"For years I have seen it happen. The airline is booked solid except for the middle seat side of me. As I am rejoicing for the extra room, on comes a mother with a screaming baby. You must remember that when I was in the pastorate for 16 years, I dedicated hundreds of babies, not one ever cried so why now—why must this happen on the 3 hour flight? Then I remembered dealing with adults who acted like babies—"They didn’t speak to me"—or "They forgot to put my name on the calendar when I gave flowers." On and on it goes and I remember I dealt with their problem with two words—Grow Up!!

The Biblical justification for those two words (Grow Up) is found in II Peter 3:18. Almost all of the problems I found in the pastorate (and in the present) could be solved by "Grow Up." On Songtime, we often say, "Grow in Grace or Groan in Disgrace." This is based on II Peter 3:18.

"You, therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked…" II Peter 3:17…

Three words can be written along side of II Peter 3:17—"Groan in Disgrace"—i.e. unless we grow spiritually, we are vulnerable because we open the door for error! For additional proof, study Ephesians 4:14…

"…tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…"

I remember asking Dr. Herbert McKeel, a Presbyterian cleric, about the impact of a very liberal seminary on his thinking. He said, "I never lost my faith, but I did lose all my fervor." That is II Peter 3:17!

"Grow in Grace" states II Peter 3:18. Note in particular the needed areas for growth: Grace and Knowledge.

Because so many misunderstand grace, they manifest some really "off the wall" ideas. Some teach, for example, that we must go through the Great Tribulation in order to be purified. To correct that idea note our only guaranteed acceptance by God when we meet Him. Study Ephesians 2:8-9…

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

My only possible guarantee of acceptance by God is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so I pray "God, see me not in my record but in the righteousness of Christ."

Let’s face it—our best would never satisfy the holiness of God and for that reason we renounce self and self-righteousness as loss and count Christ and His righteousness as gain. (Philippians 3:4-9)

Misunderstand grace and you will reverse II Corinthians 5:7, "We walk by sight"…NO! "We walk by faith, NOT by sight."

We also must grow, not only in grace, but also in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Since Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ, how well do you know Christ?

Test your knowledge of Him according to Philippians 3:10. Paul speaks of knowing Christ and the results which follow. There is victory in three areas as you grow in your knowledge of Christ. Note one of them—victory over people. We can’t suffer as He did on the cross but Jesus did speak of an area in which our suffering will be similar to His—namely people.

"Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…but all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake…" (John 15:20-21)

Today so many church services are depending on lessons in self-improvement and emotional highs. Then suddenly the Doctor says cancer! The results are disastrous and basically because we have found substitutes for doctrine. Remember—II Timothy 3:16-17 may not be in your thinking, but it is in your Bible! "Trust it—don’t adjust it" said Dr. E.V. Hill.

The verb "grow" in II Peter 3:18 is not an option. It is a command so there’s an obvious question. Are you growing? The test is II Peter 3:18b.

"To Him be the glory…"

Biblical growth moves us from occupation with self to occupation with Christ. Ignore this and you will start singing "Why I left your church." (see article by Stuart Briscoe)