Growing in the Knowledge of Christ
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)
The Christian life begins with salvation, but God expects every believer to grow. Just as it would be abnormal for a child to remain at the same stage of development for many years, it is equally abnormal for a believer to remain spiritually immature despite having received Christ. Spiritual growth is God's expectation for everyone who has received His life, and one of the principal ways we grow is through the knowledge of His Word.
When Peter instructed believers to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, he was establishing something very important. The knowledge of Christ is essential to spiritual maturity. There are realities that belong to you in Christ that you may never experience in their fullness if you do not know them. There are instructions that will help you make better decisions, overcome temptations, handle relationships, and fulfil God's purpose for your life, but you must give yourself to learning them. This is why a believer must take the teaching ministry seriously. Every time you sit under sound teaching, you are giving God's Word an opportunity to correct your thinking, enlarge your understanding, and strengthen your convictions.
You should be able to look at your life over time and recognize areas where the Word of God has changed you. Perhaps you used to respond to disagreements with anger, but you have become more patient. Perhaps fear once controlled your decisions, but you have become more confident in God's faithfulness. These are evidences of growth. Make a deliberate decision today to invest in your spiritual development. Attend teachings attentively, study the Scriptures personally, ask questions where you lack understanding, and practise what you learn.
Prayer
Father, increase my hunger for Your Word. Grant me understanding and cause me to grow in spiritual maturity. Let the knowledge of Christ produce visible transformation in every area of my life, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Confession
I am growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. My understanding is increasing, my convictions are becoming stronger, and my life is being transformed by God's Word.
Further reading: Ephesians 4:11–15, Colossians 1:9–11, 1 Peter 2:1–3.