Growing in Christ's Grace and Knowledge

Scripture Text

2 Peter 1:2, 3:18

Intro: A person has to be born again by faith in Jesus Christ before there can be growth in grace and knowledge. Then growth surely comes. Peter confirms that we need to grow in our grace and knowledge of Jesus and to have that intimate relationship with Him because the more we know of Him, the more of Him will be seen in our lives. 2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

I. What it means to grow spiritually. 2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.                                                                                         a. It means to grow in sanctification and holiness which means growing in Christ likeness, being conformed to His image. Peter says in verse 2 that grace and peace can be multiplied thru growth.            b. Spiritual growth is learning more of what God wants through His Word.                                                                                           c. It is being able to do more of what God wants.                            d. It is experiencing more of the love of Christ and sharing His love with others.

II. Consider the expectations of physical growth.
a. In a child, a flower, a tree. Just as there is physical growth, there is also spiritual growth. If there is no growing after birth, there is no life. Then staleness and dying set in.
III. What are the evidences of Growing in the Knowledge of God?
1. There will be An increase of the knowledge of God. Paul prayed that for the church in; (Col. 1:10) "so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,"
The Apostle Peter encourages growth in knowledge in 2 Peter 1:5 (NKJV) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.
a. What changes have undergone in your knowledge from when you first accept Christ? To grow in knowledge of God, you must read His word often, if not daily.
2. There's An increase of love. Paul says in; (1 Thess. 3:12) "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you." (John 13:35). "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (1 John 3:14)"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers." We are nothing without love as (1 Cor. 13) tells us.
3. There's An increase of faith. Our faith is sometimes challenged by circumstances but life, death, demons, powers, but nothing can separate us from God and so Jesus says, “whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matt 21:22) because “nothing will be impossible with God”(Luke 1:37)
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is one of our most precious possessions and a key to everything important. Through faith we can receive the commendation and approval of God. Faith comes by hearing & reading the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)
4. There's An increase in the fruit of the Spirit. The bible says "You will know them by their fruit," (Matt. 7:20).
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," (Gal 5:22-23).
1. Have you taken inventory lately of the kind and quality of fruit that you are producing in your life? Are you increasing in the fruit of the Spirit?
IV. The means that God uses to help you grow in Grace?
a. We grow in grace by reading God’s Word and letting it “dwell in us richly” (Colossians 3:16) and by praying. Those actions by themselves don't mature us, but God uses these spiritual disciplines to help us grow. Therefore, maturing in our Christian life is not about what we do, but about what God does in us, by His grace. Understanding and applying God's grace in our lives is important. We are not to impair it by being proud, because God says that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Grace is that attribute of God that enables us to break free of our sinful nature and follow Him. It gives us strength and protects us. Without God's grace, His favor, we would be hopelessly lost in this world. The more grace we have and ask God for, the more mature as Christians we will be. We will be "like newborn babes, longing for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow." (1 Pet. 2:2).
You need to grow continually. You always need the Word of God in order to grow. You will need prayer in order to grow. There's a new you coming every day as You are growing every day: through the good and the bad.
Growth is a sign of an abundant life in Christ. Spiritual Growth always produces good.

Look to God and depend on Jesus completely to bring you to the place of growing in His grace and knowledge.

Conclusion: To grow in grace and knowledge is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did for us and to grow in our appreciation of the grace we have been given. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will appreciate all He has done, and the more we appreciate His love and sacrifice for us, the more we will grow in the never-ending grace and knowledge of God.

Invitation: Without salvation there can be no spiritual growth. Have you been born again by God's Spirit? If not, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save you and invite Him to come into your life. You'll be so thankful you did!