In 2 Peter 3:18, Peter ends his epistle with an encouraging command: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” Again, in Colossians 1:10, Paul prays for the church in Colosse to increase in the knowledge of God. What do these exhortations mean? The Greek word Peter and Paul use in their respective passages is auxanō, which literally means to become greater or stronger, like plants that thrive or infants that continually grow. But how do we follow this command in the Bible? If, through faith and the grace of God, we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and believe He is the only way to the Father, we are His children and can enjoy a deep, rich relationship with Him. But as we study the Bible, we may ask ourselves: how do we grow in our relationship with Christ? How do we grow in His grace and knowledge? The whole Bible speaks to this question, but a few pointers show how we can grow.
We must decide to spend time in God’s word. 1 Peter 2:1-3 tells us how we can grow when we first accept Jesus: “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Desiring the word of God means to yearn for it, to long for it “in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). We can only know how God wants us to grow when we find His truth and guidelines in His word: to understand who He is, what He says about us, and how He calls us to live as His followers. Spending time in God’s word allows us to draw closer to Him and become more like Him as He cleanses us “with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). Psalm 19:7-10 gives us this truth: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Do we spend time in God’s word like He has called us to? The more we know Him, do we long for God’s truth? Do we find God’s word to be the joy and rejoicing of our hearts (Jeremiah 15:16)? You have tasted that the Lord is gracious; commit time to God and His word so that you can grow in Him!
We must deepen our relationship with God. We are also told to keep living in Christ and having continual fellowship with Him. Colossians 2:6-7 tells us this: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” The only way we can grow and abound is when our roots sink deep—deep into the Lord. John 15:5 gives us similar imagery. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” The Greek word for abide means to remain or stay. It speaks of continual, consistent fellowship with Jesus. Colossians 2:19 states it in clear words, saying that we must hold fast to God, who is the Head, “from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.” God gives the increase and allows us to grow and thrive in Him. All we must do is hold fast to Him. Are we consistently spending time with Jesus? Are we holding fast to God and His word, trusting that He will give the increase? Do we feel secure when we remain in the Lord? God wants to bring you into a deeper relationship with Him; “abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28)!
We must desire to be more like Jesus. It follows that we practice walking as Jesus did, surrendering to His will, and desiring to be more like Him. To grow in Christ, we must know what God’s will is for our life and how He has called us to walk. 1 John 2:6 says this: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Colossians 1:10 tells us that we are called to “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” But what does this mean? 2 Peter 1:5-8 spells it out for us: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We must work to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is” (Colossians 3:1). God’s will for our life is sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3). We can only grow when we surrender and allow the Lord to work in our lives and transform us into the image of His Son. 2 Corinthians 7:1 urges us thus: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Again, in Ephesians 2:2, God calls us to set aside all our former practices of sin “in which [we] once walked according to the course of this world.” Are we working to be like Christ? Do we desire and yield to the Lord’s sanctifying work in our lives? Do we make it our goal to reflect Christ in all we do and say? Jesus is our ultimate example; look to Him in all things and “be diligent to present yourself approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Growing in God is not a linear process, but the Bible gives us truths that point to the actions we should take. Spend time in God’s word. Spend time in His presence and in prayer. Spend time seeking God’s will for your life. Surrender to His sanctification. Pray that God would give you a longing for Him and His word and a desire to grow in His grace and knowledge. A thriving relationship with the Lord is irreplaceable. God wants you to grow in Him. May your desire be to draw closer to Him as well!
Written by NBB Alumna: Annelisa Stephen
