# 12 – Different Levels of Growth

2) help others do the works of faith

photo courtesy Dean Williams 2012

Our journey as Christians begins and ends in Christ Jesus. That journey starts where we are—in the flesh; and ends where we should be—in the spirit. Let’s review some basics.

• We received Jesus as Lord and Savior. We’ve confessed with our mouths, believed with our hearts, and are saved (Rom. 10:9, 10).

 

• Yet all who are saved do not submerge themselves into John’s baptism by water. Water-baptism displays our repentance over past offenses, and establishes our commitment to change for the better. Otherwise, we’re just a brood of saved vipers (Luke 3: 7, 8). 

• Jesus stressed the importance of being “born again” (John 3:3). If we don’t experience this re- birth, then we cannot “see”, ĕidō, know or perceive the kingdom of God because the kingdom is spiritually discerned. Moreover, if we are birthed by water and the Spirit, then not only do we “see” the kingdom of God, we can also “enter”, ĕisĕrchŏmai, into it spiritually. And this is where most Christians, out of fear, begin to “dis” the spirit-workings of the Holy Spirit. 

• Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. This baptism burns up the chaff in us—our corrupt nature—so he can gather to himself the wheat-part of us (Luke 3:16, 17). Once we’ve identified with his death, burial, and resurrection, we are transformed into his image—and are born of Christ (Rom. 6:3, 4; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 John 2:29; Col. 1:27, 28). 

• Christians who are born of Christ are also born of God and do not sin (1 John 3:2). We have learned to participate in the divine nature through the incorruptible seed that has been planted in us (2 Peter 1:4). 

• We are also born of the Spirit. If the Spirit births us, then we display other-worldly abilities. One of them is to come and go like the “wind”, pnĕuma, current of air, or spirit (John 3: 8). 

Yet, no matter what stage of the journey we are at, spiritual expressions will often occur in our lives by virtue of our births. Fear will not help us here. Only faith in Jesus—and support from the household of faith—will help make our journey a faith-filling one.

The kingdom of God is spirit. We are meant to be spirit. Isn’t it about time we put our fears away, and get acquainted with the spiritual kingdom he’s given us?

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References: Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV). Greek definitions from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible; and Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (1981).