“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” Ephesians 4:15
As my journey as a Christian began, there was one question I seemed to ask more than any other: “So how exactly does Jesus dying on the cross for my sins apply to my life now?” Through coming to faith in Christ, I was given some clarity as to what the Gospel actually was and how it would save me at that moment and for my eternity in heaven. Beyond that, I was pretty clueless as to what that would do for me while living here on this earth. I knew I was saved and I would be saved, but was I being saved? I didn’t see how the Gospel applied to every aspect of my life and, now four years later, still does.
Jesus is the solution and the answer to every problem. Don’t give yourself or others a substitute for Him because only He can grow people up into Himself.
In this passage, it states that the way in which we grow into Christ (discipleship or being saved) is by “speaking the truth in love” to one another. Later in the passage, we find that the truth is found in Jesus. If the Gospel is the good news of Jesus, then this passage is saying that we speak the Gospel to one another to grow up into Christ.
We often think the Gospel is for non-believers, but it’s for us too! We don’t grow up in our faith unless we can speak the Gospel to ourselves and to others (both believers and non-believers) into all the areas of our and their lives. You can’t grow into Christ unless you totally give yourself to Christ! He’s the one who grows people up: not you, not spiritual practices, not laws, not obedience, not outreach events, not even Bible studies. It’s Jesus who does the work! Those are all good things, but unless you seek Jesus through those things, you’re not actually growing. If Jesus isn’t the solution and the answer, then what substitute are we giving ourselves and others?
Challenge
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- How often are you able to show Jesus through your actions?
- How often are you able to share Jesus with others to explain your actions?
- What solutions do you give people that don’t involve Jesus?
- Do you believe that Jesus solves everything?
- If not, why not?
- Do you believe He fully solved your problem of separation with God?
By Nathan Jenkins | Lincoln, NH