Growing Up in Christ
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the necessity of active cooperation with the Holy Spirit for true spiritual growth and holiness in Christians.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that true Christians are in a state of spiritual growth, likening them to saints in embryo, with divine life instilled by the Holy Spirit. He acknowledges the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, highlighting that spiritual development requires active cooperation with God's intentions rather than passive waiting or futile self-effort. Tozer warns against the extremes of trying to achieve holiness through personal effort or inaction, stressing the importance of watchfulness, prayer, and self-discipline in the journey towards holiness.
Text
The true Christian is a saint in embryo. The heavenly genes are in him and the Holy Spirit is working to bring him on into a spiritual development that accords with the nature of the heavenly Father from whom he received the deposit of divine life. Yet he is here in this mortal body subject to weakness and temptation, and his warfare with the flesh sometimes leads him to do extreme things. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17). The work of the Spirit in the human heart is not an unconscious or automatic thing. Human will and intelligence must yield to and cooperate with the benign intentions of God.
I think it is here that many of us go astray.
Either we try to make ourselves holy and fail miserably, as we certainly must; or we seek to achieve a state of spiritual passivity and wait for God to perfect our natures in holiness as one might sit down and wait for a robin egg to hatch or a rose to burst into bloom. So we work feverishly to do the impossible or we do not work at all; and there lies the asymmetry about which I write. The New Testament knows nothing of the working of the Spirit in us apart from our own moral responses. Watchfulness, prayer, self-discipline and intelligent acquiescence in the purposes of God are indispensable to any real progress in holiness.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding our identity as Christians - The role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual development - The struggle between flesh and spirit
- II points: - The importance of human cooperation with God - Common misconceptions about holiness - The balance between effort and passivity
- III points: - The necessity of moral responses - Practices for spiritual growth - The significance of watchfulness and prayer
- IV points: - Self-discipline as a key to holiness - Intelligent acquiescence in God's purposes - Real progress in holiness requires active participation
Key Quotes
“The true Christian is a saint in embryo.” — A.W. Tozer
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other.” — A.W. Tozer
“Watchfulness, prayer, self-discipline and intelligent acquiescence in the purposes of God are indispensable to any real progress in holiness.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Engage actively with the Holy Spirit through prayer and watchfulness.
- Recognize the importance of self-discipline in your spiritual journey.
- Strive for a balance between effort and reliance on God's grace in your pursuit of holiness.