Message 21 - By Jerry D. Green
Responsibility in Growing Up
From birth one
begins a journey. It will never cease as long as we live. Much of that journey
is a journey of learning, and learning is a major part of growing up. For most,
those first years are a blissful time. There are no responsibilities, no
worries, no decisions to be made, etc. Someone else does all of these for us.
Unfortunately, or perhaps I should say fortunately, for most of us those days
do not last for long. Like those who are bringing us to maturity, we likewise,
must prepare ourselves to become self-sufficient and able to bring our own
offspring to maturity. This is an endless cycle and has been for all time.
Spiritual growth
is no different from the natural growth which we have just discussed. Having
been born again of God our Father, who is also the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, we begin the process of spiritually growing up in Him (Ephesians
4:15). Let me make it perfectly clear that there is no process in being
born again (that is to say, being saved). Either you are, or either you aren’t
born again. Either you are, or either you aren’t saved. But if you are truly
saved, truly born again, just like the natural baby, there is a (sometimes)
painful process of growing up spiritually. I’m sixty five years old as I write
this message and I can still remember very vividly some of the things I went
through as a child. Among these were going to school for the first time. There
were so many new things to cope with. Getting to school on time, studying,
doing homework, dealing with smart alecks, bullies, etc. This can be quite a
traumatic event for a young child. Yet for the most part, every child has to go
through some form or another of these painful growing up experiences.
One of the worst
things that come with growing up is responsibility. At some point in time,
every child must (or should) begin to be responsible for some of the things
pertaining to his or her own development process. This can be anything from
learning to dress themselves, tying their own shoelaces, helping mom and/or dad
with the chores in and around the home, and at some point, outside the home
environment. If they do not, they will eventually grow up to be a burden, not
only to mom and dad, but to all society.
Growing up
spiritually is no different. When I first got saved I was in a blissful state.
I thought everyone that said God, Jesus, Lord, or could quote a verse of
scripture, etc., were on the brink of being caught away at any moment. All too
soon however, I was brought back from this blissful spiritual state to the
state of spiritual reality. All too soon I came face to face with the fact that
there were spiritual smart alecks and bullies; that there were spiritual
hypocrites who were not at all what they professed, nor what I had believed
them to be; that there were wolves in sheep’s clothing, who were only too glad
to deceive and fleece the flock of God; and that there were those who were and
are just plain ignorant concerning spiritual things. Some of those experiences,
even though I was in my mid to late twenties at the time, were very traumatic
to me as a young Christian. However, as I continued to search diligently for
truth and the reality therein, I gradually came to a place where I could more
readily, by the Word and grace of God, discern between the true and the false,
between the right and the wrong, between the good and the evil. As I came to
this place of more stable ground, I could look back, thank God, and rejoice in
those things He had brought me through. Even today, I wouldn’t take anything
for my (ongoing) spiritual education.
As I reveled in
this new knowledge and growth in the truth, I slowly began to realize the worst
of all fears: With growing up comes responsibility. Now that I had become more
spiritually mature, it was time for me to begin to raise my own spiritual
family, so to speak. It was time for me to begin to share with others, some of
the things I had been so blessed to receive.
In raising
children there are many responsibilities one must cope with. A new member of
the family must be clothed, nourished, sheltered, and loved. As babes, these new family members are
altogether dependent on the parents and other family members for all of their
needs. And what they receive during those first few years will play a dominate
part in what that child eventually becomes and how they will raise their
children.
One of the most
important things for these children to receive, and one of the hardest for
parents to administer, is discipline. No kind, loving parent enjoys
disciplining there children,
“…but
a child left to himself bringeth his mother (and/or, his father) to shame” (Proverbs 29:15). This is what the world calls tough love.
Why do so many parents let their children do just anything they want rather
than take a stand for right? Because it is easier to let them have their way
than to hassle (have confrontation) with them. This is usually the result of
the lack of prior disciplining. Also, it’s hard to “Train up a child in the way he should
go: … (so that) …when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6), when the parent is doing or desiring to do
the same things.
Now, back to the
spiritual aspect: As new, truly born again, spiritual children of God, “As newborn babes (in Christ, we must) desire the sincere milk of the word, that… (we)
…may GROW thereby” (I Peter
2:2). We must “…GROW in grace, and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” (II
Peter 3:18). We must speak “…the TRUTH in love, (that we) may GROW up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ: (Only the TRUTH can bring true spiritual
GROWTH), and sometimes speaking the truth is not easy, especially for those who
are in positions of authority [i.e.; “…apostles… prophets… evangelists… pastors
and teachers”]). Even
though these ministries are “for the perfecting (complete furnishing) of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12), many times there are things
which must be said and done that are not comforting to the flesh. They are
necessary however, “That we henceforth
be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they (All those who lie in wait to devour the newly born again
child of God and keep them from ever coming to maturity) lie in wait to
deceive; From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which EVERY JOINT supplieth, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians
4:14-16). In the spiritual family (the body of Christ), there is that which
every member (every joint) supplies. This is not speaking of natural works or
of church finances, but the fruit and gifts of the Spirit; The spiritual fruit
and gifts which God, by His Spirit, bestows (or manifests) upon every truly
born again child of God to “…profit withal” (I Corinthians 12:7). And not just for the profit of the
individual member (joint), but for the profit of the whole body.
God has set forth
guidelines for all the ministries of the church. Of bishops and deacons as well
as all the other ministries, he says, “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must
be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour,
given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy
of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; (but)
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection
with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall
he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride
he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report
of them which are without (outside
the church; the world); lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine,
not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of
a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the
office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 3:1-13).
These ministerial
offices are not to be taken lightly for they require a great deal of
responsibility. The holders of these offices will answer to God for the manner
in which they are executed as well as how they rule their own families for this
also can bring a bad reflection on God and His house. This is well demonstrated
in the severity with which God dealt with Eli, the high priest. “Now Eli was very
old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the
women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he
said unto them, Why do ye (do)
such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay,
my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to
transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge
him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the
LORD would slay them” (I
Samuel 2:22-25).
It’s not enough
just to say my son or my daughter you shouldn’t do such things, but as Eli
found out, they must be restrained (both the natural and the spiritual
children), especially in the House of God. For “in that day I will perform against Eli all things which
I have spoken concerning his house: (and) when I begin, I will also make an
end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity
which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them
not” (I Samuel
3:12-13).
JDG
Message 21 - Responsibility in Growing Up
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