Have you measurably progressed in your spiritual life to become a Christian of sound judgment and discernment? Are you able to choose right over wrong? Can you apply God’s laws in your everyday living?

In the Book of Hebrews, those of us who have been called to salvation are confronted with a challenging self-examination:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

To progress in spiritual maturity, we are to increase day-by-day in attaining godly perfection (compare Matthew 5:48; Ephesians 4:13). While we do initiate life-changing actions at the beginning of God’s calling, our conversion involves continual growth.

Peter cautions us that we must “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18).

Even Jesus grew in spiritual maturity, as Luke 2, verse 52, states: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” During this process, Jesus faced the same kinds of things we face: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The ultimate goal of Jesus becoming our perfect High Priest was accomplished in order that we might also reach perfection in the Family of God. Quite clearly, we still face many challenges before that time arrives, and we must not become stagnant in our Christian living.

We have been given the Holy Spirit of God—a help by which we can grow to become more and more like Jesus Christ.  If Jesus is truly living His life in us, then we will be growing in Christian maturity—a test we absolutely must pass!

People have told me that they don’t watch the news or let their children view the awful violence that floods across the television reports. They choose to insulate themselves from all the negative influences—at least, as much as that is actually possible.

However, this approach is short-sighted. For readers of our weekly Updates, you know that we do report the news and that includes some things that are extremely unpleasant. This is a job which has been given to the Church of God, and it is a part of proclaiming the gospel which must incorporate a warning message of evil things to come. Included in the commission given to God’s faithful servants is this command:

“‘Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins’” (Isaiah 58:1).

This was the work given by God, and the prophet Jeremiah was among those chosen to deliver this message.

Following the rebellion of the House of Judah, God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to plunder their land and lead many of the survivors into captivity. They had been warned that their evil conduct would result in grave punishment from God, and it did! However, even while they were living as dispossessed slaves in Babylon, Jeremiah was inspired to send them a remarkable letter, in which God said:

“‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Jesus Christ came to this earth to bring a message of peace and hope to all of mankind, and His proclamation is called the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15). Jesus also lifted His voice like a trumpet and told the people of His day that they must repent and obey God. The gospel is the central message of the Church of God—as witnessed in Peter’s dramatic preaching on the Day of Pentecost (compare Acts 2:14-39).

That first generation of the Church lived to see the destruction of the nation of the Jews—including the demolishing of the Temple of God in 70 AD. Yet, the good news of the Kingdom of God was preached then, and so it is again to be preached in our time (Matthew 24:14)! 

While we certainly must confront the shocking and deplorable age in which we live, we must never lose sight of the promise God has set before us! And not only for our benefit but for the future and hope of all of mankind—note what we are told:

“So Jesus answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPEL’S, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life’” (Mark 10:29-30).

At this point in our Christian life, how are we doing?

For those who have been called by God, who have been led to repentance, who have been baptized and given the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, who have entered into the fellowship of God’s Church—is there more to be done?

There is, and the first admonition from God’s Word is that we must keep what we have! Most important is that we retain God’s Holy Spirit. We are warned not to quench the Spirit—that is, to not suppress living godly lives (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30).

Remember that Saul lost God’s Holy Spirit, and quite possibly his chance for eternal life in God’s Kingdom (compare 1 Samuel 16:14). God rejected him, because he rejected God. Note what God says:

“‘I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments’” (1 Samuel 15:11).

Saul lost his grip on reality. He lost his former humility and replaced it with conceit and self-appeasing vanity. His audacity caused him to ignore God’s commands. Paul warns all Christians of the same danger when he states:

“For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:3).

How many have taken it upon themselves to decide a different direction, rather than following the lead of Jesus Christ through His faithful ministry? Does the following Scripture still apply, today?:

“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

In small ways and in large ones, we are challenged to “…hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). In fact, throughout both the Old and New Testament, those who are walking in obedience to and in the Way of God are explicitly instructed to faithfully continue and to never deviate.

If you have studied what we have written and been attentive to what has been preached, then you know that biblical prophecy is being dramatically fulfilled—all leading to the forthcoming return of Jesus Christ!

Holding fast to God is a life and death struggle. Now is not the time to relax our efforts; rather, we are to fervently cling to our calling, and “…so much the more as [we] see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).