Growth

Being a Christian is ongoing. It is a life long process. God's word has much to say on the subject.

First, growth should start when one comes up out of the waters of scriptural baptism:

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Second, growth is not optional. The Lord requires growth in order to please Him:

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1 Peter 2:2)

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. ( 2 Peter 3:18)

Finally, if we grow as we ought we will bear fruit in our lives and will not fall away into unfaithfulness. After listing like attributes that Christians should be growing in, Peter states:

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8-11)

Let us determine that we will keep on growing as a child of God.