Generally speaking, the process that takes place between physical conception and physical birth, and spiritual conversion and spiritual birth follow the same basic pattern. In the physical realm, once conceived, a baby in the womb must grow in order to be born. Spiritually, after having been converted by God (received the Holy Spirit–Acts 1:4-8), the spiritual “babe” must grow in grace, faith and obedience order to be born of God (not born again). In both cases there must be growth in order for birth to take place.

As is the case of a physical fetus, the begotten Christian must grow in order to be born as a “firstfruit” of God. Firstfruits are they who, following conversion, continue to grow to maturity in which they live (“walk”) in obedience to God’s Word/Law/Truth/Light until death or Christ’s return, whichever comes first. These are they who will rise to meet Him in the air during the first resurrection, descend with Him to Jerusalem where He will establish the Kingdom of God where He and His saints will live ,rule and reign forever. Read The Three Resurrections and the Kingdom of God. Key words–Three and Kingdom respectively.

Within the human species, if a baby in the womb stops growing, the mother knows that her fetus has died. The same is true in the spiritual realm. When a true convert stops growing, the mother (the true church) knows that spiritual death has occurred. Unless one reverses course, there will be no rebirth–no salvation will be awarded. Growth is not required in so-called “Christianity.” In what is called “the church” salvation/rebirth are awarded when one is supposedly “saved” and “born again,” which is as soon as the prescribed ritual has been completed. The instantly saved and reborn person remains a baby. No spiritual growth is required (Eph. 4:15/ 1 Pet. 2:2/ 2 Pt. 3:18). No “walk” need be undertaken (Rom. 6:4; 8:4/ 2 Cor. 6:16/ Gal. 5:16/ 1 Cor. 2:6). No “overcoming” is necessary (Rev. 3:21/ Rom. 12:21/ 1 Jn. 12:13,14). No “race” need be run. One remains a baby who continues to fill his diaper (sins), which his mother (the false church) continually changes and his poop forgiver (false savior)–“another Christ”–(2 Cor. 11:4) takes the baby to heaven while administering a final wipe down en route.

In the true church, growth is mandated. The God of the true church (vineyard) commands consistent growth, which is why He is called the vinedresser of the vineyard. He is continually “pruning” His converts to rid them of their “chaff” so that more growth can occur (Jn. 15:1,2/ Mat. 3:11,12). This illustrates how our carefully calculated spiritual growth and development, which are essential to being born into the God family, occurs. This is what the Apostle Paul was saying to the Hebrew Christians in Hebrews 5:5 to 6:6. The key to growth and producing fruit is letting Christ live (walk) in us (vss 4,5). In this way we outwardly reflect Christ Who lives within us and “walks in us.” We are the glove; He is the hand inside the glove. The glove moves only when the hand moves. In this way we bring glory to God (vs 8). By continuing to sin after being “saved” the “sinner saved by grace” “crucifies Christ repeatedly and puts Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:6).

God’s work (ministry to the world) requires growth in those through whom He performs His work (the church–vineyard). Each saint (branch) does his work by producing good fruit. However, it is God, working through the branch, Who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). Our efforts are useless unless God is behind them. He is behind our efforts only if we work according to our job description which is the Holy Bible. We are each rewarded (now and later) according to our WORKS (obedience)–vss 7,8. We are laborers together with God in a unified effort (vs 9).

Just as a baby grows (matures) during the nine month gestation period, the convert (begotten) soul must work to gain maturity following his conversion. The true church is the spiritual child’s “mother” who must “feed” the child the correct “food” during the initial growth period. And just as the physical child matures into adulthood and is able to feed himself physical food, the spiritual child matures until he is able to feed himself spiritual food. And as with the physical child who has become a mature adult and knows which physical food to ingest and which to avoid, the spiritual adult must know which spiritual food to consume and which to reject by being led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). We become what we consume, both physically and spiritually. Spiritually, we must consume the Holy Word of God and allow it to do its cleansing, growth-producing Work as we believe and obey it. EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD. Any deviation from its holy message is sin, the wages of which is spiritual death in this life and physical death in the next life. In the spiritual realm in which unbiblical spiritual food is consumed, ungodly spiritual growth occurs. For this reason we are told to “grow in grace and in the KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). As is the case in the physical realm, how we grow depends on what we consume. One must be taught God’s Truth in order to be His Truth in human form so that, when men sees the true saint, one sees God in human form.

