Scripture: Growing Into Christ

 

I came to understand an idea of growing into Christ via diligence in doing good. These verses helped support that theory. I believed growing into Christ meant that we would become more righteous and thus more powerful over time.

 

Galatians 4:19

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Paul is awaiting for Christ to be formed among the Galatians. This indicates to me that there is something far more to be achieved than merely acceptance of a bloody sacrifice for sins. And Christ, as we know, was capable of many miraculous things. If he were formed among a people, I would highly anticipate the people to be capable of such power as well. This would also go in line well with Jesus’ promise that we would do greater things than him.

 

Ephesians 2:22

And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Being built to become something is vastly different from having been built and thus have already become something. This indicates a progression in which God would eventually come and dwell among us and not necessarily that he is now. This would go in line with Jesus’ final prayer that we would become one with God as he was.

 

Ephesians 4:15-16

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Yet another indication of growing up into being a mature Christ, as a group of people, with Jesus guiding our actions.

 

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Salvation was a thing to be worked out and not merely accepted. It took growth, study, and diligence as one sought out every good purpose God had. This is not to say obtaining heaven took effort since salvation had nothing to do with heaven in Jesus’ original teaching.