EPHESIANS 4:20-24 – But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
THEME OF THE DAY: GROWING IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST. The Apostle Peter would close out his second letter with these words – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (2 Peter 3:18). As we read this command, we must ask, “What would that look like in our lives? How would we know we are growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?” The answers to those question are in today’s scripture.
In chapter four of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we observe a clear break from the previous three chapters. I encourage us to spend time in this book soon. It is the manual on our position in Christ and how that impacts our relationships in life. In the first three chapters are doctrine and particularly the truth of our position in Christ apart from any works or performance of ours. When reading those chapters, circle, underline, highlight or journal the frequency of the terms “In Christ, in Him, in Jesus.” Be prepared. They appear a lot and remind us of the joy-producing truth of our union, or position in Christ. This is important to remember. Our Christian life is to be lived out of our position in Christ, not our activity for Christ. Christianity is about what Christ has done, not what we do. Get that order right, and the doing will take care of itself. And that doing will include today’s scripture which is the definition of Peter’s command to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As we read today’s scripture, three truths emerge; Jesus is our Teacher, we are His students, and the goal of His instruction is a life conforming to His image stated at the end of the references – created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. In the simplest and clearest way to determine if we are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, all we need to do is to evaluate if our lives are being changed. Are we leaving sin behind, putting off the old self, and adhering to, or putting on the new self (the life of Christ) which means becoming more like Jesus in righteousness and holiness? Or even more importantly, are others seeing such a change in us – a change that includes our attitudes, actions, and speech?
So, are we growing in Christ? Don’t start by looking at what we are doing, but Who we are conforming to. This is the true measurement of spiritual growth; our likeness to Jesus. May the Lord help us grasp and pursue Him to become like Him!
PRAYER: “Father, make me a teachable child of Yours; humble, open to all instruction and the change in my life from it.”
QUOTE: “To be taught by Jesus is to pursue holiness in conformity to His image.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim