What Do You Mean Spiritual Growth?

The title today, What Do You Mean, Spiritual Growth? Subtitle, To Be Spiritually Minded. What do you mean, spiritual growth? To be spiritually minded. In the Council retreat, we had a great deal of discussion regarding spiritual growth. A great deal of time and focus is placed on each minister getting his spiritual house and order. And the question was, suppose, what do you mean when you say we need to grow spiritually? What is spiritual growth? How would you define spiritual growth? What about writing down your definition of spiritual growth? So our purpose in this sermon is to show that spiritual growth is inextricably linked to becoming spiritually minded. The two words, spiritual growth, do not appear in Scripture. In fact, as far as the Kings James translation is concerned, the word growth only appears twice in English in the whole Bible. It's in Amos 7 in verse 1. And there it is referring to the second cutting, or the second growth of green, after the first cutting. It has nothing to do with a spiritual growth. That's Amos 7 in verse 1. So the word there, the Hebrew word, is lekesh, and it has nothing to do with spiritual growth. It has to do with the second growth of the green after the first cutting. There are several Hebrew words that are translated grow in the Old Testament.

And the word grow in the Old Testament, the root Hebrew word, there are various Hebrew words, sort of like what Jim talked about in the sermonette with regard to the Greek word that translated desire. It can be used for increase. It can be used for something germinating, coming up, growing. And there are several different Hebrew words that are translated grow. There are only three or four verses in which grow is used that is related to spiritual growth. We look at Isaiah chapter 11 in verse 1. Look there at Isaiah 11, verse 1. You want to keep in mind, playing in the background of your mind, the question up front, what do we mean by the term, the two words, spiritual growth? And are we spiritually minded? How are those linked together? And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And there are three other places, well, two other places in the Old Testament that talks about the branch. And of course, the branch is Jesus Christ, the branch growing up. And so you could say, well, that's related spiritually because it refers to Jesus Christ. We might want to look there. Look at Jeremiah 33, verse 15. Jeremiah 33 in verse 15.

And we'll see once again, branch and grow. Jeremiah 33 in verse 15.

Turned a little too far to Ezekiel. So Jeremiah 33 in verse 15.

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow? Of course, that branch of righteousness is Jesus Christ up unto David, and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. Of course, Jesus Christ was, David, was in his genealogy. And in Zechariah 6, verse 12, we also see the branch connected with growth. So you could say, well, there are three words, three places at least in the Old Testament that have the word grow connected with that which pertains to the spiritual in Zechariah 6, verse 12.

And speaking to them, saying, Thus speaks the eternal of hosts, saying, Behold the man, whose name is the branch, and that is Jesus Christ, the stem from the root of Jesse, Jesse the father of David. Behold the man, whose name is the branch, he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Of course, you got your companion scripture there, Matthew 16, 18, that I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That Jesus Christ is building a spiritual temple, a building not made by hand. Now, there are a few verses in the New Testament that uses the word grow in a spiritually oriented context. Let's look at those quickly in Ephesians chapter 4. In Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 15, We go back and we pick up the context of this with regard to how Jesus Christ, under the direction of God the Father, structured the church. The church has structure. The church has an ordered structure that is revealed to the apostles by Jesus Christ. So we go up earlier in verse 11, He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for what purpose? Why is there a structure? Why is there a ministry? Why are there offices in the church of God?

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying, the building up of the body of Christ. So that's why we assemble here on the Sabbath. One of the main reasons is for us to be instructed in the Word of God so that we can become more spiritually minded.

You could be thinking about, along with what is the definition of spiritual growth, what does it mean to be spiritually minded? To we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man. Now, a lot of people want to stay, and we always want to qualify. Oh no, we can't be perfect. And we always got our qualification until we come unto a perfect man, under the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Of course, Jesus Christ, we could read the verse later, had the Holy Spirit without measure. He was, first and foremost, spiritually minded. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love may grow up unto Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. So, to become as God is, to become as Christ is, is the overriding thing that we are to become. One of the things that we emphasize in the retreat and trying to teach the brethren is that God is more interested in what we are becoming than what we are doing, but oftentimes doing is the pathway to becoming.

