# Growth in Christ is chiefly about...



## Jack K (Aug 26, 2013)

Help me clarify some thoughts by finishing the sentence with one of the following options:

Growth in Christ is chiefly about *obeying God better and sinning less*.
-or-
Growth in Christ is chiefly about *trusting God better and having more faith*.

They can't both be true, because only one can be the CHIEF thing. So which is the better statement of the two? What's the biblical support? Are there important caveats you would add? Do you have a third option that makes an even better way to complete the sentence?


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## THE W (Aug 26, 2013)

I'd start with the latter which would lead to the former.


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## Phil D. (Aug 26, 2013)

Jack K said:


> Do you have a third option that makes an even better way to complete the sentence?



"Growth in Christ is chiefly about trusting God better and having more faith, which when properly apprehended will be a catalyst to obeying God better and sinning less."


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

Why do they have to be dichotomized Jack? It seems that Jesus put an emphasis on Knowing God and making him known in the later chapters of John. This question reminds me of the two-fold grace of Sanctification and Justification Calvin emphasized with our Union with Christ. I could be wrong but it seems you are making separations that might not be there.

Can this passage express what I am thinking?



> Gal 5:6    For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

One more note... Sorry for the edits. Sometimes we still need to trust God even in our disobedience as Paul noted that he knew the right thing to do but how to perform he couldn't find. (Romans 7) Maturity and growth bring those two together sometimes. Sometimes our plain simple obedience brings understanding and sometimes our struggle in sin brings us to understand how to obey. I don't think there is a simple methodology in the situation sometimes. It is based upon our relationship with God as he is the Potter and we are the clay. Never the less 1 Corinthians 10:13 is always true. I hope I haven't muddied up the waters as I can be prone to.


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## littlepeople (Aug 26, 2013)

Are you using the word "about" because it is intentionally vague? Obedience apart from faith means nothing, so clause 2 is obviously chief. Clause 2 is the inward and intangible reality, clause 1 is the tangible evidence. I would whack the word "about" and leave it at "is"

Growth in Christ is trusting God better and having more faith.
vs
Growth in Christ is obeying God better and sinning less.

There probably is a better third way....perhaps something that better emphasizes the activity of God, but I will say that faith alone (not good works) is the instrument which lays hold of Christ and partakes in his benefits. To grow in Christ is to grow in faith.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Aug 26, 2013)

I'd say growth in Christ is chiefly and ultimately to be conformed to His image, which does not _just_ LEAD to, but IS having more faith _and_ obeying God better and sinning less. These things are not separable from each other.

The problem here is clearly the question of how a person is sanctified by God. God does _infuse_ holiness to us, but He does it through _means_ (aka., ordinary means of grace) which are the Word, Sacraments and Prayer. When a person is sanctified (infused grace on) through any of these means, He is _instantly_ more conformed to Christ's image, and therefore is more obedient _and_ believing and trusting toward God.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> I'd say growth in Christ is chiefly and ultimately to be conformed to His image, which does not _just_ LEAD to, but IS having more faith _and_ obeying God better and sinning less. These things are not separable from each other.


My problem with this statement is concerning King David and Uriah. Momentary lapses of failure. Of course, we have to take in the account of continual practice of sin and that we should never use King David as an example or perfect measuring stick for how we should live in this situation. He simply fell apart which should not be the norm. I believe it was God showing us what we are and what repentance is. "Nip-It-In-The-Bud" as Barney Fife use to say. But we are all growing up and in differing cultures and circumstances.


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## littlepeople (Aug 26, 2013)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> He simply fell apart which should not be the norm. I believe it was God showing us what we are and what repentance is.



Sounds like the norm to me (repentance).


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## Zach (Aug 26, 2013)

I don't think David is an example of a momentary lapse of failure. I think it can be argued from the text that he spent a long time wallowing in his sin before he repented of it. Furthermore, though we shouldn't use his failure as a "perfect" measuring stick, I think it should ground our expectations. If David, the King, the man after God's own heart, fell into such sin and prolonged unbelief we are not immune from similar actions. We need to watch carefully less we too fall into sin like David did. 

I think we do that by primarily trusting in the good promises of God that he will give us faith, deliver us from sin's penalty and its power, and conform us to the image of Christ.


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## Jack K (Aug 26, 2013)

Thanks, everyone, for the discussion so far.




littlepeople said:


> I would whack the word "about" and leave it at "is"



I like that. The sentence is indeed better that way.




PuritanCovenanter said:


> Why do they have to be dichotomized Jack?



