Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth is a mystery. Trying to control it is as vain as telling a rose how to blossom or commanding a child to “grow up.” Nonetheless, a reverent appreciation for the factors that inhibit or encourage spiritual growth is helpful for pastoral care, both of others and oneself. Spiritual growth is that process by which the Christian person, in all aspects of his or her life, moves from the beginnings of life in the Spirit to full maturity.

Never a Solitary Matter

One of the great tragedies of the Western church today is that people read the Bible through the lens of Western individualism. So passages like Ephes. 4:14 (“Then we will no longer be infants”) and Ephes. 4:15 (“We will in all things grow up into . . . Christ”) are understood as descriptions of individual growth; in reality they are statements about the growth of people together. Christian growth is growth in corporate, interdependent life through membership in the body of Christ. Passages such as Ephes. 5:18 (“Be filled with the Spirit”) refer to the glorious gift of God’s continuous Spirit-inundation to our life together, but they get reduced by Western readers to the cultivation of individual ecstasy.

So the marks of spiritual growth in Ephesians are relational and corporate: diverse and interdependent Spirit gifts (Ephes. 4:11), every-member ministry (Ephes. 4:12), rich social unity (Ephes. 4:12), maturity (Ephes. 4:13), doctrinal discernment made by the people (Ephes. 4:14), speaking the truth and living in love (Ephes. 4:15), dependence on Jesus rather than on leaders (Ephes. 4:15), interdependence rather than independence or codependence (Ephes. 4:16) and love (Ephes. 4:16). It is impossible for Christians to grow and build themselves up in love (Ephes. 4:16) as a collection of isolated individuals. So the context for spiritual growth is that gloriously synergistic combination of living simultaneously in the people of God and everyday life—in Christ together and in the world. But we must also explore what we mean by spiritual.

Spiritual or Spirit-ual?

Spirituality is one of those accordion words into which you can squeeze as much hot air as you wish. The word is often used to describe such diverse things as the inward, the demonic, the religious, the nonmaterial, experiences that are “out of body,” and occasionally it describes prayer. But Christian spirituality is not merely human life expanded by disciplines and consciousness-raising practices. In Paul’s correspondence the word spiritual should normally be capitalized (Fee 1992). Spiritual gifts are Spirit gifts. They are not capacities that come out of our interior (see Talents) but rather energies, motivations and expressions of the life of the Spirit in the believing community.

Spiritual growth is primarily growth in responsiveness and expressiveness of life in the Spirit. And life in the Spirit is not so much characterized by ecstasy (2 Cor. 12:1-10) as by the empowering presence of God at work in our weakness for transformed ethical living in everyday arenas. The “unspiritual” person, according to James 3:15, has a devilish wisdom that harbors bitter envy and selfish ambition. Satan and the demons are “spiritual” and believe in God but do not have faith with deeds (James 2:18-19). In contrast, the person experiencing Spirit-growth is experiencing the transformation of her whole person “into [Christ’s] likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). All this, Paul says, “comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). But is Spirit-growth the exclusive interest of only one person of the Holy Trinity?

Growth into Trinitarian Love

All three persons of the Godhead are involved in development of Christian persons and the people of God to their intended maturity. The Father will equip us “with everything good for doing his will” (Hebrews 13:20-21). The Son invites his disciples to abide, or “remain,” in him because “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). The Spirit brings people to spiritual birth so they can see and enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5, 8), that is, the beginning of spiritual growth through which we are sealed (Ephes. 1:13) by the Spirit “who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephes. 1:14). But Paul also prays that the Father will give “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Ephes. 1:17). All three persons of the triune God are involved in spiritual growth.

Christian growth must be understood as growth into the love life and covenant community that are God. Jesus prayed to the Father that the disciples may be “in us” (John 17:21) so that “the love you have for me may be in them” (John 17:26). The goal is “that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:22). But living in the love of God (literally) involves a mutual abiding of God and believers. Not only do believers abide (corporately) in the triune God, but Father, Son and Spirit “make their home” in the obedient (individual) believer (John 14:23). A fully trinitarian approach to Christian growth has profound implications for relationships and community. Most of all, a trinitarian approach to spiritual growth centers on the twin foci of love and humility—the supreme marks of the mature Christian.

