Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 228, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1912 — How Christians Grow [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

How Christians Grow

By Rev. James M. Gray. D. D.

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TEXT—Simon Peter, e •errant as* a* apostle of Jeeua Christ, to them that have obtained a like prechrae faith «Hb ue through the righteousness of God and ear Saviour Jeouo Christ: Grace and peace Is : multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Joono out Lord —«X Peter I, 1 and 1 i - - The single thorn# running alt through this Second Epistle of Pofor

to growth in grace or "How Christians Grow.” We have only quoted two verses as our text, but we want, to speak of the subject as outfined in the first eleven verses. In these verse* the inspired writer speaks of four things concerning Christian growth. First, be speaks of its source in verse one. What to the source et

physical growth? Life. The same Is true of the spiritual. Life in God through Jesus Christ. It is this to which he refers when he speaks el them to whom he writes an having “obtained like precious faith with as la the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” The Christian to one who has "obtained” something, be has not earned it or worked it out for himself, but obtained it That which he has oh* Ulned is faith. Faith to the gift of God. The object of this faith, that on which it terminates, to "the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus . Christ.” Not the righteousness which God is, but the righteousness which God gives, his Imputed righteousness by which alone a man begins to five before him. Word of God the • Means. (2.) He next speaks of the means of growth, which to the word of God (verse 2-4). Grace and peace are multiplied unto us through the knowledge of God, he says, and, indeed, be adds, “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” come in the same way. But this knowledge is not that which < was obtained in the handiwork of nature, but in the revealed word.' "Dosire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby.” In our hearts is evil, but In the Word there are "exceeding great and precious promises,” and it to as we see and apprehend these that we desire and reach out for them. And in reaching out for them we drop these. It to what the child does when the apple falls out of his hand as be opens it to grasp the orhnge. (3.) The inspired penman is led farther tospeak of the nature of Christian growth in verses 6-7, which he sets before us along seven different lines of development—virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity or love. "Virtue” is not to be limited here to the thought of sexual chasteness, but means as nearly as possible in a spiritual sense what "strenuousness” has come to mean In tho physical and intellectual. a Christian man, in other words, is supposed to have the courage of his convictions in witness- . lng to Jesus Christ ■.'% In the same way "temperance” does not mean simply abstinence from intoxicating drink, but self-control in the whole of one’s conduct, a life kept well in hand for God, symmetrical, spiritually well poised, an all-around sainthood. No better illustration of this could be found than in the union of patience and godliness, which follows. The patience to not to he • mere stoical endurance, but united to and flowing from a spirit of enlightened trust in God. The true Christian indeed is the ideal man. How sad that there are so few of them when the . -provision for their creation to so simple and so freely offered by divine grace. (4) Tho result of growth In grace Is three-fold (verses 8-11). First, fruitfulness ; second, assurance, and third, reward. If there to one thing more than another that Christians want to know it is how they may Be assured Of salvation. Here to the A, B, Cos it: "If ye do these things ye shall never fall.’’ This to the war to make our calling and election sure, "to do these things.” This does not mesa to make our calling and election sure so for as God is concerned, but so far as we ourselves are concerned. God knows whether we are called end elected or not, and it east he any surer as to him. But if we don’t know, the way to find out to to do these things. When I hear a man say he believes in the Lord Jeans Christ, but has no assurance of salvation, 1 generally fee) that there to etawethtog in him life not right, and which he knows to be not right, and yet does not put away. Get right with God and assurance follows. r