PSALM 119:140 – Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it
THEME OF THE DAY. HOW WE MATURE IN THE FAITH. In asking the questions, “How does a person become a Christian?” and “How is the Christian life lived?”, God shows us both answers in the opening verses of Peter’s second epistle – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (2 Peter 1:3-4). We become Christians by the power and promises of God. As we are enabled and respond to God’s Word by faith, the new birth occurs. The same principle applies in living the Christian life. As we are enabled and respond to God’s Word by faith, the pursuit of godliness or the Christian life occurs. It is by God’s power through His promises acted upon we are not only made new creatures in Christ but grow in the nature as new creatures in Christ – holy and righteous (Ephesians 4:24).
But here is the key to understanding the principle of becoming and growing as Christians. Any new life and growth is the result of actively putting God’s promises into our daily lives, this goes beyond mere knowledge of God’s truth. There are many people who know God’s truth but do not know the God of truth. Knowledge alone never produces new life or growth. It isn’t the knowing Christian who will mature in the faith, but the knowing AND doing Christian. And this presents us a challenge, not only daily, but every time we are in God’s Word. What is the challenge? It is putting what we hear into practice. Allow me to help us see this challenge. Two examples. How many times have we enjoyed a quiet time in God’s Word, maybe an early morning time, and failed to put into practice what we read just a few hours before? Or think about the many times we heard a sermon on the Lord’s Day speaking directly into our lives and by mid Sunday afternoon, we forgot the encounter with God?
Friends, it takes concentrated effort, a diligent exercise of our wills, to grow in the faith and mature in Christ. There is no quick fix for spiritual growth, nor do we just hit the “spiritual cruise control” button of active obedience to God’s Word. It takes work. It takes purposeful acts on our part. But there is an initial step required if we are to mature in the faith. We must gain knowledge of God’s commands and promises. In today’s scripture, the Psalmist loved God’s Word and lived out the promises of God’s Word because he knew them. He tried them or put them into practice. It really doesn’t need to be said, but I will . . . “A person cannot ‘try’ what is unknown. I, you, cannot put into our lives what we do not know.” We may cry out to God all day long to help us in a tough situation, grow us in His Son, or enable us to overcome a strong temptation but never get those petitions answered. Why? Because God has determined we live by active faith, not just passive submission to Him. If we are not “hiding God’s Word in our hearts” and actively putting into practice the specific promises of His Word to live the Christian life, then weak we will remain, spiritual infants we shall be, and falling to temptation a common occurrence. God will not exercise faith in His Word for us. We are responsible which makes the level of our growth in grace or maturing in the faith up to us. Yes, God provides the means – His Word and prayer – but He will not believe or obey for us. This means the level of spiritual maturity we know now and in the future is up to us. Think about it – are you growing in spiritual maturity? It rests on being a knowing AND doing Christian.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to not only know Your promises, but to live them daily.”
QUOTE: “Our faith grows by hearing the Word of God and obeying what we hear.”