Today is an age of progress. We have folks still living that were around when the Wright brothers first flew. Many can remember the first car in their community. Our world has progressed from the horse and buggy to jet flight; from the first planes to space shuttles. In the area of electronics we have progressed from before radio to every kind of television; even television in some vehicles. Many have seen progress from the silent movie to the 3D Imax theaters. Medicine, and medical technology
have exploded. Heart by-passes, replacement of some body parts like hearts, livers, lungs, etc. are becoming quite common. Recently in a Kentucky hospital a man received the replacement of one of his hands. Progress is a part of God’s order. Plant and animal life were made to procreate. Men have been able to help the process by producing hybrids. All nature rises higher as it progresses along. We might ask ourselves how is progress applied to the Christian’s life? Progress in the life of a Christian is also part of God’s order. The apostle Paul referred to the expected process of progress in our lives: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). First, progress in the Christian’s life is not progress to a higher life socially and financially. This seem to be the area where most want to progress. They want to climb the social ladder. They want to be richer than their parents. Social climbing and love for riches are most times hindrances to progress in Christ: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25). Paul also said: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”
(1 Timothy 6:10). The social climbers and rich are usually those who would be our enemy. They would try to hold us back from progressing in Christ: “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Peter 4:4). Second, we are not speaking of progress in education or wisdom. The “renewing of our minds” was the spiritual renewal through study of God’s word. Certainly there is nothing wrong with secular education or wisdom. Most times we need such to progress in our jobs. However, we are not to worship secular education and man’s wisdom: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: {5} That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). The devil is wise, but not good. Solomon’s wisdom did not keep him from sin. In fact, late in life he realized that: “there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil” (Ecclesiastes 2:21); in the end he said: “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). Third, the Christian’s progress must be an increase in faith, love and devotion: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Christian must progress along divinely appointed lines. We must run the Christian race that we might obtain: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24). The  Christian must strive according to the rules of God: “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully” (2 Timothy 2:5). We must be “servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; {7} With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men”  (Ephesians 6:6-7). Progress in Christ means we will faithfully “forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before, {14} [and] press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). We must not slip back: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1). God warns: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). We must progress or be lost.

—John D. Cotham
Shady Valley, TN
 

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