Certainly we don't want to dichotomize them too much, if at all. That issue is one of the reasons I'm asking the question. For sure, I think we all would assert that both are to be pursued and both are part of God's work in us.




PuritanCovenanter said:


> One more note... Sorry for the edits. Sometimes we still need to trust God even in our disobedience as Paul noted that he knew the right thing to do but how to perform he couldn't find. (Romans 7) Maturity and growth bring those two together sometimes. Sometimes our plain simple obedience brings understanding and sometimes our struggle in sin brings us to understand how to obey. I don't think there is a simple methodology in the situation sometimes. It is based upon our relationship with God as he is the Potter and we are the clay. Never the less 1 Corinthians 10:13 is always true. I hope I haven't muddied up the waters as I can be prone to.



Well, that may make things a bit muddier—but in a good way, I think. It sounds like you may be saying that the heart of Christian growth is that deepening potter-clay relationship. To me, that sounds closer to the "faith" sentence, though it certainly happens in the context of our daily struggles to be obedient and cannot be divorced from that. How would you respond to that interpretation?




InSlaveryToChrist said:


> I'd say growth in Christ is chiefly and ultimately to be conformed to His image, which does not just LEAD to, but IS having more faith and obeying God better and sinning less. These things are not separable from each other.



Yes, both will be present, of course. But don't we want to preserve some distinction between deeper faith and better obedience, lest our faith become just another good work? Isn't there room to say that if our struggle against sin leads us to pray more, search the Scriptures, deepen our confession, draw nearer to God, and come to know and trust him better through the struggle... then that's some measure of Christian growth regardless of whether or not we sense we've improved our record when it comes to resisting temptation?


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

Jack K said:


> PuritanCovenanter said:
> 
> 
> > One more note... Sorry for the edits. Sometimes we still need to trust God even in our disobedience as Paul noted that he knew the right thing to do but how to perform he couldn't find. (Romans 7) Maturity and growth bring those two together sometimes. Sometimes our plain simple obedience brings understanding and sometimes our struggle in sin brings us to understand how to obey. I don't think there is a simple methodology in the situation sometimes. It is based upon our relationship with God as he is the Potter and we are the clay. Never the less 1 Corinthians 10:13 is always true. I hope I haven't muddied up the waters as I can be prone to.
> ...



I have been sick lately and am responding more than I should probably Jack. It depends on our definition of Grace. Some want to dichotomize Grace the same way and that is just as dangerous. Unmerited Favor vs. God's Influential Spiritual Influence. I distinctly remember St. Paul saying that he was what he was by the Grace of God even when it came to things in comparison to the other Apostles in 1 Cor 15:10. I have made a post somewhat about that here. What is Grace? It has been dumbed down by Modern Reformed Thought. | RPCNA Covenanter They are not opposed in Reformed thought as I understand them from reading William Gurnall and other Puritans. BTW, don't ask me to quote Gurnall. I have long since gotten ridden of him to a young aspiring Pastor. (Also know that the abridgements that Banner of Truth did was not sufficient to the original they first published.) That is a modern day dichotomy that became antinomian. Perseverance of the saints even took on a different look from some guys. Tobias Crisp and others were labelled antinomian in the same way if I remember correctly from my Baptist days even. This is an intrincic and extrinsic discussion. Some want to make the Christian life based upon the extrinsic so much that they neglect the intrinsic reality. It really goes both ways as some want to make the intrinsic value over the extrinsic. There is truth found in both and you can not have the one without the other. I hope that helps.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

Just an add note here. We can not judge another mans position in Christ as God is our Potter. We can only do what the Church has been called to do as in Discipline, admonishment, recognition, and even saying this guys is the real deal. BTW, the best man I know to me is the real deal. I have a few of them around me and they keep me. I need them. Some are from States away to my home backyard. I need them all.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Aug 26, 2013)

Jack K said:


> InSlaveryToChrist said:
> 
> 
> > I'd say growth in Christ is chiefly and ultimately to be conformed to His image, which does not just LEAD to, but IS having more faith and obeying God better and sinning less. These things are not separable from each other.
> ...



With all due respect, Jack, I think you are misunderstanding something here. I don't understand how what you say follows from what I said. Faith alone saves, but not faith that is alone. Faith is the reason why we work good things, not the other way around. So, if our faith is not improving, neither is our sanctification. Faith involves knowledge, belief and trust. If we increase our _knowledge_ by the reading of the Bible and theological books, it does not _necessarily_ increase our belief and trust in that knowledge. Faith is not something that surely results IMMEDIATELY from the use of the ordinary means of grace, but it will result from it SURELY (if we are truly Christian). So, if we stick to these sanctified means of grace, we can be assured they will sanctify us. On the other hand, if our sense or awareness of faith is not improving, it doesn't necessarily mean our faith and, consequently, our sanctification is not.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

Why does John 17 keep resonating with me in this type of discussion?


