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  GROWING IN TRUTH
  by Phillips Brooks
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Summary: To hold onto truth permanently, we must have a truth that is
live and large enough to adapt to new conditions and experiences.

Topics: "Faith Growth", "Spiritual Maturity"
Scripture References: Psalm 108:4, Proverbs 4:7, Ephesians 4:14, 2 Peter 3:18

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DESCRIPTION
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Phillips Brooks preaches about the importance of holding onto a truth
that is broad and complete, one that grows and evolves with us as we
journey through life. He emphasizes that our faith should constantly
gain new reality and depth from our changing experiences, enriching and
deepening our beliefs over time. Just like a field that transforms from
holding a seed to bearing a harvest, our faith should mature and be
enriched by the joys, sorrows, doubts, enthusiasms, and labors of our
lives.

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CONTENT
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"For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto
the clouds"

(Ps. 108:4).

For I think that the first condition of any permanent hold on any truth
is this, that the truth itself should be live enough and large enough to
open constantly and bring to every new condition through which we pass
some new experience of itself. The truth that is narrow and partial we
outgrow; only the truth that is broad and complete grows up with us and
can be kept. The one is like the clothes of childhood that are cast
aside; the other is like the live body that grows up with the growing
soul, and at each stage offers it a fit instrument for its work and a
fit medium through which to receive its education.

The true faith which a man has kept up to the end of his life must be
one that has opened with his growth and constantly won new reality and
colour from his changing experience. The old man does believe what the
child believed; but how different it is, though still the same. It is
the field that once held the seed, now waving and rustling under the
autumn wind with the harvest that it holds, yet all the time it has kept
the corn. The joy of his life has richened his belief. His sorrow has
deepened it. His doubts have sobered it. His enthusiasms have fired it.
His labour has purified it.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/phillips-brooks/growing-in-truth/
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