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Biblical Perspective on Lingering in Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth, often described as a continuous process, is a recurring theme in biblical texts and theological discourse, emphasizing the believer's progression in faith and understanding. The concept of "lingering" in this growth suggests a stagnation or slowness in this expected development.

The New Testament frequently calls believers to advance beyond initial stages of faith. The author of Hebrews urges, "having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ, let us be borne on to full growth" [4]. This implies a movement away from foundational teachings towards a more mature understanding, suggesting that remaining perpetually at the "beginning" is not the intended path for a Christian [4]. Matthew Henry interprets this as an exhortation for Christians to mature from a state of spiritual childhood to the "fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ," emphasizing that while foundational principles should not be lost or despised, they must be built upon [11].

The idea of growth is inherent in the biblical understanding of a believer's life. The name Crescens, for instance, means "growing" or "increasing" [3]. John the Baptist is described as "growing, and becoming strong in spirit" from childhood [1]. The Church itself is depicted as "growing continually," not merely as a static structure but as a "living organism" [13]. This organic metaphor highlights the dynamic and progressive nature of spiritual development.

The Apostle Paul frequently prays for the spiritual advancement of believers. In Colossians, he prays that his readers would receive "deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives," leading to "endurance and patience to stand firm against evil" [7]. Calvin notes that Paul's prayers for the churches often include desires for them to be "filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you might walk worthy of the Lord" [15]. This demonstrates that spiritual growth encompasses both intellectual comprehension and practical conduct [7, 15].

A key aspect of spiritual growth is "remaining" or "abiding" in Christ. In John 15:4, the Greek term menō (remain) is central to understanding the continuous connection a growing disciple must maintain with Christ [8]. This abiding is not passive but implies an active, continuous connection through which the Father and Son live in the believer by the Spirit [8].

Theological traditions have further articulated the nature of this growth. Charles Hodge describes spiritual life as unfolding "just as any other form of life, in all the exercises appropriate to its nature," akin to a "New Birth" where a child enters a new state of existence [10]. He also notes that theological knowledge itself undergoes a "continual and gradual progress," both for individuals and the Church collectively [16]. This progress involves increasing not only the scope but also the clarity, order, and harmony of one's understanding of the Bible [16].

However, the concept of lingering or stagnation is also implicitly addressed through warnings against spiritual immaturity or backsliding. While the doctrine of the "perseverance of the saints" asserts that true believers will "certainly persevere" in grace and attain everlasting life [5], this perseverance is not automatic or without effort. It is characterized by actively "seeking God," "waiting upon God," "prayer," "well-doing," and "continuing in the faith" [6]. This perseverance is maintained through the power of God, the power of Christ, and Christ's intercession [6].

The Bible also acknowledges the possibility of temporary faith or superficial engagement that does not lead to genuine growth. Jesus' parable of the sower describes those who receive the word in "stony places or among thorns," where faith may appear for a time but ultimately disappears when faced with insensibility or worldly concerns [12]. These instances highlight that not all initial responses to the gospel result in sustained spiritual development.

The early Church Fathers also recognized the importance of intellectual and spiritual advancement. Tertullian speaks of the soul's "intellectual growth," where it "attains perfection" by continually gazing on the causes of things [17]. Augustine, while acknowledging God's creative power to grant "fertility" for propagation, also notes that this capacity can be withdrawn, making individuals "barren" [9]. This can be analogously applied to spiritual barrenness or a lack of growth if one does not actively cultivate their spiritual life. Augustine also expresses a desire for remission and refreshment "before I go hence, and be no more," indicating a concern for one's spiritual state before the end of life [14].

The call to "hold that which you have firmly until I come" in Revelation 2:25 underscores the need for steadfastness and continued commitment in the Christian walk [2]. This implies that spiritual growth is not a one-time event but an ongoing process requiring diligence and faithfulness until the very end.