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## Jack K (Aug 26, 2013)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> Jack K said:
> 
> 
> > InSlaveryToChrist said:
> ...



Yeah, I wasn't speaking of the use of the means of grace to strengthen faith. That's true enough, but a different topic than I intended.

I had in mind the idea that prayer, Scripture reading, confession of sin—in fact, any effort to draw nearer to God—is also a way to _practice_ faith. To pray more deeply is to delve into a more faith-filled life of stronger dependence on God. It seems to me that this itself is growth. It's growth in faith. And it doesn't seem to be quite the same thing as growth in, let's say, resisting sexual sin. Though we certainly would expect them generally to advance together, one still might sense much progress in one area and little in the other.

So... which of those is most central to what we mean when we speak of Christian growth?

If you can't see any difference between those two kinds of growth, or if you think they're so intertwined as to make the question unanswerable or improper, that's good feedback and I appreciate it. But I thought I'd challenge you a bit in order to draw out your ideas and make sure I understand how you're thinking. Please explain further if you have more to say.


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## Jack K (Aug 26, 2013)

To state the question another way, using sample arguments:

One might say that the practice of deeper faith and coming closer to God—using prayer, the Word, deeper confession of sin, etc.—is chiefly a means to the end of becoming less sinful. A more obedient life is the main goal and measure of Christian growth.

-or-

One might say that struggles with sin in this world are the context by which we draw ever nearer to God and more desperately dependent on him, by which we learn to rest and delight in our God. A closer life with God is the chief reward and measure of Christian growth.

Which is most true?


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 26, 2013)

I like Owen's analogy of a Castle and the things that lurk behind doors we know nothing about. Are you familiar with that illustration? Do you want to know what lurks behind doors? I believe that is in sin and temptation. You seem to be negligent of certain things. Do you really want to measure things by what you are mentioning? Is it measure or knowing Christ? Knowing Christ prays lead us not into temptations. 
Knowing God in justification and sanctification in salvation is (yes is concerning salvation and knowing God) both equally important. That is Growth in Christ from the beginning. How can you separate them (make this dichotomy) when you look at 1 Cor. 1:13,30?


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## MW (Aug 26, 2013)

Calvin on 2 Peter 3:18:

_But grow in grace_. He also exhorts us to make progress; for it is the only way of persevering, to make continual advances, and not to stand still in the middle of our journey; as though he had said, that they only would be safe who laboured to make progress daily. The word _grace_, I take in a general sense, as meaning those spiritual gifts we obtain through Christ. But as we become partakers of these blessings according to the measure of our faith, _knowledge_ is added to grace; as though he had said, that as faith increases, so would follow the increase of grace.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Aug 26, 2013)

Jack K said:


> To state the question another way, using sample arguments:
> 
> One might say that the practice of deeper faith and coming closer to God—using prayer, the Word, deeper confession of sin, etc.—is chiefly a means to the end of becoming less sinful. A more obedient life is the main goal and measure of Christian growth.
> 
> ...



Jack, after reading your posts multiple times, I finally see what you're saying. What you are trying to do, is making a distinction between holiness in one sin over another. I believe there is no such thing as a different level of holiness in one sin over another. There are only different levels of self-awareness toward sin in your life. In other words, you may think you are better in one thing over another, but in reality you are just as filthy in your mind. You may think you are obedient to your grandparents, but disobedient to your parents, but if you had enough self-awareness, you would realize you are obeying your grandparents for all the wrong reasons.

Here is my point. Your level of holiness is as strong as your weakest link. But no-one is even aware of that weakest link, because that weakest link is you as seen by God, in all of your filthiness.

So, that in mind, you cannot make the distinction between holiness in the use of the ordinary means of grace, and holiness in all other areas of life.

Everything is not what it seems.


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## MarieP (Aug 26, 2013)

Jack K said:


> They can't both be true, because only one can be the CHIEF thing. So which is the better statement of the two? What's the biblical support? Are there important caveats you would add? Do you have a third option that makes an even better way to complete the sentence?



Great question!!! I actually would say neither of these is the chief. I'd say that growth in Christ is chiefly:

Eph 4
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

To put it in a shorter, non-Pauline sentence, "Growth in Christ is chiefly about knowing, loving, and becoming like Him."


