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Christ is planted into people and Christ wants to grow in them.
Paul and his co-workers labored to be able to present every man full grown in Christ.
" . . . Christ in you, the hope of glory, Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full grown in Christ;
For which we labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power." (Col. 21:27b-29)
On the cvultivated land [farm] of the pratical chruch life he labored to plant Christ, water Christ, do everything to facilitate God giving growth to Christ within the believers.
Peter tended to the same thing.
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 3:18)
Paul fed the babes "milk".
Paul fed the more mature "solid food".
"I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. But neither yet now are you able . . . " (1 Cor. 3:2)
"But solid food is for the full-grown, . . . " (Heb. 5:14a)
All feeding was for thier growth in Christ and Christ being formed in them.
He was like a nursing mother, even a laboring to give birth mother to produce Christ-men / God-men of maturity
" My children, with whom I travail again in birth until Christ is formed in you." (Gal. 4:19)
Christ is formed by Christ growing in the believers.
Peter also exhorted that we take the pure milk of the word that we may GROW unto salvation.
"As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation" ( 1 Pet. 2:2)
The practical church must be a farm for growing Christ in men and women, in boys and girls.
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@sonship saidThis is not a scripturally based phrase.
Christ is planted into people and Christ wants to grow in them.
People are “reborn” through spiritual birth.
Christ is NOT grown, this is not scriptural. When a person is reborn they receive the fullness of Christ. What is nurtured is the fruit of the spirit.
This is significant difference.
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People are “reborn” through spiritual birth.
Christ is NOT grown, this is not scriptural. When a person is reborn they receive the fullness of Christ. What is nurtured is the fruit of the spirit.
It certainy is true that the new life begins with regeneration of the new birth.
But this life spreads from this kernel spot in the innermost spirit of man.
This is not Christ growing in Himself. It is Christ growing as He moves out from Him being life to the spirit to being life to the outer parts of man as well.
For example the human spirit first is enlivened. That is life to the spirit of man first in the new birth:
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)
So the human spirit, the innermost "kernel," the "nucleus" of our being is made God's life through being born again.
" . . . the spirit is life because of righteousness" (Rom. 8:10)
But as Christ makes His home in our hearts through faith other parts of our being receive Him as life. For instance the mind set on the spirit where the Spirit of Jesus is in the born again, causes the mind to become life.
" . . . the mind set on the spirit is life and peace." (v.6)
Christ moved out. Christ spread from the spirit into the mind making the mind "life and peace".
Paul pioneered in allowing Christ to make His home in his heart. When he longed for the Philppians he did so "in the inward parts of Christ Jesus." showing Christ's life had migrated out spreding into Paul's inward parts. This is growth of Christ not in Christ Himself but in the one receiving Christ.
" For God is my witness how I long after you all in the inward parts of Christ." (Phil. 1:8)
Christ's inward parts had become Paul's inward parts. How can we not say that this is Christ growing in Paul?
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His prayer was that the saints be strengthened into the inner man precisely so that Christ would move out into their hearts, settling down and living. He brings authority into where He lives - in all the parts of the human heart - mind, emotion, will, conscience.
"That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, that Christ may make His home in your heartrs through faith . . ." (Eph. 3:16,17)
Beause He is a "life giving Spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45) gives Himself (as the life of God) to man, and that to his whole being eventually.
"And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:23)
We expect not only eternal life to well up from within as a fountain filling the inward parts. We also expect to be swallowede up in life. Death swallowed up in victory as Christ permeates our whole being, sanctifying us wholly.
" . . . in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." (2 Cor. 5:4)
I'll go with "until Christ is formed in you" (Gal. 4:19) to indicate Christ growing in us. Another way of uttering this is we growing in Christ.
It is process. It is not instantaneous. And it is the growing of the Son of God within those who are to inherit sonship.
( I am sure it took more than a minute to write this. Then I divided it up into two entries and posted each in order)
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When a person is reborn they receive the fullness of Christ. What is nurtured is the fruit of the spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit comes with the transformation of the soul.
And the transformation of the soul comes with the growth of Christ as life in man.
This is why Paul labored to present every man "full grown in Christ" . He did not consider that for them to be reborn instantaneously rendered them "full grown in Christ".
Otherwise all he would have to do is get people regenerated. CLearly he labored on more than just this.
Also, sometimes there is some amount of outward blessing on a person by the Spirit whereas the fruit has not yet been really rought into their soul. But some amount of outward borrowed blessing God does render so that we would be encouraged along the way.
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@sonship saidYou’re not specifically addressing the points I made, which were scripturally robust.People are “reborn” through spiritual birth.
Christ is NOT grown, this is not scriptural. When a person is reborn they receive the fullness of Christ. What is nurtured is the fruit of the spirit.
It certainy is true that the new life begins with regeneration of the new birth.
But this life spreads from this kernel spot in the innermost spirit o ...[text shortened]... inward parts had become Paul's inward parts. How can we not say that this is Christ growing in Paul?
Christ is not “grown”, and certainly not on metaphorical “farms”. T is the fruits and gifts which are developed. Christ is deposited in fullness at rebirth.
You are, as usual, in error.
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Christ is not “grown”, and certainly not on metaphorical “farms”. T is the fruits and gifts which are developed. Christ is deposited in fullness at rebirth.
Paul said he would GAIN CHRIST.
"Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected, but I pursue, if even I may lay hold of that for which I also have been laid hold of by Christ. . . . Brothers, I do not account of myself to have laid hold, but one thing I do; Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forwrd to the things which are before . . ." (Phil 3;12,13)
" . . . I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ." (3:8)
He did not have the fullness in every regard of Christ at rebirth. Otherwise he would not have had the desire to "GAIN . . . Christ".
"Paul, you already were born again. You got all of Christ. So why do you speak of the desire to gain Christ ? Divegeester says you got all of Christ and there is no MORE Christ you need to pursue to gain."
His spirit received Christ. But Christ needed to grow in his soul. And this pursuing the Christ in his whole being was for him to "GAIN Christ".
In the same chapter he says "Be imitators together of me . . . " (v.17) .
If you say "That's not Christ growing" go ahead. I feel quite comfortable with Christ growing, we growing in Christ, and though having received Christ in the new birth, I have need to GAIN Christ like the Apostle Paul.
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A classic Christian Hymn
For Growth in Christ
Lyrics:Johann Casper Lavater (1741-1801)
An excerpt
O Jesus Christ, grow Thou in me,
And all things else recede;
My heart be daily nearer Thee,
From sin be daily freed.
Each day let Thy supporting might
My weakness still embrace;
My darkness vanish in Thy light,
Thy life my death efface.
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@divegeester saidThe Holy Spirit indwells believers at their rebirth, but surely you’re not suggesting the Holy Spirit’s influence on each believer’s life is the same.
You’re not specifically addressing the points I made, which were scripturally robust.
Christ is not “grown”, and certainly not on metaphorical “farms”. T is the fruits and gifts which are developed. Christ is deposited in fullness at rebirth.
You are, as usual, in error.
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@divegeester saidThen I suggest you clarify your position.
Correct, I’m not suggesting that.