Adapting Our Understanding of God's Word as We Grow
The concept of growth and maturity is a recurring theme in Christian understanding of faith and the believer's relationship with God's Word. This growth is not merely intellectual but encompasses the entirety of a person's spiritual life, leading to a deeper apprehension of divine truth [8, 10].
The Bible itself speaks to this process of spiritual development. For instance, 1 John 3:2 states, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is" [1]. This verse suggests a future state of complete transformation and likeness to Christ, implying a journey of growth in the present. Similarly, Ephesians 4:13 describes the goal of Christian community as reaching "unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ" [2]. This maturity is directly linked to an increasing knowledge of Christ. The Greek word translated as "grows more perfect" in 1 John 4:17 does not imply flawlessness but rather a state of being mature and complete, a process that unfolds as one's relationship with God deepens [6].
The "Word of God" is understood as the means through which God communicates His will to humanity, being infallible and free from error because it was written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit [5]. All saving knowledge is derived from this Word [5]. As believers grow, their understanding and application of this Word also develop. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, notes on Luke 2:39 that Jesus "grew... in body, in strength, and in stature," and "waxed strong in spirit," indicating a gradual development in both physical and spiritual aspects, with his understanding becoming clearer and his judgment more solid over time [12]. This human example of Christ's growth provides a model for believers.
The process of spiritual growth involves an increase in grace and knowledge. The apostle Peter exhorts believers to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). John Gill interprets this as growing in the "gifts of grace," which increase through use, and in "internal grace," which is a gradual work, likened to a seed [9]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, echoes this, stating that every divine influence received is a "heavenly seed" that will "endlessly increase and multiply itself" if nurtured. He describes the Christian life as a growth from infancy to maturity, continually increasing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ [10].
This maturation involves moving beyond a childish understanding of faith. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:11, contrasts the understanding of a child with that of an adult: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Adam Clarke interprets this "future state of blessedness" as far surpassing earthly perfection, just as adulthood surpasses natural infancy in terms of knowledge and experience [7]. The goal of ministry, according to Tyndale House, is for the Christian community to "understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply and gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Son," leading to maturity in the Lord [8].
This growth in knowledge is not merely intellectual assent but is intrinsically linked to action and conduct. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Colossians 1:10 emphasizes that true knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it, leading to fruitfulness and increasing "by the full knowledge of God" [11]. The very names in biblical tradition can reflect this idea of change and increase; for example, "Crescens" means "growing; increasing," and "Pison" means "changing; extension of the mouth" [3, 4]. This suggests that the dynamic nature of spiritual development has been recognized even in ancient biblical nomenclature.
Sources
- 1 John “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. -- 1 John 3:2”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 4:13 (BSB) — until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Crescens — growing; increasing”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Pison — changing; extension of the mouth”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Word of God — (Heb. 4:12, etc.). The Bible so called because the writers of its several books were God's organs in communicating his will to men. It is his "word," because he speaks to us in its sacred pages. Whatever the inspired writers here declare to be true and binding upon us, God declares to be true and binding. This word is infallible, because written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from all error of fact or doctrine or precept. (See [670]INSPIRATION; [671]BIBLE.) All saving knowledge is obtained from the word of God. In the case of ”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:17: 4:17 our love grows more perfect: The Greek word translated grows more perfect does not mean flawless, but mature and complete. We mature as our relationship with God grows, and God’s love makes our love complete. • Experiencing and expressing God’s love and doing what it requires does not make us acceptable to God, but it does give us the assurance that we have been accepted, and our fears of the final judgment melt away.”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 13:11: When I was a child - This future state of blessedness is as far beyond the utmost perfection that can be attained in this world, as our adult state of Christianity is above our state of natural infancy, in which we understand only as children understand; speak only a few broken articulate words, and reason only as children reason; having few ideas, little knowledge but what may be called mere instinct, and that much less perfect than the instinct of the brute creation; and having no experience. But when we became men-adults, having gained much knowledge of m”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:13: 4:13 The goal of ministry is for the whole Christian community to understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply and gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Son. In this way, believers will be mature in the Lord (see 1 Cor 2:6; 14:20; Phil 3:15; Col 1:28; 4:12; cp. Heb 5:14; Jas 1:4; 3:2). The standard of maturity is Christ himself; the Spirit’s transforming work is to make people fully like Christ (Rom 8:29).”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace,.... In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase. And though men are to be thankful for their gifts, and be contented with them, yet they may lawfully desire more, and in the use of means seek an increase of them, which may be a means of preserving themselves, and others, from the error of the wicked. Moreover, by "grace" may be meant internal grace. The work of grace is gradual; it is like a grain of mustard seed, or like seed cas”
- 2 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace - Increase in the image and favor of God; every grace and Divine influence which ye have received is a seed, a heavenly seed, which, if it be watered with the dew of heaven from above, will endlessly increase and multiply itself. He who continues to believe, love, and obey, will grow in grace, and continually increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as his sacrifice, sanctifier, counsellor, preserver, and final Savior. The life of a Christian is a growth; he is at first born of God, and is a little child; becomes a young man, and a father in Chr”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:10: Greek, "So as to walk"; so that ye may walk. True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it. worthy of the Lord-- (Eph 4:1). unto--so as in every way to be well-pleasing to God. pleasing--literally, "desire of pleasing." being fruitful--Greek, "bearing fruit." This is the first manifestation of their "walking worthy of the Lord." The second is, "increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God (or as the oldest manuscripts read, 'growing BY the full knowledge of God')"; thus, as the Gospel word (Col 1:6) was said to ”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 2:39: And the child grew,.... In body, in strength, and in stature; which shows that it was a true body Christ assumed, and like ours, which did not come to its maturity at once, but by degrees: and waxed strong in spirit, or in his soul; for as he had a true body, he had also a reasonable soul; the faculties of which were far from being weak, they were exceeding strong, and appeared stronger and stronger every day; his understanding was clear, his judgment solid, and his memory strong and retentive, his will, and the desires of it, were to that which is good, and his affec”