From whom the whole body, that is from Christ, fitly joined together, compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working, in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. So, that is one of the great summaries of how we should be oriented and what our goals are to be. Now look at 1 Peter 2, verse 2. 1 Peter 2 and verse 2. We're setting some background here with regard to how growth and growth are used in the Bible. Here in the New Testament, it is far more direct than it is in the Old Testament when using this word in the spiritual sense. In 1 Peter 1 and verse 2, elect according the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied.

Now continuing after the salutation there in chapter 2 and verse 1. Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings. I mean, if we could do all of that, well, different world.

As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby. So, one of the keys for growth would be to desire, and it's probably that root word that Jim talked about, that we may desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. And of course, the word of God is one of the great keys to being spiritually minded and for spiritual growth. Now we look at 2 Peter chapter 3, and most people can probably quote this verse, at least a large number can. It's very often quoted with regard to, well, the church needs to be doing this or that or the other. We haven't really had any, quote, new truth in a long time. But of course, to change what is termed doctrine in the church requires a 3 fourths vote of all elders, not just those who cast ballot, but of all elders, and we have probably 30 to 40 percent of the elders who do not vote. So it's practically impossible in that sense to be able to have something pass at the general conference of elders that would be a, quote, doctrinal change. And it's not necessarily doctrinal change. It may be not a doctrinal change, but an increased understanding. But here we are at this verse in 2 Peter 3 18, but grow in grace. And we've talked about how you grow in grace and the meaning of the word grace divine favor. The Greek word is charis. God's divine favor, how he favors you. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. And now back in 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 7. 1 Corinthians 3 7. So we are looking here at four verses that have the word grow in them that are spiritually related. In 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 7. Seems like I'm not turning to the scriptures as quickly as I should. In 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 7. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither is he that waters, but God that gives the... In the same Greek word here, it's translated increase. God is the one who gives the growth. Of course, God is the one, God the Father, who calls us into his marvelous light. And most of us can quote John 6 44. No man can come to me unless the Father draw him. So of all of the gifts, all of God's gifts, what would you say is the greatest of all gifts? The Bible calls it God's gift. Let's look first of all in John, the Gospel of John, chapter 4. Might be a place that you wouldn't think about perhaps. And even the use of this here is a bit obscure, but I think you'll see it clearly. The greatest of all gifts. It is called God's gift. In John chapter 4, verse 10, the backdrop here is Jesus Christ's encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus answered and said unto her, If you knew the gift of God, if you knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, give me to drink, you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water.

So that should give you a key as to what the gift of God is. I would imagine you already know what it is. In Acts chapter 2, verse 38, in Acts 2, verse 38, Peter and his inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost, we believe it to be 31 A.D.

when the church began, the New Covenant church, and Peter preaches his inspired sermon. They were pricked in their heart, as it says in verse 37, asking the question, men and brethren, what shall we do? And Peter's response, verse 38, then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of the Holy Spirit. Now we look at Acts 11, verse 15. In Acts chapter 10, Peter goes to the house of Cornelius, who was high up in the Roman military, goes to Cornelius's house, and it becomes evident that the Holy Spirit, God's gift, was to be made available not only to the Jews and proselytes who were gathered together there in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, but to the Gentiles as well. Now in chapter 11, Peter is rehearsing somewhat what happened there in his visit to Cornelius's house.

In Acts chapter 11, verse 9, we begin, But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call you not coming. And this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into the heaven. And behold, immediately there were three men already coming to the house, where I was sent from Caesarea unto me, and the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubted. So it was like the Spirit bade me. The Spirit of God can lay a weight on your mind and on your heart.

That's one of the great things the Holy Spirit does. John 16, verse 7 talks about, And when thou comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, has come, it will convict you, and lay this weight. So the Holy Spirit bade me, go with them, nothing doubting.

Moreover, these six brethren have compented me, so some Jews went along with him. And we entered into the man's house, and he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter. And so we see an angel appearing in the form of a man to this Gentile Cornelius, and instructs him to send for Peter, who shall tell you words whereby you and your house shall be saved.

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them and on us at the beginning, like on the day of Pentecost. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And so receiving the Holy Spirit is equated with baptism, and only God the Father can do this.

Man can baptize you in water, but only God can baptize you with the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12, 12, and 13 say, by one Spirit, we're all baptized into one body. For as much then as God gave them the like gift, God gave them the like gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit, that Begettle Spirit, the most important of all gifts.

