“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
Parents … what would you do if your baby wasn’t growing? Would you be concerned or would you ignore the obvious? It probably wouldn’t take you very long before you would be on the phone making an appointment with your pediatrician because you know where there’s life there must be growth. The same is true of every farmer; if your corn didn’t sprout in the spring you would immediately be on the phone with a specialist to analyze the problem and find a solution because you also know there must be growth if there’s life. Well, according to our text, the same principle is true spiritually. If you’ve been born of the Spirit of God then you must be growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus. And so the Apostle Peter commands in 2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Once a person has true faith he is declared justified by God. This means he is forgiven, cleansed and pardoned of all his sins because of the work of Jesus Christ. And when God declares a person justified, which is a one time event, there can never again be an accusation brought against the person because Christ’s perfect life and sin atoning death has been imputed to them. That’s why we read in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” But at this point the work of God’s grace within the believer begins. Sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming the believer more and more into the image of Jesus Christ, and this is not completed until death. Therefore, every true believer will and must continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus throughout his Christian life, and if there’s no spiritual growth it’s simply because there’s no spiritual life.
What about you? Are you growing spiritually? Does your life demonstrate that you’re growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are you growing in the godly use of your tongue or are you living in bitterness, anger and envy with a grudge against someone? James 1:26: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” Are you growing in resisting temptation? James 1:12: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Are you growing in the fruit of the Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Is your love for God, His Word, His Church, and fellow believers increasing? 1 John 5:2: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” John 13:35: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” If you confess to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, one of Christ’s blood-bought sheep, then you must be continually growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus, and this will be evident by your Christian maturity. Because to grow in grace means there’s a growing divine influence upon the soul and this will be manifest in your manner of living! As Jesus said in Matthew 7:17: “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit …” What kind of tree are you?