The Bible gives several instructions concerning how to grow spiritually. While the Christian must not wait for the New Year, the New Year can offer a sense of motivation as old things pass away and new things hopefully come. Therefore, the Christian must take every opportunity to seize his motivation to grow spiritually.
Currently, many of the trees outside look dead. They are shedding their leaves and appear as though little to no life is left in them. Many Christians may feel this way after being met with a challenging year. One of the most significant challenges a Christian will face is seeing as God sees. Many people are taken back when they find that their lives have been invaded and times of affliction enter. When difficulty arises, it comes as a shock to most.
However, Peter said the Christian must not be surprised when the fiery trial comes upon him as though something strange was happening. Nevertheless, the Christian often views trials as odd and is seemingly caught off guard. He looks at his life and wonders if things will ever improve.
The problem is not in what is happening per se. The problem is in the outlook. Jesus has told us that tribulation will come but that the Christian must take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus has done the work to overcome the world, and John tells us what we must do to overcome the world with him. John says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (KJV, 1 John 5:4). Here we see the other side of the coin. On one side, we see the face of Jesus and what He has done to overcome the world. On the other side of the coin, we see the response to the work of Christ in order to overcome with Him. One cannot exist without the other.
But as someone approaches the New Year and fixes his eyes on Jesus, he may feel like the trees outside. While there may be life within, it does not look like it. But the season will surely come when life will be evident. Just as the sun beings to shine strong again and brings life to the trees, so will the Son of God shine bright and bring about life to the one who waits upon Him in faith.
With that being said, let us look to the Bible in faith and see what God would have the Christian do in the New Year.
Put away childish things
To mature in Christ, the Christian needs to learn to grow up. Times of adolescence must pass, and the Christian must seek maturity. Scripture says, “When I was a child, I spake like a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). Here we see a verse that does not get enough attention in the modern era.
The culture is being dumbed down, and little is being said about the matter. However, Paul has much to say. He tells of a time when he was a child, and during that time, he spoke, understood, and thought as a child thought, but then the time came to grow up. How did Paul grow into mature manhood? He put away childish things.
The Christian must learn that if he desires to grow in the New Year, he must recognize his childish tendencies and learn to put them away.
Develop understanding
Shortly after Paul spoke of putting away childish things in 1 Corinthians 13:11, he brought up the matter again in 1 Corinthians 14:20. He says, “Brethren, be not children in your understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men” (1 Cor. 14:20). The context of the verse consists of Paul speaking about the gift of tongues and their proper use. Paul desired that the people would understand the appropriate use of the gift of tongues.
Despite the immediate context of the verse, we can still glean from the text concerning ways to grow in the New Year. The Word of God is clear that the Christian must grow into a state of maturity in His understanding of biblical truths.
Understanding the Bible leads inevitably to growth in Christ. However, there is a significant difference between knowing what the Bible says and understanding the Bible. In the Proverbs, the fool knows the commands of God but does not do them. Likewise, the foolish builder knew Christ’s commands but did not do them. In contrast, the simple one in the book of Proverbs does not know the commands and suffers as a result. Therefore, it is the fool who is the worst of all.
Simply because someone knows the Bible and can talk about the Bible does not mean that he understands the Bible. The Corinthians were gifted people; they would have known the Bible. However, Paul admonished them to be mature in their understanding. They would have acted upon God’s commands if they had truly understood them. Understanding and action are inseparable.
Follow Jesus
If someone desires to grow spiritually in the New Year, he must learn to follow Christ. However, following Jesus comes with a cost. It cost Christ, and it will cost the believer as well. Wherever the Master is, there must the servant of Christ be.
To follow Jesus means that the Christian must learn to carry his cross. The cross was painful, and it was designed to bring about death. Everyone who encountered the cross, including Jesus, died upon it. However, if a man were to escape the cross, he may live. The Christian often seeks to save his life and live for the moment. But the Bible makes it clear that the way to live only comes through death.
Scripture says, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:38-39). Therefore, the one who does not bear his cross is not worthy of Christ.
The New Year must be characterized by cross-bearing. Cross-bearing is characterized by the denial of self. Who will win during the New Year? Will self sit upon the throne, or will he be crucified with Christ? The answer to the question will predict the coming events of the New Year.
Fight temptation
Maturity will never come unless the Christian learns to fight temptation. Scripture says, “…I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:14). Here we see the young men who had advanced past childhood as the ones who had overcome the wicked one.
Satan will seek to tempt the Christian in the New Year. Therefore, the Christian must learn how to fight back. Since the young men had overcome the evil one, they were clearly exercising certain disciplines.
When the disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told them to watch and pray so they would not succumb to temptation. Thus, these young men that John spoke of must have been watching and praying. Elsewhere, Paul tells us that the shield of faith can extinguish the flaming darts of the devil. We saw earlier that it is by faith that the Christian overcomes the world. Therefore, the young men in reference must have grown in their faith. Finally, we see that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God and that the Christian can fight against temptation with the Word. Thus, the young men must have known the Word and matured in their understanding of the Word.
When temptation came their way, they were ready for the battle. So must the Christian be this year. The Christian must prepare to fight against temptation in the New Year as the enemy will not cease to fight against the Christian.
Final prayer
Father, I pray that You will help me mature in Christ this New Year. Teach me how to grow in holiness and to be like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.