grow in grace
02May08
2 Peter 3.8 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Luke 2.40 And the child grew, and grew strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Luke 2.52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
2 Corinthians 3.18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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There’s no question that there is progress in the life of faith. So can we mature in God the same way Jesus did?
The only difference is that we are dependent on God’s grace and power and Jesus wasn’t. Although the evolution or progression of our faith works as it did with Jesus because He being God-made-into-flesh experiences life as we experience life.
Was Jesus’ “increase in wisdom” and being “strong in spirit” a matter studying really hard or a connection to the Father? Wisdom being the earthly version of the Spirit, it must be a little of both.
Look closely at anywhere Jesus talks about what he does and says. He always always credits it to Father. I’d say the new testament portrays Jesus as the model of someone totally dependent on Father’s grace and power. Father continually poured out grace and power on Jesus by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus lived exclusively out of that supply.
Luke 4.18 says the power to do what he did came as a result of the Spirit of God being on Jesus, because God had anointed him - and Acts 1.8 tells us to expect the exact same thing.
You’re totally right that Jesus experienced life exactly as we do! He just never dipped into the sin-forgiven-sin-forgiven-etc cycle. His growth in grace had nothing to do with progressing from hopelessly damaged to only partially damaged… He matured in God.
And I think for Jesus seeking connection to the Father was everything. It’s obvious that by the time he was 12 he had enough of the Scripture to bowl the Jerusalem temple rabbis and priests completely over - and I guarantee it was because he was so hungry and thirsty for anything having to do with Father that he soaked up every drop of God’s Word any time he was around it. And out of that I’m convinced he learned to hear Father’s voice, feel his presence, and really know his Father.
Would we live differently if we expected to grow in grace that way?
i say… yes we can!