Characteristics of Spiritual Growth

A man’s true character is indicated by his desires. We have the unfolding of the desires of a Christian in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The apostle expressed no desire to have his circumstances changed. Do we make our circumstances an excuse for the lack of our devotedness to Christ? All excuses center around self—“if I this,” “if I that,” “I would,” “I could,” etc. These have found lodgment in all of us to some degree. The soul in this state is occupied with self.

Philippians is the first letter written to a Gentile church. It is more in the nature of a love letter. The Philippian saints excelled all others in devoted attachment to Paul. Here we get a glimpse into Paul’s heart. This is the Epistle of joy in Christ Jesus, and it is the rejoicing of saints in the midst of tribulation (Acts 16). Paul himself was chained to a Roman soldier. The Apostle first counted all things but loss for Christ, and then actually suffered the loss of all things for Christ. He not only rejoiced in his converts, but above all, the Apostle rejoiced in Christ.

Chapters 29 through 31 of Job compose the key note of Job’s reply to his three friends. In three chapters, we have the “I of prosperity,” the “I of adversity,” and the “I of innocency.” Job had to learn that “self” must die, whether it be prosperous self, afflicted self, or innocent self.

The ashes of Job’s past joys were not able to give any warmth to his present condition. The manna of yesterday will not do for today. It is always a sign of spiritual infirmity, if we have to look back for marks of God’s favor. In chapter 30, there is a continuation of “I,” but observe the change. The very men who flattered Job in the day of his prosperity treated him with contempt in the day of his adversity. Job said, “And now I have become their taunt, I have even become a byword to them. They abhor me and stand aloof from me, And they do not refrain from spitting at my face. Because He has loosed His bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off the bridle before me” (Job 30:9-11).

There remains another lesson to be learned. We must learn not only how cruel the people of the world are but how corrupt the flesh is at any stage of life. We must also learn how fickle people are—“hosanna” today and “crucify” tomorrow. If the heart is not brought to find its all-satisfying portion in the Lord, then the discovery of the hollowness and fickleness of men shall fill the heart with bitterness. This accounts for Job’s language in Job 30:l—“But now those younger than I mock me, whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.” Job did not speak like that at the close of his life (chapters 40-42). In the presence of God, there was an end of the egotism of chapter 29 and the bitterness of chapter 30.

The Epistle to the Philippians starts at the level of Galatians 2:20—“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” The “I’s” and “me’s” of Philippians are very different from those found in Job 29 and Romans 7. It was no longer what happened to Paul, but the desire that whatever happened to him, Christ would be magnified. Solomon said, “The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath” (Prov. 11:23). Christians must die to self quickly. Character must prevail no matter how the voice may falter or be drowned in its cries. Character cannot be stimulated, and it cannot be disguised.

Solomon’s Book of Proverbs contains the Laws of Heaven for men on earth. He said, “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). Many make sin a matter of jest, rather than a matter of conscience. Thus, sin to them becomes a thing of sport or pastime. Solomon said, “Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding” (Prov. 10:23). Should we laugh at the breach of God’s law? The fool thinks his own wit is better than God’s wisdom. Solomon also said, “Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment” (Prov. 12:19).

Character alone endures while genius flashes, and talent looms and shrinks. A man of sincerity is credited, however he may blunder. A man of cunning is suspected, even when his words are excelled and to the point. The Devil quoting the Scriptures is the Devil, regardless of his robe being like that of an angel. Character cannot be simulated, and it cannot be disguised. It is a light that shines through the lantern, however battered its shape or smoked its globe.

Heretics are known only from men of truth, whom they tried to refute. Thus, the Arminian denies predestination and embraces free will by saying the following: (1) The human race possesses a free will to do that which is good. (2) Justification comes by a meritorious faith—i.e., by a faith that is of man and which merits salvation. (3) Since faith is from man, he may lose it; and there is no assurance.

Those who believe in the grace of the sovereign God assert predestination, and they affirm the following Biblical facts: (1) Man has a fallen nature, and he has no free will to do what pleases God. (2) Justification before God, by Christ’s redemptive death, assures the new birth; and the gift of faith follows. (3) The gifts and calling of God guarantee the deliverance of every chosen person that the Father gave the Son before the foundation of the world. Thus, there is no such thing as “losing one’s salvation” subsequent to the work of the Divine Trinity.

Job was brought to a new knowledge of the sovereign God. So much has been said about his wife, and how badly she spoke of him when she said in Job 2:9, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” This was Job’s reply, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

Job’s suffering was corrective. One must remember that Job lived before any part of the Bible was written. Therefore, we could not expect him to have the clear views of God’s character that we have with the completed Scriptures. However, we must not underestimate the vast amount of knowledge the patriarch possessed. Furthermore, we must not ignore the fact that Job possessed deep-seated self-righteousness, which had to be brought to the surface for his own spiritual good.

Job’s confession at the close of his book proves he had learned a valuable lesson. The only way that human pride can be abased is for the sovereign God to bring the prideful sinner to the end of himself by God’s boundless goodness. That is what God does with every lost sheep. The sheep of God’s covenant of grace will not be left holding their pride about them like a garment and railing against the Almighty.

Elihu had already pressed upon Job the awful consequences of his thoughts, expressed in Job 34:5-9—“For Job has said, I am righteous, But God has taken away my right; Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression. What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water, Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? For he has said, It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.” Elihu also said, “Do you think this is according to justice? Do you say, My righteousness is more than God’s?” (Job 35:2).

True self-abhorrence does not come from one’s self-examination, but it comes from looking away from self to Jesus Christ—the Perfecter, as well as, the Author of faith. The only way that pride can be abased is for the person to be brought, as it were, face to face with the thrice Holy God. “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven” (Is. 6:1-7).

At this point in our study, read Job 40. “Then the LORD said to Job, Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it. Then Job answered the LORD and said, Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:2-4). Consider the awful irony that the Lord used against Job in Chapter 40. If Job could sit in judgment upon God, he would be qualified to administer all of God’s affairs better than God. This is exactly what religionists are doing today.

Job is held up as the model of patience and resignation under God’s chastening hand. However, that does not mean that we are not to be reminded of Job’s irritability and restlessness. David is a model of purity, but we must not forget his stain of impurity (II Sam. 11; Ps. 51). Peter was used to strengthen the brethren, but not before he was sifted by Satan—“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. But he said to Him, Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death! And He said, I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me” (Luke 22:31-34).

___________________________________
The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.