spiritual_growth_pin..

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1、Page173of173SPIRITUALGROWTHbyA.W.PinkCONTENTS1.Introduction2.ItsRoot3.ItsNecessity4.ItsNature5.ItsAnalogy6.ItsSeasonableness7.ItsStages8.ItsPromotion9.ItsMeans10.ItsDecline11.ItsRecovery12.ItsEvidences1.INTRODUCTIONTHEnamewhichisusuallygiventooursubjectbyChristianwri

2、tersisthatof“GrowthinGrace”whichisascripturalexpression,beingfound2Peter3:18.Butitappearstousthat,strictlyspeaking,growingingracehasreferencetobutasingleaspectorbranchofourtheme:“thatyourlovemayaboundyetmoreandmore”(Philippians1:9)treatsofanotheraspect,and“yourfaithg

3、rowethexceedingly”(2Thessalonians1:3),withyetanother.Itseemsthenthat“spiritualgrowth”isamorecomprehensiveandinclusivetermandmoreaccuratelycoversthatmostimportantanddesirableattainment:“maygrowupintohiminallthings,whichistheHead,evenChrist”(Ephesians4:15).Letitnotbeth

4、oughtfromthisthatwehaveselectedourtitleinacaptiousspiritorbecausewearestrivingafteroriginality.Notso:wehavenocriticismtomakeagainstthosewhomayprefersomeotherappellation.Wehavechosenthissimplybecauseitseemsmorefitlyandfullytodescribethegroundwhichwehopetocover.Ourread

5、ersunderstandclearlywhatisconnotedby“physicalgrowth”or“mentalgrowth,”norshould“spiritualgrowth”beanythelessintelligible.THISSUBJECTISADEEPLYIMPORTANTONEFirst,thatweshouldseektounderstandarighttheSpirit’steachingonthissubject.Thereseemstobecomparativelyfewwhodoso,andt

6、heconsequenceisthattheLordisrobbedofmuchofthepraisewhichisHisdue,whilemanyofHispeoplesuffermuchneedlessdistress.BecausesomanyChristianswalkmorebysensethanbyfaith,measuringthemselvesbytheirfeelingsandmoodsratherthanbytheWord,theirpeaceofmindis173Page173of173greatlydes

7、troyedandtheirjoyofheartmuchdecreased.Notafewsaintsareseriouslythelosersthroughmisapprehensionsuponthissubject.Scripturalknowledgeisessentialifwearebettertounderstandourselvesanddiagnosemoreaccuratelyourspiritualcase.Manyexercisedsoulsformanerroneousopinionofthemselv

8、esbecauseoffailureatthisverypoint.Surelyitisamatterofgreatpracticalmomentthatweshouldbeabletojudgearightofourspiritualprogressorret