A Growing Child Of God

​A Growing Child of God
1 Peter 2: 1-5, 9
I. A Growing Child of God Is Feeding on the Word.
A. A New Birth.
To become a child of God we have to experience a New Birth. We must be Born Again, regenerated, our spirit reborn by the Spirit of God; then we become a child of God, a newborn child of God. A Growing child of God must be feeding on the Word.
1) MILK- desire the sincere milk of the Word.
We must Desire the word of God like a newborn baby desires milk. A baby becomes cranky and cries until it gets milk. So, we must feed on the milk of the Word.
Read the stories- (Creation; Adam & Eve; Noah; Abraham offers Isaac; Joseph; Moses & Red Sea; David & Goliath; 3 Hebrew Boys; Daniel & Lion’s Den; Jonah)
Read the gospels- (life of Christ- Christmas story; miracles; ministry; arrest; trial; crucifixion; death, burial, resurrection)
Read the book of Acts- (stories of early disciples filled with Holy Ghost: Peter, Paul)
2) MEAT- We must also feed on the MEAT of the Word.
Heb. 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...
These believers had become Sluggish- Stagnant- Not Growing
- Ignorance- ye have need that one teach you again the first principles...
- Immaturity- have need of milk- unskilful in the word of righteousness- babes.
- Inactivity- not exercising their senses to properly discern good & evil
We must Not only READ Bible, we must STUDY it. Look up words you don’t understand. Look up topics you don’t understand. Use a concordance to find other places where a word is used, like a Strong’s or Cruden’s. Use a Bible Dictionary like Ungers & Vines Expository Dictionary. Use a Commentary like Matthew Henry. Use a Bible Program on the computer like Online Bible or E Sword. Study Doctrine- Issues of Theology- matters of Prophecy- Great words of the Bible- Outstanding people in the Bible- Focus on a Book of the Bible-
Study for your upcoming Sunday School Lesson.


We not only have a New Birth but we become part of:
B. A New Building.
We are no longer part of this world system and we are no longer building our lives into the world’s structure.
NOW, we are built up a Spiritual House, where Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone and we are Lively (Living) Stones. Vs. 9 says that we are a “Chosen Generation; a Royal Priesthood (kings & priests); a Holy Nation; a Peculiar (peri-poie-sis) People (God’s Own Possession); Showing forth the Praises of God who called us out of darkness into marvelous Light.”
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word.


II. A Growing Child of God Is Forsaking the World.
Vs. 11, 12- Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation
Physically we are Earthly Citizens but Spiritually we are Heavenly Citizens. We have a Heavenly Nature inside our Earthly Body. There are earthly desires that war against our soul but A Growing Child of God is Forsaking the World; not loving it; not desiring it; not longing for it; not playing with it but abstaining from it; forsaking it; refusing it; avoiding it.
We will be Honest in our conduct (12)
Practicing Good Works (12)
Submitting to man’s laws for the Lord’s sake (13,14)
With well doing we will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (15)
Not using our Spiritual freedom as a license to do wrong (16)
Honoring all men (17) (honor here means “placing a price or a value on;” we are to consider others “valuable” and have proper respect for them; those in positions and those Not in positions)
Loving our Brothers and Sisters (17 “brotherhood”)
Fearing God (17)
Honoring our leaders (17)
Patiently suffering even when wrongfully treated for the sake of Jesus Christ (19,20)
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word and Forsaking the World.


III. A Growing Child of God Is Following the Lord.
Vs 21-24 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Example and we are to Follow His Steps:
A. Humility
- Suffering- rejection; misunderstanding; hatred; slander; physically- smiting, spitting, scourging
piercing; Crucifixion & death
- Silence- when reviled; reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; committed himself to God- the righteous judge.
- Sacrifice- he suffered for US; in his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; he died that we might live; he suffered stripes that we might be healed
We must follow him in Humility. We too must be willing to suffer and to suffer patiently, not with revenge and retaliation; not with anger and violence. We must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others; for our spouses, for our children, for our family, for our friends, for our brothers & sisters in the Lord, for our church, for our country, For our GOD.
A Growing Child of God is Following the Lord in humility and...
B. Holiness-
-who did no sin
- neither was guile found in his mouth. (Guile- deceit; trickery; hidden evil; “bait”)
NO we are not God in the flesh. We know that we do have a human nature and we do not achieve a status where it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to Sin. However, we do achieve the status in God that it is POSSIBLE NOT to SIN.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word- Forsaking the World- and Following the Lord.
Are you a Growing Child of God?