Begin Again

Phil 2:1-2
2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Perhaps often the main problem in the Christian life is not that we don’t try hard enough to be good but that we haven’t believed the Gospel and received its finished reality into all parts of our life. To often, we miss understand the Gospel by spending to much time thinking about ourselves and what we need to do rather than Jesus and what He has already done.

Oftentimes we misunderstand spiritual progress by measuring our own effort or lack there of. Focusing on the quality of our works or our stand against sin places the focus off of Christ and on to ourselves. The focus of the Gospel, the beauty of the Gospel, the power of the Gospel is not in us and our efforts but in Christ and His finished work!

Believing again and again the Gospel of God’s free justifying grace everyday is the spiritual progress we are called to. Spiritual growth is returning to the beginning over and over again! Meditating on, thinking on, and receiving the fullness of Christ and His Work in your life.

Martin Luther wrote, “It is not imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.” Once the Gospel frees you from having to do anything for Jesus, you will want to do everything for Jesus.

Desire spiritual progress in your life? Go back to the beginning. Meditate on Christ –His life, His message, His work. Marvel at His grace, the power of His name, the completeness of His work. Believe and receive all that Christ has done, that is the Gospel.

Once you have done that again and again, what are you going to do now that you do not have to do anything? That is Spiritual Progress!

Blessings,

Darren