Table of Contents
The Keys to Spiritual Growth
Revised and expanded edition copyright 1991 by John F. MacArthur, Jr. Originally published by Fleming H. Revell Company, 1976.
Crossway Books first edition published 2001
Published by Crossway Books
A division of Good News Publishers
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.
Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995.
Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
The Fizzie Principle is reprinted from Found: Gods Will by John F. MacArthur, Jr., published by Victor Books, copyright 1973, revised 1977, by SP Publications, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Quotation from Peanuts reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
Cover design: Cindy Kiple
First Crossway printing, 2001
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
MacArthur, John, 1939
The keys to spiritual growth : unlocking the riches of God / John F.
MacArthur.Rev. and expanded.
p. cm.
Includes biographical references and index.
ISBN 1-58134-269-1 (TPB : alk. paper)
I. Christian life. 2. Spiritual lifeChristianity. I. Title.
BB4501.3.M23 2001
248.4dc21
2001001181
CIP
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To
Matthew, Marcy, Mark and Melinda
my beloved children, whose spiritual growth is my constant concern and whose maturity will be my highest earthly joy
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 fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.
Ephesians 4:13-15
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Dr. Lowell Saunders, who edited the first edition of this book many years ago. Thanks also to Dave Enos, Allacin Morimizu, and Phil Johnson, who helped with this revision.
INTRODUCTION
We dont hear much about spiritual growth these days. Many Christians in our society have been diverted by various teachings that promise power, spiritual energy, and success without the process of growth into spiritual maturity. They look for dramatic experiences, climactic turning points, instant solutions to their spiritual problems; but real, lasting victory doesnt come through those means. Gods design is that we be seasoned to maturity through a continual process of growth.
The contemporary churchs de-emphasis of spiritual growth has reaped a bitter harvest. Millions of professing Christians suffer from arrested development. Churches are filled with people who are spiritually immature, undiscerning, weak, and fragile. Spiritual underdevelopment is the rule, no longer an exception. Thousandsperhaps millionsare now addicted to therapy, evidently preferring the dependency of a counseling relationship to the rigors of true discipleship and growth in grace.
This is a severe threat to the church. Frankly, it may be a sign that something is terribly wrong, for growth is one of the essential signs of lifein both the physical and the spiritual realms. Where there is no growth, no true life exists. Where there is no spiritual growth, there is good reason to question whether spiritual life exists.
Are you growing? If you are not, or if you are not satisfied with your rate of growth, this book is for you!
Be sure of this: God intends every Christian to grow into spiritual maturity. His Word commands us, Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Thats our obligationand our privilege. Each day we can progress in our spiritual life toward a fuller, higher, personal, experiential knowledge of God and Christ. We can go past His Word to the God who wrote it and know Him more personally.
I find that many people entertain mistaken ideas about what spiritual maturity involves. Theyre not growing as rapidly as they could, or theyre caught on a level far below where they should be, because they misunderstand what spiritual maturity is and how one grows in grace. Here are a few reminders to help keep us on track.
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with our position in Christ. God sees us in His Son as already perfect. We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). We have everything we need pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Positionally we are perfect. Practically, however, we fall far short. Growth is the process by which that which is true of us positionally becomes more and more a reality in practice as well.
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with Gods favor. God doesnt like us better the more spiritual we become. Sometimes parents threaten their children, If you dont behave, the Lord wont like you. How ridiculous! Gods love for us is not conditional upon our behavior. Even when we were helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies (see Romans 5:6-10), God showed His great love for us by sending His Son to die for our sins. God cannot love us more just because we grow.
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with time. Maturity in the spiritual realm is not measured by the calendar. It is possible for a person to be a Christian for half a century and yet remain a spiritual infant. Several years ago I saw a report in Time magazine about a Bible quiz given to high-school students. According to the students, Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers; the Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther, and John; Eve was created from an apple; and Jezebel was Ahabs jackass! Dont think those high-school students were unusual. I know some retired persons who might do even worse!
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with knowledge. Facts, data, information, and intelligence cannot be equated with spiritual maturity. You might score perfectly on Time magazines quiz, but unless your knowledge results in conforming you to Christ, it is useless. Truth that fails to change your life and behavior may in fact be hurtful, hardening you instead of bringing you to maturity.
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with activity. Some people make the mistake of assuming that the most mature Christians are always the busiest ones. But busyness doesnt necessarily bring maturity, nor can it be substituted for maturity. Excessive activity may, in fact, even hinder what is really vital and important in the Christian life. Matthew 7:21-23 tells us of a group who will plead acceptance with Christ on the basis of their many wonderful works, but He will cast them out. Busyness cant earn salvation, let alone bring about spiritual maturity.
Spiritual growth has nothing to do with prosperity. Well, look how the Lord has blessed me, some people exclaim. I have so much money, and I have a wonderful house and a nice car and a secure job. See how God has blessed me because Ive honored Him? Dont believe it. God may have allowed you to prosper, but that is not a mark of spiritual growth. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.) Some people so dedicate themselves to the pursuit of prosperity that they neglect everything else. That is not spiritual maturity, but just the opposite.