God gave them the gift as he did unto us who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could understand God. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life, this great gift of God. Also look at Romans 6 verse 23. Romans 6, 23. The greatest of all gifts. You say, well, we all know that. Well, do we really understand it to the depth of our being, of how precious it is, how important that it is?

And when we read some of these verses, does it increase our, quote, spiritual mindedness and realization of how deep and how profound that is? In Romans 6, 23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, we know that the gift is conditional, as we have already read from Acts 2.38, which it says that, repent and be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So it is conditional. Of course, there is an additional step that Acts 2.38 doesn't say everything. You have to repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sins that are passed. Now look at 2 Corinthians 9.15. 2 Corinthians 9, verse 15.

Let's start a few verses above.

In verse 12, for the administration of this service not only supplies of one of the saints, and of course Paul is talking about taking up collection for the saints in Jerusalem because of the great famine that was there. Drought caused the famine. But is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God, while by the experiment of this administration they glorify God, for your professed subjection in the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and to all men. And by their prayer for you, which long after you, for the exceeding grace of God in you, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And so that is how profound, how important this gift is. The Holy Spirit is the gift of gifts. And God imparts to us his life essence, the eternal Spirit upon repentance, upon faith in Christ, his sacrifice, upon baptism, and the laying on of hand. Now look at 2 Timothy. In 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 6, and this is one of the main things we want to try to convey in this today, of what Paul is writing to Timothy.

The letters to the epistles to Timothy are called prison epistles. Paul is in prison. Timothy, a young man, probably somewhere around 20 years old.

And Timothy evidently was having pings of doubt, questions of doubt concerning, well, why would God's Apostle be in prison? Why would things be happening the way they are? And here I am by myself, as it were, what's going to happen.

So we look at verse 5. When I call remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in you, in which dwelt first in your grandmother, Loyce, and your mother, Eunice. My mother was named Eunice. And I am persuaded that in you also, wherefore I put you in remembrance, that you stir up the gift of God. Here that is, that most precious gift, the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. So after repentance, faith in the sacrifice of Christ, baptism, laying on of hands, and that word stir, an adzo poura eo, an adzo pouraeo, means to kindle up, literally to set on fire. And in Strong's it says, to inflame one's mind, stir up the gift, become spiritually minded.

To have strength, to have zeal. The sermon last week, Mr. Bauman talked about, you don't have to be a Laodicean. You can kindle up. Your mind can be inflamed. You can be hucked with zeal. We all can. We'll get more and more to how.

Now, have you ever considered the question of whether God gives more of His Spirit to some, and less to others, when He gives us the gift of the Spirit? Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure. That's John 3.34.

Did God give me the same amount of the Holy Spirit as He gave my wife?

Or you could ask yourself the same question, whether you're male or female, about your spouse. I believe that He gave my wife and I the same amount of the Holy Spirit. If you want to talk about amount, how do you amount the Holy Spirit? How do you measure it, per se? Well, let's talk about along those lines. Now, here is one of the principle reasons why I believe that upon this receiving of the begat of the Holy Spirit, that we receive the same quote amount. We receive God's gift. We receive the begat of the Holy Spirit. Is this person's begat stronger than this person's? Now, you look at 2 Corinthians 4.16. 2 Corinthians 4.16.

For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish?

Now, there are two ways, of course, to look at this outward man perishing. We are literally, of course, in the physical sense, perishing. We're not going to live forever in the flesh. But also, the mind of the flesh is supposed to be perishing.

The verse, Galatians 2.20, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live yet not I, but the Son of Man, who loved me and gave himself for me. That we have spiritual life within us. And this spirit mind is to put to death that old man. That old man is to perish.

But though our outward man perish, and Paul is speaking more in physical terms here, when he says, outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. The inward man, the man, the person of the spirit, is renewed day by day. Now, the contra of this would be, you look at 1 Thessalonians 5.19, 1 Thessalonians 5.19.

Now, the opposite of this, the inward man is renewed day by day, and there are ways to do that, so that you become more spiritually minded.

And having a great deal of knowledge does not necessarily make you spiritually minded.

Remember what I said, and this is parallel with what I've mentioned so many times in 1 Corinthians 13. Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity if I'm not becoming as God is.

So, the various things we do can be a means to becoming.

But God is more interested in what we are becoming than what we are doing. In 1 Thessalonians 5.19, quench not the spirit. See, the contra of the inward man is renewed day by day.

