“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God” Hebrews 6:1 ESV
Our faith in God is in a constant state of either growing or slowing. There is never not a phase that does not include one of these two alternatives. This can be seen in both an early believer, as well as one of longevity. The early believer that comes to know God is usually one of high emotion and excitement. They cannot wait to share their born-again experience with others. They love the Lord and long to know Him more. It is not until reality reveals that the Christian walk is not all happy times that they begin to reach a season of slowing. With the Christian who has been a believer for 20-30+ years, they may reach a point where they believe they have heard all that needs to be said. They will believe that they have experienced all there is to experience. It is a dangerous time when an individual falls into this state of slowing.
When we choose to slow in our faith, deeper revelations will not be found.
The human brain functions in such a way that we remember what is repeatedly learned. Eventually what we have heard over and over begins to sink into our subconscious mind. That is why knowing our ABCs or counting from 1-100 comes as easy as breathing. It was through perpetual practice that it eventually became second nature.
Our faith is similar. The more we learn, the more it begins to live within us. When we choose to slow in our faith, however, deeper revelations will not be found. We will miss out on what God wants to teach us right now. We will not be able to hear His speaking or moving because we are no longer desiring to grow in Him. We have become either distracted or stagnant. We no longer had the same fire to share our faith. Rather, we choose to sit back on what we once learned and view that as enough.
Deeper revelations are found only through a willful desire of seeking God and wanting to grow in the faith.
The mystery of godliness, however, is that we can never fully obtain what God wants to reveal or what He is speaking. We may know a Biblical story or passage. We may be able to remember and regurgitate it from memory, but that does not mean we have adequately understood all that is to be revealed. There are still deeper truths to be found, and this happens only through a willful desire of seeking God and wanting to grow in the faith.
We must forever be content with what we know about God, but we must never be satisfied with what we currently know about God.
2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV) tells us to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To keep from being unproductive in our faith, we must desire to grow in our faith. We must forever be content with what we know about God, but we must never be satisfied with what we currently know about God. There is much more to learn from our Heavenly Father. We must simply have the desire to ascend in the faith.
When we lack desire, we soon retire. We retire from our responsibilities. We no longer desire to help others or share the Gospel. We become complacent and content with just us making it to Heaven. So long as we are saved, we don’t care about those who are enslaved. This is a tragedy, for much of what God was so willing to do will have been missed by a slowing of the faith; either due to laziness, complacency, distraction, pride, or sin.
At the Judgment Seat, born-again believers who idled by will be saved, but nothing more will be given to them. Rewards will be burned by the fire for those who chose to slow.
Francois Fenelon once said: “There is nothing that is more dangerous to your own salvation, more unworthy of God and more harmful to your own happiness, than that you should be content to remain as you are.” Those who believe they have learned it all, will soon fall. They will fall from God’s predestined plan. They will fall from the joy of the Lord. They will fall from living a productive life for God. At the Judgment Seat, born-again believers who idled by will be saved, but nothing more will be given to them. Rewards will be burned by the fire for those who chose to slow.
It is therefore imperative that we never stop having a desire to learn more about God. Through his subtle distractions, the enemy drains us of spiritual power and authority. He knows that as long as he can kill the born-again believer’s time, he has fulfilled his dutiful desire.
May God forever guide our eyes towards that which will last eternity.
May Satan never rule our clocks. May God forever guide our eyes towards that which will last eternity. Let us “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 ESV).
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive us of our stagnation. Forgive us for not continually desiring to want to pursue and grow in You. Lord, You alone are the Living Water and Bread of Life. May we come to understand this Truth. May we know that all good things come from You alone. Our heart's desire is to know You more intimately. Expand our minds to receive greater wisdom. Deepen our love for You and draw us to higher ground. May the motivation of Heaven being our home propel us to seek to know You as much as we can in this life. We love You, Lord, and we lift You up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine