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Gradually

by Chris Simmons

We live in what is sometimes called a “microwave society” where everything is expected instantly. But in regards to spiritual matters, there are many things, good and bad, which happen gradually.

Hearts grow cold gradually. It is said of the brethren in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” The saints in Laodicea did not go from being on fire for the Lord to being “lukewarm” overnight. Their fervor for the Lord gradually faded even as a hot beverage slowly becomes lukewarm. Similarly, the brethren in Ephesus did not leave “your first love” instantly but it gradually waned until it was no longer what it ought to be (Revelation 2:4-5). How is it that some can go from being hot to lukewarm? How is it that one leaves their first love? It happens gradually when we begin to feel comfortable with our present condition (cf. Amos 6:1; Luke 12:19) and no longer maintain a passion and zeal for doing those things that please the Lord. Paul writes that we are to be a people who never forget our redemption and purification from “every lawless deed” but rather continue to be children of God who are “zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14).

Brethren fall away from God, gradually. We read in Hebrews 2:1, “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” The Greek word for drifting refers to a gradual process in which one slowly leaves a point of reference by gliding or flowing by. The English word is defined as “to wander from a set course or point of attention; stray” (www.dictionary.com). Thus we see one who is going with the flow of the course of this world and slowing drifting with the tide, away from God. It happens gradually. We gradually fall away through the daily decisions we make. Paul, in the letter to the Romans, cited the path to apostasy beginning with a lack of honor, reverence, and thankfulness towards God along with giving preference to human wisdom over God’s (Romans 1:21-22). A lack of respect for God’s wisdom leads to decisions to no longer read and study God’s word as we need, thus depriving our soul of the spiritual nourishment it needs. We drift further when we decide that we can go without worshipping God and assembling with the saints when we have the opportunity (cf. Hebrews 10:24-25). We continue our drift away from God when we stop communicating with Him and fail to pray unceasingly (I Thessalonians 5:17).

Weeds crowd out the good seed, gradually. In Mark 4:7 Jesus referred to the ability of the “cares of this world” to slowly overtake our spiritual life when he said, “And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.” Thorns do not grow up instantly but as we know from our own yards, they will slowly and gradually take over if left unchecked. We read in Mark 4:18-19 that these thorns represent “… the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things …” which left unchecked will gradually render God’s word to be unfruitful in our lives. We must continually examine ourselves to make sure that we are not slowly falling in love with “the world, nor the things in the world” (I John 2:15).

Sin, left unchecked, will gradually spread amongst brethren. In Corinth there were brethren who were engaged in the sin of fornication, and in I Corinthians 5:6-7 we read of their need to remember that in regards to such sin, a “little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough …” and that they were to “clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.” Unrepented sin is to be dealt with in the Lord’s church or else it will gradually spread, even as leaven gradually spreads throughout bread dough. In order to prevent the need to administer such discipline, we need bear our responsibility to “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

False teaching can gradually overtake the Lord’s church unless it is “silenced” (Titus 1:11). Paul warned Timothy to “avoid” (or “shun”) the “talk” of men who have “gone astray from the truth” that will “spread like gangrene” (II Timothy 2:16-18). Like diseased flesh, false teaching will gradually spread and result in spiritual destruction of many peoples’ souls. Thus Paul would not give place to such false teachers in Galatia “for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you” (Galatians 2:5). Thus false teaching is to be “exposed” (Ephesians 5:11) and those who propagate such are to be “silenced” (Titus 1:10-11).

We win the “crown of life” by gradually pressing on. One doesn’t win an Olympic medal with one intense practice session and neither do souls attain the eternal reward with one great moment of confession, repentance, and obedience to the gospel. Paul understood that each day he had to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). It’s a race that has to be run with endurance (cf. I Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1-2) each and every day, one lap at a time.

We attain spiritual maturity gradually. That is, spiritual growth is a life-long endeavor that is to happen day by day. It is to be a continual “renewal” process (II Corinthians 4:16). It is a mindset where we never feel as though we have attained sufficient knowledge but rather an understanding that we are to be ever increasing in our knowledge. Peter lists such qualities as faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love which are to be both present and ever increasing (II Peter 1:5-8). Growth that continues until “we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). That is a process that takes all of our lives. We are told to fuel our growth and maturity, not through the wisdom of men, but through “God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).

Likewise, young men do not become future elders overnight, but rather through constant and gradual growth. The qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 must begin to be gradually developed while men are still young for such qualities as sensibility, justness, devoutness, self-control, and the ability to “hold fast the faithful word” must be worked on and patiently developed and improved upon over time.

But there are some things that are not to take place gradually. Most importantly, our obedience to the gospel. Saul (later known as Paul) was told in Acts 22:16, “And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” The need to repent is not to take place gradually but rather is to take place immediately in regards to all that we understand to be a sin and offense before God. We read of Simon in Acts 8:22-24 who immediately sought the prayers of his brethren for the sin he had committed. Obedience is to be exercised “today.”

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