‘I AM WRITING TO YOU, LITTLE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN…’ 1 JOHN 2:12 NAS Stages of spiritual growth (1)
There are three stages to spiritual growth. The first is childhood. The Greek term ‘…little children…’ refers to toddlers. And if there’s one thing toddlers are good at it’s tripping and falling. Until they learn to walk they need someone to pick them up, dry their tears, bandage their skinned knees, and reassure them that falling down doesn’t mean they’ll never walk or that they’re not part of the family. There are two things a spiritual toddler needs to understand: first the difference between their stage of growth and their standing before God. Don’t get these two things mixed up! Trusting in the finished work of Christ is the only thing that gives you right standing with God. From that moment on you are a fully accepted and redeemed child of His. That’s how He sees you. If you forget that, you’ll be in trouble because every time you fall the devil will make you doubt your salvation. The forgiveness you receive at the new birth is a judicial act by God, making you a member of His family in good standing. But the forgiveness you receive on a daily basis is a relational act. Suppose you enter some wrong numbers into your calculator. What do you do? You have a little button called ‘clear entry’ which allows you to erase your error and start again. That’s what the blood of Christ does for you. Repentance allows you to override sin by triggering God’s forgiveness so that the flow of His grace continues. And when grace flows, growth follows. The important thing to remember about sin is, ‘always keep short accounts with God.’