The Means For Authentic Biblical Faith Growth

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is 

from above, and comes down from the 

Father of lights, with whom there is

no variation or shadow of turning.

Of His own will He brought to forth

by the word of truth, that we 

might be a kind of firstfruits 

of His creatures.

James 1:16-18

     Authentic Biblical Faith is not a stagnant faith, one that is apathetic, one that is dormant, no, it is a faith that is growing even in spite of setbacks.  Setbacks come when we do not apply the means for growth. If you desire to grow in grace then the means for that growth is first given to you by God who supplies every good gift, even the gift for growth in faith. God is pleased to give gifts, to work by means for God has ordained by decree the means as well as the ends. Again, to grow in grace is to use the means for growth.  Every Christian has the means for growth, no one has special means or that you must be satisfied with the gifts you have, no, you are not to be content, you are to be intentional in your growth.  All believers can reach this goal of growth as all have the means available, they are not out of reach.  Those who grow in grace use means.

     Be advised; no believer can excuse him/herself for not growing in grace, it is your or her's fault. Period!  A man who is quickened by the Holy Spirit is not some mere dead creature, rather he/her is a being with capacities and responsibilities.  To be laze is to bring grief to God: "The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich" (Proverbs 13:4). 

     One area of means for Authentic Biblical Christians to grow is in their private use of grace.  What is meant: no one can use the means for you, you must use the means alone, such as private prayer, private reading of the Scriptures.  Do you read other material more than the Bible? Do you watch TV more than read the Bible and pray?  Do you take time for private meditation ( I do not mean mediation in the Oriental sense, or as some "Christians" promote, to empty your mind) no, it is to think deeply on God's word allowing the Holy Spirit to lead your thoughts to the truth. Do you take time for self-examination?  If you do not how do you expect to grow?  These means are the roots of Christianity. Use them!  What is more important to you?  This life or to please God?  Why do not Christians grow in grace?  Many of those professing to be Christians are sloven and careless about their private time in pray before God.  They seldom read the Bible.  They have little spirit for the things of God unless they are being emotionally roused.  They have little thought for sermons that are exegetical, rather they like those allegorical, or psycho-babble sermons.  They enjoy those little "dittys" song over and over until your emotions are raised in pitch, but they do not have the spirit to enjoy good sermons from the Bible.  Those who are setback "Christians" do not spend quiet time with God, thinking about the state of their souls: they are happy with where they are "in Christ." 

    I have the excuses, so have you, that this world is so "bad" that it is so worse than ever before, that we are in the "last days" and this world is so dangerous.  Get over it! The world has always been dangerous.  There has been trouble in the world since Adam fell from grace.  What can be seen is that many so-called "Christians" are so culturally minded, that they have become so "liberal" in their faith, wanting the excitement that this world can bring; in fact they bring that needed excitement into the Church.  As Daniel wrote: "But you Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4).  So many are ready to hear sermons, go to public meetings seeking sensation, just look at the turn-out of people to hear such babble, such non-Christian teaching (Yes, some do hold the Bible up as though they are teaching from it), but they are not teaching God's word, they are teaching a form of cultural living, with little Scripture.  Man is not taught to seek and use the means that the Bible is so plain and clear about, they will not hear and apply the words of King David: "Be angry, and do not sin.  Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still" (Psalm 4:4). I do suspect that two hundred years ago people read their Bibles more that today, spent more time alone with God than people today.  Yes, we are undated with so much to do, so much to watch on TV, so many movies to attend, so many things to do that give us personal pleasure, there is a difference in our time and the past, this is true, and knowledge is growing, especially in the area of technology, i.e., ipads, smart phones, medicine, space efforts, etc.  

    If any of wish to grow in grace, to please God first, before we are pleased with ourselves, we must use the means of private religion, then our souls will grow.

The LORD is good to those

    who wait for Him, to the

soul who seeks Him.  It is

    good that one should

hope and wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

                                Lamentations 3:25-26

Spend Time In Prayer

Richard L. Crumb