January 22, 2001 By Rev. ARNULFO CEDILLO 5 Ways To Securing Spiritual Growth As Christians, we are always concern about spiritual growth. But we are not sure how to achieve it. Spiritual growth is seen as maturity! I pray that the following information is useful to those who seek to grow in Christ! "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." - 1st Timothy 4:15 That thy profiting may appear to all. There are those that believe that spirituality is something inside. But, spiritual growth is seen by all. Physical growth can be seen, spiritual growth will be seen as maturity! How Can Spiritual Maturity Be Secured? There are 5 ways: 1. By putting away childish things "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." - 1st Corinthians 13:11 2. By cultivating the understanding "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." - 1st Corinthians 14:20 3. By striving after the Christ ideal "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." - Ephesians 4:13 4. By partaking of the deeper truths of the Gospel "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 5:14 5. By overcoming temptation "I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." - 1st John 2:14 There is a need for all of us to grow in maturity, spiritual maturity, to grow in Christ! That Christ would become our all, in all circumstances! As we grow physically, we stop being a baby and we stop crying for every little thing. We begin to understand that if we want something, we need to get it ourselves, in other words we become responsible. So, it is for the mature Christian! We begin to understand that if we want more of Christ, then we need to seek more knowledge of His Word, we need to walk more in a Christ-like way, and we need to cultivate maturity in the five ways listed above. May Christ grant us the desire of spiritual maturity. Dr. Arnulfo Cedillo is an assistant pastor at the Union City Apostolic Church in Union City, California. More articles on Your Spiritual Growth We're listening! Send us your comments, staff@inspiredchristian.org. Home | Site News | Reviews | Churches | CyberReading | Bible College Copyright, Inspired Christian.org