Now, on the other hand, the Holy Spirit can be quench. This flame, this fire, to use a physical analogy, can be quenched.

Obviously, you know that if you have a little fire there, you're burning your leaves. It seems like everybody was burning their leaves from here to Cincinnati. In a terrible smell it was. You pour water on it and put it out. You can quench it. And obviously, you can quench the Holy Spirit. So, we could conclude in a limited way that the Holy Spirit that God has given each person conforms to the biological law of use and disuse. If you don't use it, you lose it. You quench it. If you don't use the muscles, they began to atrophy. And if you do not, or better worded, if you are not conforming to being led by submitting to the Holy Spirit, then you're quenching it.

So, failure to act on the lead, and I would call the lead the conviction of the Holy Spirit, is quenching the Spirit if you don't respond to the lead of the Holy Spirit. Let's go to Matthew 25. That's what the parable of the the virgins, the ten virgins, is all about in Matthew 25 and verse 1.

Matthew 25 and verse 1, it's part of the Olivet prophecy. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins. When is that going to happen? See, there should not be a new chapter here, because then, when then? It's when verses 41, especially through 51, are taking place when some say, my Lord delays his coming and begins to smite his fellow servant. Then!

I mean, we have had that going on for the past two or three decades in the Church of God, smiting the fellow servant. I'm more righteous than you are because x, y, or z. And I can't be with thee, but yet I want thee to view me as if I'm the same as thee. If you followed that.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth and meet the bridegroom. Five were wise, five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. The oil symbolic of the Holy Spirit. They had quenched the Holy Spirit to the point that their lamps were going out, and to the point that it was, in this case, too late to get it refurbished. So they went out to buy, but before they got back, the bridegroom had come. And what was their fate?

Verse 11, Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! But he answered and said, barely I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes.

So they had quenched the Holy Spirit. They had not stirred up the precious gift that was within them, and so their lamps were going out. So this once again shows that the inward man must be continually renewed. This shows once again that the inward man must be continually renewed. So spiritual growth, it has many dimensions. It is not so much related to the amount, quote, God's Spirit that you have, but what you do with what you have.

I would say there are four main ways, and you could count this in different ways, and this is not all inclusive, but four of the main ways whereby the Holy Spirit can be renewed in us each day. And if this is not taking place, we will become lukewarm, Laodicean. We will be quenching the Holy Spirit, and eventually there won't be anything left. The light will go out. We still may be going through the same motions because when the bridegroom knocked, all ten virgins got up. To enter the knock on the door of the bridegroom.

Let's go to Psalm 119.

We'll look at some ways here, and these ways are intricately connected with the New Testament verses there, words of God from both places. In Psalm 119 verse 9, Psalm 119 verse 9, how do you overcome sin? How do you overcome addictions? I used to do a lot more counseling with young people than I do now at college.

Several came with various addictions, pornography, alcohol, whatever else, and especially this thing of pornography. How do you overcome?

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to your word? With my whole heart have I sought you.

Oh, let me not wander from your commandments. Your word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against you. So one of the great ways to overcome, of course, is to flee evil.

Don't put yourself in the environment where you might be tempted.

Of course, the way that they have rigged things on the Internet today, before you know it, you can click on something and there it is.

You want to get away as quickly as you can.

So flee the environment.

Get on your knees. Read, especially, Psalm 119. Now, continuing with this, of course, is your word of a hidden in my heart. Now, what does that remind you of? Well, it reminds me of the encounter that Jesus had with the devil in Matthew 4. In Matthew 4, if you want to turn there, you can quote it back a few pages. We're in 25.

In Matthew 4, Satan came to him, tempting him to turn the stones into bread. He'd been fasting for 40 days and nights. That is, he Jesus Christ.

Of course, Satan was testing the declaration that had been made when Jesus Christ came up out of the baptismal waters in chapter 3. The Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove, him Jesus Christ, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. So Satan comes along and says, If you be the Son of God, then do such and such.

Verse 3, it says, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

And I'm convinced in what we call the model of prayer in Matthew 6, where it says, Give us this day our daily bread. It's not just talking about physical bread, but that spiritual bread as well. And we know, how many times have I quoted this scripture in the past almost four years now, is that John 663.

Let's turn there. John 663.

Hopefully you have memorized this. Let's look at it and read it. In John 663, it is the spirit that quickens, that makes alive. See, it is the gift of life. It is God's greatest gift. It is the spirit that makes alive. The flesh profits nothing.