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## Scott1 (Aug 26, 2013)

Growth in Christ is chiefly about Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.... like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.


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## CuriousNdenver (Aug 30, 2013)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> Here is my point. Your level of holiness is as strong as your weakest link. But no-one is even aware of that weakest link, because that weakest link is you as seen by God, in all of your filthiness.



This resonates with me.



Scott1 said:


> Growth in Christ is chiefly about Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.... like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.



Jack, are you asking _how_ we do this? I struggle with this too, sometimes. What does this look like in daily life. _How_ do I submit myself to God and walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh? 

I saw a post on the PB board a couple of years ago that talked about our "free will" *after* salvation. The writer expressed themselves in a way that helped me to understand the difference in the choices believers are able to make _*after*_ regeneration and the Arminian,man-centered free will concept of salvation. (I am almost afraid to leave the words "free will" in here, as I don't want them to be misinterpreted.) I wanted to re-read this particular post and spent several hours looking for it one night, to no avail. Anyway, some of the verses below talk about us (believers) submitting ourselves to God and yielding our members...humbling ourselves. As I understand it, we are to yield our own will and allow Him to conform us to the image of Christ.

The verses below (from the ESV) come to my mind when I think of growth in Christ. I like the illustration of the Potter and the clay, too. 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete." 2 Cor. 10: 3-6

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Rom. 12:1-2

"3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Phil. 2:3-8

"16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Gal. 5:16-24

"The Calvary Road," by Roy Hession, an Arminian missionary was helpful to me a few years back. There are some bones to pick through in there, yet his discussion about the mote in one's own eye and about submitting ourselves to God helped me. I think it's still free for Kindle on Amazon.



Jack K said:


> Growth in Christ is chiefly about obeying God better and sinning less.
> -or-
> Growth in Christ is chiefly about trusting God better and having more faith.



It can't be through simple rote obedience to a set of rules, but in seeking Him with our whole heart and allowing Him to change us from the inside out.


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## fralo4truth (Aug 30, 2013)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> Why do they have to be dichotomized Jack? It seems that Jesus put an emphasis on Knowing God and making him known in the later chapters of John. This question reminds me of the two-fold grace of Sanctification and Justification Calvin emphasized with our Union with Christ. I could be wrong but it seems you are making separations that might not be there.



That's the first thing that came to my mind. I'm not saying I'm right of course, but do not many argue that repentance and faith are inseparable in the new birth? Are we now to suppose that when the new life in Christ ensues, they are divorced?

Got me thinking....this one has.


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## SinnerSavedByChrist (Aug 30, 2013)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> One more note... Sorry for the edits. Sometimes we still need to trust God even in our disobedience as Paul noted that he knew the right thing to do but how to perform he couldn't find. (Romans 7) Maturity and growth bring those two together sometimes. Sometimes our plain simple obedience brings understanding and sometimes our struggle in sin brings us to understand how to obey. I don't think there is a simple methodology in the situation sometimes. It is based upon our relationship with God as he is the Potter and we are the clay. Never the less 1 Corinthians 10:13 is always true. I hope I haven't muddied up the waters as I can be prone to.


Amen.


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## Jack K (Aug 30, 2013)

Melanie, I wasn't primarily asking _how_, though that is connected.

Mostly, I find it interesting that when I ask about growth in Christ, even on this board...
- Some immediately cite the law and speak of conformity to it (while not denying the role of greater trust, humility, time spent in prayer, etc.)
- Others immediately speak of increasing dependence, drawing near to Christ, and humbly finding their joy to be more and more in him and his righteousness (while not denying the connection to better obedience).

Clearly, both are part of God's sanctifying work in us, but I find the different approaches intriguing. I also find myself moving away from the first approach and toward the second... not measuring my growth chiefly by how well I managed to obey today, but first of all by how willingly and gladly I depended on God amid my struggles with sin and found my joy in Christ and his mercy. This doesn't mean I stop striving to obey. It means my yardstick measures faith and dependence as well as success in obedience.

As many have pointed out, those things aren't completely separable. After all, dependence _is_ obedience. But I'm looking for thoughts on how that second way of stating things is biblical and helpful... or how it's dangerous, wrong, thickheaded, liable to bad misinterpretations, misses the main need of today's generation, means I'm obviously a sin-loving anitnominan devil worshiper, etc.