Sources

  1. Luke “The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel. -- Luke 1:80”
  2. Revelation “Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come. -- Revelation 2:25”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Crescens — growing; increasing”
  4. Hebrews “Hebrews 6:1 (LITV) — Because of this, having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ, let us be borne on to full growth, not laying down again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Perseverance of the saints — Their certain continuance in a state of grace. Once justified and regenerated, the believer can neither totally nor finally fall away from grace, but will certainly persevere therein and attain everlasting life. This doctrine is clearly taught in these passages, John 10:28, 29; Rom. 11:29; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5. It, moreover, follows from a consideration of (1) the immutability of the divine decrees (Jer. 31:3; Matt. 24:22-24; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:30); (2) the provisions of the covenant of grace (Jer. 32:40; John 10:29; 17:2-6); (3) the ato”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Perseverance — An evidence of reconciliation with God -- Col 1:21-23. An evidence of belonging to Christ -- Joh 8:31; Heb 3:6,14. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 4:18. To be manifested in Seeking God. -- 1Ch 16:11. Waiting upon god. -- Ho 12:6. Prayer. -- Ro 12:12; Eph 6:18. Well-doing. -- Ro 2:7; 2Th 3:13. Continuing in the faith. -- Ac 14:22; Col 1:23; 2Ti 4:7. Holding fast hope. -- Heb 3:6. Maintained through The power of God. -- Ps 37:24; Php 1:6. The power of Christ. -- Joh 10:28. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32; Joh 17:11. The fear of God. -- Jer 32”
  7. Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:9: 1:9-10 Paul prays that God would grant his readers deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives. Spiritual growth yields a clearer and deeper comprehension of Christian truth and conduct that pleases the Lord, through which a believer will have the endurance and patience to stand firm against evil (1:11).”
  8. John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 15:4: 15:4 The term remain (Greek menō) is key to understanding 15:4-10. A growing disciple, in whom the Father and the Son live through the Spirit, must be continuously connected to Christ (see 14:16-25; 15:26).”
  9. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 24.--OF THE BLESSINGS WITH WHICH THE CREATOR HAS FILLED THIS LIFE, OBNOXIOUS THOUGH IT BE TO THE CURSE. (part 2): their measured movements, nor should they even continue in possession of that nature they were created in. God, then, so created man that He gave him what we may call fertility, whereby he might propagate other men, giving them a congenital capacity to propagate their kind, but not imposing on them any necessity to do so. This capacity God withdraws at pleasure from individuals, making them barren; but from the whole ”
  10. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 6: acknowledged, they should be) devoted to securing them for ourselves and others. This is one of the forms in which the Bible sets forth the doctrine of regeneration. It is raising the soul dead in sin to spiritual 35 life. And this spiritual life unfolds or manifests itself just as any other form of life, in all the exercises appropriate to its nature. It is a New Birth. The same doctrine on this subject is taught in other words when regeneration is declared to be a new birth. At birth the child enters upon a new state of existence. Birth ”
  11. Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 6:1: We have here the apostle's advice to the Hebrews - that they would grow up from a state of childhood to the fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ. He declares his readiness to assist them all he could in their spiritual progress; and, for their greater encouragement, he puts himself with them: Let us go on. Here observe, In order to their growth, Christians must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ. How must they leave them? They must not lose them, they must not despise them, they must not forget them. They must lay them up in their hearts, a”
  12. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 138: and the sinner relapses into his wonted state of insensibility, his faith disappears. To this class of persons our Saviour refers when He speaks of those who receive the Word in stony places or among thorns. Of such examples of temporary faith there are numerous instances given in the Scriptures, and they are constantly occurring within our daily observation. In the third place, the state of mind induced by these common operations of the Spirit, often leads to reformation, and to an externally religious life. The sense of the truth and i”
  13. Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 2:21: In whom--as holding together the whole. fitly framed--so as exactly to fit together. groweth--"is growing" continually. Here an additional thought is added to the image; the Church has the growth of a living organism, not the mere increase of a building. Compare Pe1 2:5; "lively stones . . . built up a spiritual house." Compare Eph 4:16; Zac 6:12, "The Branch shall build the temple of the Lord," where similarly the growth of a branch, and the building of a temple, are joined. holy--as being the "habitation of God" (Eph 2:22). So "in the Lord" ”
  14. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM XXXIX. [1] (part 18): me, that I may be set at rest in my conscience, that it may be disburthened of its feverish anxiety, the anxiety with which "I am sorry for my sin. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed" (before everything else), "before I go hence, and be no more." For if thou grantest me not a "remission, that I may be refreshed," I shall "go and be no more." "Before I go" thither, where if I go, I shall thenceforth "be no more. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed." A question has suggested itself, how he will be no”
  15. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 38: he does not once only, but in one psalm repeats the same prayer almost ten times, the repetition intimating how strong the necessity which urged him to pray. What he thus asked for himself alone, Paul prays for the churches in general. “For this cause,” says he, “we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you might walk worthy of the Lord,” &c. ( Col. 1:9, 10 ). Whenever he represents this as ”
  16. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 37: effected by a continual and gradual progress. The same progress has taken place in theological knowledge. Every believer is conscious of such progress in his own experience. When he was a child, he thought as a child. As he grew in years, he grew in knowledge of the Bible. He increased not only in the compass, but in the clearness, order, and harmony of his knowledge. This is just as true of the Church collectively as of the individual Christian. It is, in the first place, natural, if not inevitable, that it should be so. The Bible, altho”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XI.--ON COUNTER PROMISES.[7] (part 9): in intellectual growth; and ever gazing purely, and, so to speak, face to face, on the causes of things, it attains perfection, firstly, viz., that by which it ascends to (the truth),[2] and secondly, that by which it abides in it, having problems and the understanding of things, and the causes of events, as the food on which it may feast. For as in this life our bodies grow physically to what they are, through a sufficiency of food in early life supplying the means of increase, but after”
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