Today’s devotion is a
very good one. As I was reading it, something Oswald said there could be
mistaken easily, so I decided to blog on the subject.
Oswald said: "We do
not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step"
I had a hard time
understanding why we do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step since we are
called to grow spiritually. But, Holiness and a spiritual relationship with God are two
doctrines that could stump us when we read such blatant statement like Oswald’s.
The reason being those two doctrines cannot be concocted by us no matter how
hard we work at becoming holy or to have a spiritual relationship with God. They
are infused in us by God’s grace and we either have them or not.
What Oswald is saying
here is that we can either be spiritual or not. The best way I can explain the difference between spiritual relationship and spiritual growth are like, a woman is either pregnant
or not, but she cannot be a little bit pregnant. Now, throughout the pregnancy
the baby keeps growing and even more when he or she is out of the womb.
It does not matter
how long you have been a Christian, but your lack of spiritual understanding
which you acquire solely through the Holy Spirit, comes from unbelief and the
fact that the Holy Spirit is not finding a dwelling through you to work out
this life. The Holy Spirit need complete control if He is to infuse this life
in us. The more you understand spiritual things, the more the Lordship of the
Spirit is accepted by you, hence why He can reveal God’s word to you.
You should read 1 John
chapter 1 and 2 and ponder on the word of God there. 1John 1:6 said "If we claim
to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not
live out the truth". John was talking to Christians, these people were not unbelievers. As Christians we like tossing those big words around like the
Christians John was writing to. But you cannot say you have a relationship with
God, while you are walking in spiritual darkness. So, how do you know you are walking in darkness?
There are many ways I can describe it, but the very first test that we should
do is to see how well we understand spiritual truths and I am not referring to
your own interpretation of God’s but what you are taught by the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual darkness comes from not being obedient to God’s word, and there is
unbelief in your heart. It is that simple
Oswald is right, one
simple detour we miss out on the whole thing especially if we never recover
from our detours. But one simple move to obey, all of the sudden heaven opens up
and you realize you are being taught things that you have no idea what to do
with.
I am going to keep it
short but I will write more about this subject later.
How Will I Know?
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17)