God wants us to be spiritually minded. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. So ingesting the word of God is equal to ingesting the spirit as it were. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life. Next is loving the truth and meditating on it. So ingesting the word of God on a daily basis, hiding the word of God in your heart. And if you hide the word of God in your heart, that tends to purge the conscience of the old man, and you have a new knowing within yourself. And it says in Hebrews 8 and also Hebrews 10, that God will write His laws on our inward parts.

Loving the truth and meditating on it. Let's look at 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2, where the prophecy buffs off and turn. The man of sin sitting in the temple of God claiming that he is sin, performing signs, wonders, and miracles, deceiving everybody whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life, in the anecdote. 2 Verse 10, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The word of the truth, sweetier than honey, more precious than silver and gold, just all of the descriptors that are used in the Old Testament, especially about the word of God, they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. There's no one who can develop a love of the truth for you or for me.

You have to develop that. And for this cause, what cause? Because they didn't develop this love. Shall God send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, so who believed not the truth and had pleasure in unrighteousness?

Now, in conjunction with the love of the truth, if there is the love of the truth, what else would go with it? Now we go back to Psalm 119.

Psalm 119 beginning in verse 97. And this has been set to music, and we sing it quite often in song services. In Psalm 119 in verse 97, Psalm 119 verse 97. Oh, how love I your law! It is my meditation all the day. It is my meditation. It is what permeates my thoughts. It is uppermost in my mind.

You through your commandments have made me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.

See, God, if you hide the word of God in your heart, He'll write His law on your inward parts. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. That's what I think on. That's where I go first. I understand more than the ancients because I keep your precepts. And then we'll talk about that later. There is a scripture we'll turn to. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep your word. I'm not departed from your judgments, for you have taught me how sweet are your words unto my taste. Yes, sweeter than honey to the mouth. Through your precepts, I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every evil way your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. See, this is one of the great keys for being, quote, spiritually minded. Now, another way the inward man can be renewed, we go to Luke chapter 11. In Luke chapter 11, these seem so elementary, they seem so simple. We have heard them so many times, I guess most people. In Luke chapter 11, through prayer, through communication with God, see the studying of his word is him communicating his will, his way to us. And then we, in Hebrews 13 and 15, said to let us be diligent to offer up the fruit of our lips with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. In Luke chapter 11, beginning in verse 9, and I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and you shall find, knock, it shall be open unto you. For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? If he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If he ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that asked him? Now, this word, ask, is not just simply a, hey, how about this, that, or the other. It has to do with sincerely beseeching God for his Spirit. So that's another way, and then, of course, obedience, Acts chapter 5.

Acts chapter 5. I think it escapes us sometimes how difficult it was in those early days of the church after the day of Pentecost for the apostles to obey, because the authorities, the Jews especially, had commanded them not to preach Jesus Christ, and they at times were beaten, some were put in prison, Stephen was stoned to death. In Acts 5, in verse 29, then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior, to give repentance to Israel, forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things, and so also the Holy Spirit whom God gives to those who obey him. So that, once again, use it or lose it. One of the great doctrines of Christ is going on to perfection, becoming spiritually mature. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5, to become spiritually mature, to use what you have, not to lose it. In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 9, and being made perfect, speaking of Jesus Christ, says above that he learned obedience through the things which he suffered.

Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, and called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. We must never become dull of hearing. See, that's one of the things that we tried to emphasize to one another in the council meetings with regard to our responsibility to the brethren to try to stir up, to try to motivate so that they continually mind the gold that is contained in God's Word, that they remain excited about it, and that they are anxious, willing, having their feet shod with the gospel of peace, willing, ready, able to take this to the world, not only to take it but to live it.