Love characterizes the life of God in God’s three-in-oneness. God is love (1 John 4:16), and we are most godlike when we love (1 Cor. 13). Love involves sacrificial caring, secret generosity and social passion. If love characterizes the life of God, humility is the mark of a person truly in love with God. Humility is not preoccupation with self-depreciation (the cloak of pride turned inside out) but with God appreciation (Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14), which liberates from self-criticism and addiction to the approval of others (John 8:29). When we are truly humble, we desire above everything the praise of God (John 5:44). We are becoming God-blinded people who, having looked at the sun, will see it everywhere. If we are most godlike when we love, we are most creaturely when we are humble. Spiritual growth aims at maturity of love and humility.

Metaphors of Growth

Because spiritual growth is a mystery that is beyond rational analysis or human technique, metaphors are needed—figures of speech providing sacred hints that express reality in ways that appeal to the imagination. In the Bible there are four major metaphors of spiritual growth.

The seed—an agricultural metaphor. Growth includes germination, development, transitions, fruition and multiplication. In his public teaching Jesus used the seed metaphor for the life of the kingdom sown into the soil of people’s hearts (Matthew 13:4) and for the sowing of the children of the kingdom into the world (Matthew 13:38). Peter uses seed to express the awesome and inevitable life that is invested in believers when they receive Christ through the Word—that “imperishable” seed (1 Peter 1:23). Paul uses seed the same way: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Cor. 3:6). No one plants a seed without expecting a crop (Hebrews 6:7) or a harvest (Galatians 6:9), the very thing God wants. The seed metaphor not only communicates the unfolding of the life contained within the seed but also suggests the pain and price of growth. Growth involves transformation—the changing of forms. Nothing happens unless the seed is sown and dies (John 12:24; 1 Cor. 15:38, 44).

The child—a biological metaphor. In the New Testament we are portrayed as being born “a second time” (John 3:4) and becoming infants in Christ. Paul used this term for the Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:1) because of their schismatic behavior and their infantile dependence on human teachers. In fact, he says, they are still “on the bottle” needing milk (1 Cor. 3:2). The author of Hebrews uses the same metaphor for another community stalled in a no-growth life (Hebrews 5:12-13). Tragically many Christians run off to this and that conference being blown about by every wind of doctrine (Ephes. 4:14) and never learn to feed themselves or others (see Spiritual Disciplines). Just as infants learn to feed themselves, just as children move from total dependency to interdependency, just as young people move from a handed-down and secondhand faith to an adult faith of their own (see Faith Development), so we grow spiritually. Maturity, paradoxically, involves a recovery of true childlikeness (Matthew 18:4; Matthew 19:14)—playfulness, spontaneity, wholehearted trust.

The disciple—an educational metaphor. This metaphor is rich in meaning about direction and movement. In the ancient world disciples were learners who formed a deepening relationship with their master. The purpose was not merely the transmission of information. When the disciple is fully trained, Jesus said, the disciple “will be like the teacher” (Luke 6:40 NRSV)—an imitation process. Instead of creating uniformity, this results in a liberating interdependence because Jesus is determined to set us free: “I no longer call you servants. . . . Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:15). So discipleship involves development from mere service to friendship with God—a transition that is parallel to one Paul explored frequently: from slavery to sonship and being an heir. In one sense we never move beyond obedience, but the obedience changes character from simply “doing what we are told” to doing God’s will because we have increasingly the mind of Christ. This is the heart of guidance.

