Growing In Christ

I had the privilage of writing an article for the Wilson Daily Times, which appeared Saturday, August 11. Here is the article I wrote:

The most important reality in your life is your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Nothing is a higher priority than having and cultivating a relationship with your Creator. Thus, here are four suggestions for growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

First, cultivate a love for the gospel. The gospel is the good news that God sent Jesus into the world to live a sinless life, die in the place of sinners, and rise victoriously from the grave. The gospel tells us that even though we have sinned greatly against a holy God, through faith in Christ we can be forgiven and accepted because He bore our punishment. The Apostle Paul said that the gospel is “of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:1-3). Nothing is more central to growing in our relationship with Christ than an understanding of and affection for the gospel. So, the question is, “How do I cultivate a love for the gospel?” That’s a good question. In order to love something you must get to know it. You will never love someone or something that you don’t know. Thus, one of the ways we can cultivate a love for the gospel is by getting to know the gospel better. None of us have arrived at a perfect knowledge of the gospel. We can all deepen our familiarity with the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Second, get involved in a Bible-saturated church. Involvement in a healthy church is not just a religious duty; it is a vital part of our pursuit of maturity in Christ. God made us to live in community together with others who share the same passion for the glory of Christ. You cannot be a Christian and be indifferent to the church for which Christ shed His own blood. If you love Christ you must necessarily love the church. Don’t just go to the biggest church with the most activities. Get involved in a church that permeates everything with God’s Word. You don’t want to spend your life hearing opinions and funny stories. You and your family need to be at a church where you will be exposed to the whole counsel of God.

Third, read the Bible constantly. If you are too busy to spend regular and consistent time reading, studying, and memorizing God’s Word, then you are much busier than God ever intended you to be. Just as our bodies need nourishing food, our souls need the nourishment of God’s Word to survive. Jesus said that we should not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). Peter said that we should long for God’s Word like a newborn baby longs for milk (1 Peter 2:2). The psalmist said that the person who meditates on the Word of God constantly will be nourished and bear much fruit (Psalm 1). How can you make more time to study the Bible?

Finally, study the attributes of God. Get to know your God. Explore His character, power, and motivations. God is the most valuable being in the universe and deserves our undivided attention and praise. God has revealed Himself and desires to be known. Your life will change dramatically when you praise God not just because He is God, but because He is holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent, infinite, immutable, merciful, just, faithful, forgiving, patient, righteous, perfect, omnipresent, self-sufficient, wise, jealous, incomprehensible, and passionate for His own glory.