For when, for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles, oracles of God, and become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is obeyed. See, if you're still hung up on the do's and the don'ts, if you haven't come to the point that you understand that you're supposed to obey what the word of God simply says, but strong meat belongs to them that are of full age. Those are going on to maturity, even those who by reason of use, see, they're putting into practice, they're using what they have, by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. They've lived it, they know it, they're doing it. They can grow. They can have strong meat. Should not be a chapter break. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, doctrine of baptism, laying out of hands, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment. Let's go on to perfection. We've already been there. Let's go deeper. Let's stir up. And this will we do if God permit. And I believe that God will permit. One of the identifying signs, let's go to Romans 8. One of the identifying signs of a son of a God is whether he or she is being led by God's Spirit. In Romans chapter 8, in Romans chapter 8, in verse 14, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So we could ask ourselves, am I spiritually minded? Am I being led by the Spirit of God? For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. We've not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the Spirit of sonship whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joined heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. And you look back in verses 5 and 6. For they that are after the flesh do mine the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. But to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded, the title is subtitle. What do you mean, spiritual growth? And are you spiritually minded? For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. God gives us gifts of the Spirit. He gives us gifts of the Spirit to edify the body of Christ. God has given us the precious gift of life. He has begotten us with eternal spirit. He's instructed us on how to renew the inner man on a daily basis. He's given us spiritual gifts to edify one another. God expects us to go on to perfection. So in view of all of these things, what does He want us to become? He wants us to be spiritually minded, to think on spiritual things. He wants us to become perfect in mind and spirit, spiritually minded. This means He wants us to think on the things of the Spirit, to be spiritually minded means to think on the things of the Spirit, like we read from Psalm 119 verses 97 through 105. Oh, how love I your law. It is my meditation. It's what I think about. And for this cause, I have more wisdom, more understanding, and all the things that the Psalmist talked about. So when we think about anything, do we first of all think in spiritual terms or in spiritual terms? You see, the great enemies of faith, anxious care. See, if you think physically, there's no way out. Fear. If you think, well, this is it. I'm afraid I'm not going to make it. If you have doubt, Peter walked onto the water until he was doubtful. Human reasoning apart from the Word of God.

See, God wants us to remember, if God be for us, who can be against us? Paul gives us a succinct summary of what our state of mind should be and what we should think of. So let's go there to Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. Spiritual growth is equal to how spiritually minded you are. If you are becoming more and more spiritually minded, one could say that you're growing spiritually. Now, we're going to read here a couple of important places that summarize to some degree what it means to be spiritually minded, coupled with the Psalm 119. Oh, I love your Lord. It's my meditation all the day. All the things we talk about of the inward man being renewed daily. Philippians 4 verse 4. Spiritually minded. Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. One of the things that was talked about is to be helpers of their joy. See, we live in a period of time in which there is trouble and surveil on every hand, that every person in this room has some kind of trial and difficulty that they are dealing with. And it's not an easy road. Dr. Baker addressed this recently with Job's wife. Trials and troubles affect all of us in profound ways. And yet, this is what this says, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. There's a song about that. I love it. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. God is always there. Do everything temperately, moderately, not in extreme one way or the other. Be careful. That means be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. This is a summary of what it means to be spiritually minded.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The peace of God is that kind of peace that settles in which in your mind and your heart you know everything's all right. Everything is going to work out. Everything is going to be just fine. This too shall pass.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report. If there be any praise, any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

These things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen and may do, and the God of peace shall be with you. So here's what it means to be spiritually minded. Now we turn forward a couple of pages to Colossians 3. We see a little more about this, or a lot more, of what it means. To the degree that you are spiritually minded, you could say you are growing spiritually. It doesn't mean that you're having more of God's Spirit, quote, added to you, but that you are maturing and going on to perfection, and you're using what you have.

If you then be risen with Christ, and when you come up out of the watery baptismal grave, that's what you are affirming. Seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God. This is what it means to be spiritually minded. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God. The old person, the old way, the old way of thinking has been left in the watery grave of baptism. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.

Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, which is idolatry, for which things sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience, and of which you also walk sometime when you lived in them. But now you also put off all of these, and Paul then lists several other things which you can read the rest of the chapter. So here today we have seen something about the Holy Spirit, God's greatest gift, how it has to be renewed on a daily basis, the ways whereby it can be renewed, the fact that you can quench the Spirit if you don't use it, how sad it is.

You can see that God implores us to think spiritually. And once again, spiritual growth can be measured by our state of mind. See, to be spiritually minded is a state of mind and thinking. As we live our lives in a world that is totally given over to the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

So if all of these steps that we have discussed here today are present in your life, you might struggle mightily in your spiritual life, but you will be more than overcomers through Jesus Christ who loved you and gave himself for you. It is through this spirit mind that the mind of the flesh can be conquered. We can rule over it. Paul writes in Romans 8, 13, if you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. So, brethren, let us continue to grow up to the fullness, the measure of the stature of Christ.