If the convert’s “mother” (church) is not feeding him the proper food, he will not grow properly. God places His chosen leaders in His church for a specific purpose as He states in Ephesians 4:11-15. Here He states that He establishes a variety of ministries which work together for one central purpose. He assigned some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be pastors, some to be evangelists, some to be teachers FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS who then edify (build up) the body of Christ–His true church. His goal is to bring about growth and maturity so that we “ALL come to the unity of THE faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Having reached maturity, true saints will not be led astray by Satan’s false prophets who “lie in wait to deceive” them. God’s ministers “speak the Truth (God’s Word–Jn. 17:17) in love so that the people will grow up and BE LIKE HIM IN ALL THINGS.” The true saint studies God’s Word in order to fit into the structure of the church. Each part must fit into the body of which Christ is the head. The parts must be like the head. Just as a horse does not have a zebra’s head Jesus is not the Head of a spiritual body (church) that does not match Him spiritually. He is the Head of THE church, not one of the hundreds of counterfeit churches that make up what is called “Christianity.”

Let us take note of what happens when one stops growing spiritually–stops producing good works. No good works=dead faith=dead parishioner=counterfeit (spiritually dead) Christian. Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26. Notice what happens when one stops growing: “but when the RIGHTEOUS one turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity (Lawlessness) and does what other wicked people do, ALL OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT HE HAS DONE WILL BE FORGOTTEN. Instead, he will die bearing all of his sins and trespasses that he has committed (Eze. 18:24). Romans 2:5 tells us that if, after we come to know God’s Truth, we go back to sinning, we STORE UP our sins which we will answer for at judgment. All of our pre-conversion sins will be remembered by God and added to all of our post-conversion sins. If we are not becoming more righteous (growing more like God) we are dying. We are either spiritually alive or spiritually dead. There is no middle ground. The end result of righteousness and holiness is salvation (Rom. 5:21/ 6:22). The end result of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Remember the five foolish virgins (Mat. 25). But there is hope for those who truly repent, which the foolish virgins did not do. They simply got “prayed up” and “studied up” and expected to be allowed to marry the Bridegroom.

God has provided a way for the reprobate to turn his Satan-serving, sin-soaked life around: “But if the wicked man will turn from ALL OF HIS SINS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED, and KEEP ALL OF MY STATUTES AND DO ALL OF THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, he will surely live and not die (eternally). The sins he has committed will not be remembered and he will live” (vss 21,22). This promise includes the truly repentant backslider.

The process of begettal, growth, birth and maturity of physical children was designed by the Creator to teach us about our incredible human potential as the literal children of God the Creator of all things. Upon true conversion God impregnates the true convert with immortal life through His Holy Spirit. At that point he is destined to be born again and saved at the return of Christ to gather his firstfruit harvest. Jesus warns that there are those who, like hungry lions, prowl around, looking for those they can devour. Their favorite meals consist of salvation seekers. Therefore we must always be on guard for men who would take our crown (salvation)–Revelation 3:11. These are deceived prophets who lead the church masses away from God and His church and to Satan and his church. Read Matthew 7:13,14.; 24:4,5. If we continue to study, believe and obey the Holy Word of God (not church doctrine). we will continue to grow so as to be ready when the trumpet sounds, lightning flashes and those in Christ , both dead and living, rise from the earth to meet their Messiah in the air. Let us continue to “study to show ourselves approved of God” and to “prove all things” by His Word so that we will be ready to join Him upon His arrival. L.J.