LESSON 1 Sow 2 SPIRITUAL GROWTH

SOW 2 Expanded Outline
Lesson 1: Spiritual Growth
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
LESSON I OUTLINE
KEY VERSES: Romans 8:29
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
1 John 2:12-14
“I WRITE TO YOU, LITTLE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU FOR HIS
NAME’S SAKE. I WRITE TO YOU, FATHERS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE KNOWN HIM WHO IS
FROM THE BEGINNING. I WRITE TO YOU, YOUNG MEN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE
WICKED ONE. I WRITE TO YOU, LITTLE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE KNOWN THE
FATHER.”
I. Definition of Spiritual Growth
SOW Module II was designed to enable God’s worker to grow. It is therefore appropriate
that we start Module II with a lesson on spiritual growth.
Romans 8:29 tells us that from the beginning, God had already decided that everyone who
accepts His offer of salvation should become like His Son Jesus Christ. Spiritual growth is a
process of transformation by which a believer is conformed into the image or likeness of
Christ. (Romans 8:29)
II. Three Stages of Spiritual Growth
The passage 1 John 2:12-14 shows us three stages of spiritual growth:
A. Little Children – new believers and the attending period of infancy and childhood.
B. Young Men - a period of spiritual adolescence and manhood; has grown into a disciple
and lives a life of victory against the enemy.
C. Fathers - the stage in which a believer becomes capable of producing spiritual children
and taking care of them. Fathers have deep and intimate knowledge of God.
III. Four Requirements for Spiritual Growth
A. Life – Only living things grow. For something to grow, it must first have life. This is the
first requirement that must be satisfied before a person can grow in the Lord. He must
have eternal life, which is the very life of Jesus.
How do we receive this eternal life?
The Word of God says: “He who has the SON has life, he who does not have
the SON of GOD does not have life” (1 John 5:12). That’s very simple and clear.
If you receive JESUS, then you receive eternal life because eternal life is in JESUS.
B. Brokenness (Be Buried) – God allows a believer to be buried deep in

problems, trials, and persecution so that the hardness of his heart will be
broken (John 12:24; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 16-17). The life of Christ in every
believer cannot manifest itself unless the hard exterior (pride, ambition, and
selfish desires) is removed. There must first be a dying to self.
Example of Paul – Paul experienced pressures, problems, persecutions. One day,

Paul’s enemies stoned him and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead
(Acts 14:19). But the other disciples gathered around Paul and he was able to stand
up! Hallelujah!
What was the effect of all these problems upon Paul? They were like the sufferings of
JESUS, and Paul called them “carrying about in the body the dying of the
LORD JESUS” (2 Corinthians 4:10).
In his sufferings, Paul died to self--to his pride, ambitions, and desires. This dying to
self produced in Paul the manifestation of the life of JESUS. In other words, the
life of JESUS was seen in Paul. Now listen to Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3:10:
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of
His sufferings being conformed to His death.
Like Paul we can only know the power of His resurrection if we have the fellowship of
His sufferings and are being conformed to His death. As we die to self, we
experience the power of rising up. But that happens only when we die--when
the hard crust of pride and ambition is removed.
C. Obedience (Eat the Word of God) – In order to grow, believers must apply and practice
the Word of God. They learn to discern good from evil by constantly practicing the
Word. As they continue obeying the Word, they become skilled in the Word.
Paul likens a Christian unskilled in the Word to a baby that drinks only milk (Hebrews
5:12-14). This “baby” hears the Word but does not use it in his life. A mature Christian
takes in “solid food” by applying what he learns from the Word to his life, and obeying
every command God gives him through that Word. He hears the Word first, and then
obeys.
D. Commitment (Be Planted in the House of the Lord) – Psalm 92:12-14
1. To be planted means to belong and be committed to a local church

(Psalm 68:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12)
2. This local church must be the “House of the Lord”
IV. Characteristics of the House of the Lord

A. Jesus is Lord of the house – Colossians 1:18

Jesus is the authority in the church—not the pastor, elders or deacons.
B. Jesus is alive in the church – Revelation 1:18

Jesus’ love and power are manifested in the church.
C. The Word of God is supreme – Matthew 24:35 and Revelation 22:18-19
1. The supremacy of the Word is justified by three important

points:
• Jesus settled it for eternity

In Matthew 24:35, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said: “Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away.” He testified
to the permanence and irrevocability of the Word of God.
• The Word has power to change lives

Countless people have testified to the life-changing power of God’s Word:
marriages have been healed, families restored, sinners turned from
wickedness to a life fully surrendered to Christ.
Ex-convicts who used to murder people for a living are now sharing the Gospel to
the lost. Agents of death have been transformed into agents of life. Such is the
power of the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12).
• Every Word will be fulfilled

The Bible definitely states that every Word coming from the mouth of God will
come to pass. No promise in Scripture will be left unfulfilled ( Isaiah 55:10-
11).
2. In matters of faith, doctrine, and morals, the final authority is the Word of God
(Colossians 2:8)
The Bible therefore teaches that every philosophy, every doctrine, every moral standard
or principle for living must be examined in the light of God’s Word. Any teaching
that runs contrary to what God says in the Bible must be rejected.

LESSON 1 Sow 2 SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LESSON 1 Sow 2 SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

LESSON 1 Sow 2 SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the three stages of spiritual growth according to the passage?

What are the three stages of spiritual growth according to the passage?

What are the four requirements for spiritual growth discussed in the passage?

What are the four requirements for spiritual growth discussed in the passage?

SOW 2 Expanded Outline

Lesson 1: Spiritual Growth

KEY VERSES: Romans 8:29

I. Definition of Spiritual Growth

II. Three Stages of Spiritual Growth

The passage 1 John 2:12-14 shows us three stages of spiritual growth:

III. Four Requirements for Spiritual Growth

B. Brokenness (Be Buried) – God allows a believer to be buried deep in

Example of Paul – Paul experienced pressures, problems, persecutions. One day,

D. Commitment (Be Planted in the House of the Lord) – Psalm 92:12-14

1. To be planted means to belong and be committed to a local church

IV. Characteristics of the House of the Lord

A. Jesus is Lord of the house – Colossians 1:18

B. Jesus is alive in the church – Revelation 1:18

C. The Word of God is supreme – Matthew 24:35 and Revelation 22:18-19

1. The supremacy of the Word is justified by three important

• Jesus settled it for eternity

• The Word has power to change lives

• Every Word will be fulfilled

You might also like