Finally, it becomes clear to those who look for basic steps in the Christian life. Where is God leading us? Are there not some commonalities in what God gradually shows from His Word to hungry, searching believers?
To the best of my understanding of God’s pattern for Christian growth and spiritual development, I have identified five steps, or levels, of Individual Edification. Here are these growth levels:
- A more serious view of sin,
- A new view of our identification with Christ,
- The filling of the Holy Spirit,
- My place and ministry in the church.
- The Spiritual warfare.
The basic Scriptures to take up early on are: I Corinthians 6:9,10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:2-7. Thus sin is not to be a practice in a Christian’s life. There must be a showdown.
Now you will see that if a person has not gotten to step number one, but is one of these “barely saved“ Christians there will obviously be a hardened type of indifference. Of course, many of these are very dutiful and active in religious works. There will not be, however, a true responsiveness to the Lord and His fellowship.
Let’s go a step further. Suppose one has been brought into this first step through a new working of the Holy Spirit but does not yet experience and see the second truth listed above, what will he or she be like? Will not such a person be discouraged and depressed?
The second step involves understanding how Christ not only died for me but I died with Him. Can you explain the seeming contradiction between Colossians 3:3 and verse 5? How did we die with Christ? In what sense are we still having to put to death? When did verse three take place? How does verse 5 take place? Of course Romans 6,7,8 is the basic study here along with other texts: II Corinthians 5:14-21; and Galatians 5.
Suppose, however, a man has gotten even these truths down in understanding, and life begins to be a dry run for him. Chances are he needs to know that our union with Christ is meant to bring us the benefits of the Holy Spirit’s fullness in our lives. Acts 2:32,33 ought to be studied and even diagrammed. Note the route the Holy Spirit takes to reach us. Truly Jesus’ great ministry in mediation not only rids us of sin but provides us with the blessed Spirit, Galatians 3:14. All are baptized, I Corinthians 12:13, but the filling is not automatic and therefore we are commanded to avail ourselves of it exercising our will and choice. Ephesians 5:18. The filling of the Spirit is the normal, but I say again, it is not automatic.
Next , if you discover one who is quite a “deeper life buff ” and yet is either somewhat frustrated or a bit too independent in attitude and stance, I would then question whether he or she is a vital part of an assembly of believers. Perhaps they have not moved on to the next step in the pilgrimage of edification. Each believer needs to know what their life-ministry is to be. Scripture teaches that each is to exercise the particular Spirit equipment God has given. This is more than natural talent. Romans 12; I Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4; I Peter 4:10,11.
Finally, a person might have achieved all the foregoing levels of insight and development and still be erratic, compulsive, and perhaps depressed. Some apparently mature and experienced Christians are very flammable and difficult to predict. At times they seem driven. It could be that they have yielded areas of control to Satan. Perhaps they have little knowledge of how to resist and war against the enemy. This is disastrous. Satan has much more designs on us than getting us to “come on and do this bad thing.” Study John 14:30, II Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:27. From these texts, what is Satan really trying to gain?
Here the big question is, how do we dislodge the enemy? Remember II Corinthians 10:3-5 and Revelation 12:11; I John 3:8. I have gained much from the study of I Corinthians 12:3 and I John 4:1-4. These texts direct me to make that con- fession, even aloud in my praying, in order to gain my footing against him. It becomes glorious to proclaim Jesus is Lord. Study C0lossians 2:9,10 and list the three truths which are revealed here. Now, each of these truths are grand and basic and are the very truths which Satan ever works against. Fasten on them in prayer. Use also the revelations of the latter part of Ephesians 1, and Colossians 1:13-14. All these are good battle texts.
Remember that our enemy’s names are significant. Satan means adversary; devil means false accuser or slanderer. Perhaps they fit together like this: he opposes us and trips us, then works us over for having fallen. Beware of accepting his inner punishment. Cling to the latter part of Romans 8.
What a difference there is between Holy Spirit conviction of our weaknesses and need, and evil spirit accusation!