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## CuriousNdenver (Aug 30, 2013)

Jack K said:


> Clearly, both are part of God's sanctifying work in us, but I find the different approaches intriguing. I also find myself moving away from the first approach and toward the second... not measuring my growth chiefly by how well I managed to obey today, but first of all by how willingly and gladly I depended on God amid my struggles with sin and found my joy in Christ and his mercy. This doesn't mean I stop striving to obey. It means my yardstick measures faith and dependence as well as success in obedience.
> 
> As many have pointed out, those things aren't completely separable. After all, dependence is obedience. But I'm looking for thoughts on how that second way of stating things is biblical and helpful... or how it's dangerous, wrong, thickheaded, liable to bad misinterpretations, misses the main need of today's generation, means I'm obviously a sin-loving anitnominan devil worshiper, etc.



Yes, it is intriguing. 

And, as for the wording - I think we always need to consider our audience and be sure that when we discuss a concept, we are on the same general page. It seems so easy to mis-communicate because when we say one word, the hearer thinks of a different concept than what we originally intended. 

It seems like the two (obedience and submitting ourselves to God) are so intertwined that either without the other opens the door to all sorts of false notions. The one may result in a stiff religion devoid of love and the other may lead to wild gyrations not anchored in scripture. 

Personally, I find that the more I'm in the word and fellowshipping with other believers the more growth in Christ I see in my life.

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil. 2:13 ESV


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## iainduguid (Aug 30, 2013)

CuriousNdenver said:


> Jack K said:
> 
> 
> > Clearly, both are part of God's sanctifying work in us, but I find the different approaches intriguing. I also find myself moving away from the first approach and toward the second... not measuring my growth chiefly by how well I managed to obey today, but first of all by how willingly and gladly I depended on God amid my struggles with sin and found my joy in Christ and his mercy. This doesn't mean I stop striving to obey. It means my yardstick measures faith and dependence as well as success in obedience.
> ...



Jack,
Are you familiar with John Newton's letters (the Banner of Truth edition with the ship on the front)? His letters on the stages of Christian growth explore how Christian progress is not always measurable in growing victory over sin; indeed, God sometimes leaves us more alone in our weakness as we grow (see the similar emphasis in WCF 5.5). He talks about the advantages of remaining sin: that is, since God is sovereign and all-powerful, he could sanctify us completely immediately, but for his holy and good purposes, he leaves us to struggle in this world with remaining sin. The fruit of that struggle is humility, distrust of ourselves, dependence upon him, grace towards other struggling sinners - fruits that God apparently desires more than to have us be able to stand strong in every temptation.

If you are interested in reading more about Newton's take on sanctification, you might like my wife's book "Extravagant Grace: God's glory displayed in our weakness" just out from P&R (shameless plug...).


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## Jack K (Sep 3, 2013)

Iain:
I'm familiar with Newton's letters, though I've merely read some online and don't have the book. I saw your wife's book advertised a few weeks ago and it looks good. It's on my list to buy once I have enough in my cart to qualify for free shipping.


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## Contra_Mundum (Sep 3, 2013)

Rev. Winzer pointed to 2Pet.3:18, a verse I like to sign to my letters, and which I hope is a "touchstone" to my ministry.

Growth is a helpful metaphor, because it attaches spiritual development to the idea of organic development. Our children grow... or else they die. We identify stunted growth with a variety of negative factors.

Peter gives an imperative there, which implies that the Christian is expected to join into the growth with enthusiasm. I am currently observing my littlest child, who has been having a (self-created) "hard time" lately, because she insists, "I'm TINY!" No, she isn't complaining because she's incapable of achieving something, but because she wants to be picked up, carried, coddled, in a word _babied_ more than she already is (as the youngest). She is torn between the reality (and the advantages) of growing up, and the demands of growing up--and she has not as yet embraced the concept of getting bigger with the requisite enthusiasm.

Spiritual growth will unquestionably occur in God's elect and regenerated children. But for us to truly and fully enter into that "glorious liberty of the sons of God" we need self-conscious engagement. As with our little ones (and ourselves) growth is often too imperceptible to measure. We lack the concentration, not to mention the time, for such navel-gazing. We should simply be busy about our work-and-play as beloved children. Mark the wall every year, and see what was happening while you were not looking. And when you are a bit older, set your mind on some purpose or goal, and let your progress be made known to all--including yourself as you are able to examine it.

Finally, as the years of my marriage add up, I believe I am growing in the grace and knowledge of my wife. I suppose, in some sense I am also starting to "resemble" her, and she me, as our habits become intertwined. But mostly, the acquaintance I have with her is one of admiration. I spend time with her, study her, deepen my affection for her in conversation, in understanding, in discovering what makes her happy. In her happiness is my happiness.

And such is the believer's relation to Jesus Christ. It is one of growth, and admiration, and eventually a kind of resemblance.


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