The building—an architectural metaphor. The apostles often mixed their metaphors as they expressed the rich life of the believer. Paul moved back and forth from agricultural to architectural images: “You are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9). Once again he is thinking of the people of God and not merely a collection of individual saints. God’s people is really the temple of God—a living building that grows increasingly into a sanctuary in which God’s Spirit lives (1 Cor. 3:16). Christ is the foundation of that building (1 Cor. 3:11), and though Christ is the ultimate living stone, each of us is adding to the structure stone upon stone. Peter says we are being built “into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). We are like a medieval cathedral that is always being built and never quite finished. Who is doing the building? Who makes the house grow?

Cultivating Growth

The seed develops. The infant matures. The disciple learns. The building is being built. But all four metaphors show that growth requires human cooperation. In fact both God and the stones make the temple grow, but it is mainly God’s continuing work of transformation. From first to last, from conception to resurrection, from germination to harvest, from laying the foundation to the completion of the temple, spiritual growth is primarily the achievement of God: “We are God’s workmanship” (Ephes. 2:10). Paul is confident “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). The body of Christ “grows as God causes it to grow” (Col. 2:19). The Christian life does not start as a human achievement, nor does it continue so. “Are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Paul asks the Galatians who have slipped back into an achievement-oriented religiosity (Galatians 3:3).

Growth, however, is not automatic. God seeks our cooperation. We are fellow workers with God (1 Cor. 3:9). Paul thanks God that the faith and love of the Thessalonians are “growing more and more” (2 Thes. 1:3). He warns Timothy that some have given up the good fight and “have shipwrecked their faith” (1 Tim. 1:19). The author of Hebrews repeatedly warns his readers to be careful not to drift away from the faith (Hebrews 2:1) and not to fall short of true sabbath rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:1). We must persevere in growth (Hebrews 10:36). It is literally grow or die!

Each of us, Paul argues, is striving as fellow workers with God and “each one should be careful how he builds” (1 Cor. 3:10). Some people appear to be building with hay or straw, others with gold and silver. All will be revealed on the day of judgment. Some people’s work on the building will not survive the fire; other people’s work will last because their work was done with faith, hope and love (1 Thes. 1:3).

How do we grow? There is personal cultivation to be done, removing the thorns and stones so the seed will grow. Spiritual growth involves crucifying the flesh (Galatians 5:16-18), walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25; Galatians 6:7-8), turning troubles into sacraments (Romans 5:2-5; James 1:2-4), engaging in spiritual disciplines, thriving in church membership, taking risks and keeping one’s eye on heaven. All this happens in the thick of everyday life. One of the ultimate ironies of spiritual growth is related to the theme of this article: it is as we seek the growth of others that we grow ourselves. Equipping is a mutual ministry. As we empower one another through loving, exhorting, serving, teaching, admonishing and praying for one another, we grow ourselves. The indirect way turns out to be the most direct.

But the growth is mainly God’s work. Paul offers this final prayer to the Thessalonians: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thes. 5:23-24). God will do it, but we are God’s coworkers. Simone Weil keeps this balance. She describes God crossing the infinity of time and space to knock at the door of our hearts, like a beggar, to possess us in love: “If we consent, God puts a little seed in us and he goes away again.” The seed, she notes, encounters weeds and thorns, and rocks must be removed. Sometimes this gardening feels like a violent process, but “on the whole the seed grows of itself” (Weil, p. 91).

» See also: Christian Education

» See also: Discipleship

» See also: Equipping

» See also: Faith Development

» See also: Spiritual Conflict

» See also: Spiritual Formation

References and Resources

D. L. Alexander, ed., Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification—Reformed, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Pentecostal, Contemplative (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1988); G. D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1993); G. D. Fee, “Some Reflections on Pauline Spirituality,” in Alive to God, ed. J. I. Packer and L. Wilkinson (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1992) 96-107; M. Green and R. P. Stevens, New Testament Spirituality: True Discipleship and Spiritual Maturity (Guildford, U.K.: Eagle, 1994); E. S. Jones, Conversion (New York: Abingdon, 1959); S. Weil, Waiting on God, trans. E. Craufurd (London: Collins, 1950); D. Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives (New York: Harper & Row, 1988).

—R. Paul Stevens