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GROW IN GRACE

CHAPTER1JESUS THEPIONEER

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 (NRV)

Chapter 1 of Growing in Grace by Sinclair Ferguson discusses on the need to

grow in spirit, mind and body liken to that of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Men and women

were created in the image of God the Father, by God the Father. Just as physical and

biological children grow adapting the features, characteristics, attitudes and behaviours

of their parents, its imperative for the children of God to grow into his likeness.

The state of being can be attained through a period of attempts and resolutions,mistakes and trials. During all these ups and downs, the focus must always be on God.

Becoming like God the Father is impossible. Afterall, how can such physically and

naturally weak being become one perfect, everlasting and supernatural?

This is where Jesus Christ comes in. Coming down from Heaven to do His

Fathers bidding: to save all humankind and reconciling them once and for all with the

Father. Jesus Christ becomes our reference point.

Why?

When Christ became man, through the Immaculate Conception, Christ came in

human form. Once in human form, Christ went through all the challenges and

opportunities faced by people.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of

his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. Romans 8:29

(NRV)

The birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary makes Him the firstborn of many.

Throughout the New Testament, it is Gods plan to make all of His human creations like

His Son. Therefore, the idea of the book, growing in Grace, means growing to become

Christ-like.

As such, the following maxims are used to describe Jesus growth as a human

child:

Jesus, who grew in grace Himself, is the source of spiritual growth.

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Jesus, who grew in grace Himself, is the example of spiritual growth. Jesus was a man himself, which is why He, too, needed to grow spiritually.Its imperative to fully appreciate and understand that these maxims must be

read together and with the Creeds: Jesus is both God and Man.

An imbalance will contradict the messages in the Bible. It would also create an

impossible benchmark for men and women to achieve. Because Christ is both Man and

God, He is our blueprint and our instructions to our God. In the words of our Saviour:

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know

him and have seen him."John 14:6-7 (NRV)

Jesus, says Peter, is the Author of Life to.n de. avrchgo.n th/j

zwh/j avpektei,nate o]n o` qeo.j h;geiren evk

nekrw/n( ou- h`mei/j ma,rture,j evsmen (Acts 3:15 - BibleWorks

Greek/BGT).

Jesus was the first to be resurrected, and it is His resurrection that enables our

own resurrection. He is the pioneerHe has lived as us in human form. His Life was/is

for us.

While the challenges may differ in culture and context, the principles are

universal and everlasting. Personally, I find this a change in my perception as I view

things in relative terms. By this, I mean that values and principlesor rather their

applicationdepends on the context and circumstances as opposed to being universal.

Indeed, the demand to be Christian isnt just memorising the verses while ignoring the

need to grow into the person of Christ.

The need to live like Christ has become more and more important in a world that

hungers and thirsts for Divine Love, in a world consumed hatred, prejudices,

misunderstandings, arrogance and ignorance.

The two commands that embody all these are:-

1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, andwith all your mind. (Matthew 22:37, NRS);and

2. You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:39, NRS).To answer the question at the end of Chapter 1: Do you think of Him [Jesus

Christ] as the author, the pioneer of spiritual growth?

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I believe that he is the author and pioneer of spiritual growth. Rather than being

preoccupied with the right thing, its imperative that we occupy ourselves in

being/doing the Christ-like thing. We are, after all, Christians not Rightians.

Whether spiritually growing, in our relationship with God or in our relationship

with people around usChristians or notdoing and being Christ-like is what we are

meant to be/do. We are, are we not, the instruments of Gods love and grace to the

world?