, Christianity.

Alas, how many who call themselves Christians, as sincere believers as the Hebrews were, are no less than they looking behind, instead of moving on to the enjoyment of faith in the ascended Lord Jesus Christ, and of their nearness to His God and Father and our God and Father (John 20:17). “Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Heb 6:1, 2). To ignore this is in fact to stop short of full and proper Christianity, to remain infants, when the Lord would have His own to reach maturity in their son-ship. “Thou art no more a servant, but a son” (Gal 4:7).

“Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ, let us pass on unto full growth.” The new status of the saint depends on the Lord Jesus’s death, resurrection and glorification at the Father’s right hand. The infinite sacrifice is already offered and accepted; and only so has He taken His seat on the right hand of the Majesty on high. We cannot therefore go to elements before the Cross for that which forms and fashions the Christian. We need the corn of the land (progressing from the manna – Josh 5:12 NC), now that it is no longer a question of raining manna in the wilderness.

- Wm Kelly


Today’s Devotional (April 28) by MJS: http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

For those who are unfamiliar with link-dragging to add to the desktop, downsize the window (not minimize), then left-hold the mouse on the far left icon in the top address bar and drag it to any area on the desktop outside of the site’s window and release the mouse. I strongly recommend this daily devotional above if you like the materials I share because it is centric of the doctrines contained within them.

God bless and blessed be God!