Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the Head, into Christ...

   - Ephesians 4.15

...and let us all hasten to approach to perfect manhood, to the measure of the completed growth of the fulness of Jesus Christ, in Whom let us love one another, praise one another, correct one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, that with Him in one another we may reign and triumph.

   - Columbanus, Letter to Certain Bishops, Irish, 7th century

Every Christian has a mandate to grow (cf. 2 Pt. 3.18). We should expect, day by day, to improve our walk with the Lord such that, as John prayed, Jesus increases in us and our old self decreases (Jn. 3.30).

The end of our growth is conformity to the image of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.18); the goal of each day’s growth is to make progress in love for God and neighbor (1 Tim. 1.5). The greatest obstacle to growing in the Lord is being content with the status quo.

Columbanus chided the bishops in Gaul because, seeing the many problems that plagued them, they had come to accept their situation as normal – pastors not caring for their flocks, kings and other rulers cutting corners with the Law of God, bishops more concerned about appearances and benefices than the advance of the Kingdom and righteousness of Christ. We won’t make progress in Christ-likeness as long as we fail to address the lingering sins in our lives.

But our mandate to grow is also a great privilege, for the Lord is at work within those who know and love Him, to make us willing and able to do the will of God (Phil. 2.13). As we focus on the end of growth and work to make progress in realizing the goal, God the Spirit works with the Word of the Lord to take us beyond where we’ve ever been in our relationship to the Lord, and makes us more like Jesus. Growth is enhanced as we pursue it together, loving, praising, correcting, encouraging, and praying for one another, holding one another accountable in love for specific evidences of Christian improvement.

Are you growing in the Lord Jesus – or, rather, into the Lord Jesus? In what ways do you need help from others so that He might increase in you? There is no standing still in the life of faith. Either we are growing in love, or we are becoming confirmed in our status as unredeemed sinners.

Which of these best describes you?

Psalm 19.12-14 (St. Christopher: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”)
Who, Lord, can know his errors? O keep sin far from me!
Let evil rule not in my soul that I may blameless be.
O let my thoughts, let all my words before Your glorious sight.
Be pleasing to You, faithful Lord, acceptable and right!

Lord, help me to remain chaste, that I may love You truly and that my body may be a proper temple and my life a faithful witness of your purity and selfless love. Adapted from Sechnall, Audite Omnes Amantes

T. M. Moore, Principal
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