so how do we grow in grace?
I have not seen that discussion here
perhaps someone thinks I am suggesting works for growth, but that is not true
growing in grace suggest relationship with Jesus
I don't know why you posted those scriptures? I don't know if you are contradicting or what
sorry
Growing in grace is like man going to the gym for the first time in his life...
A man walks into a gym and approaches a trainer and says, "how do I grow strong muscles?"
The trainer, curious about his question, answers him plainly, "well sir you have to
workout. You have to use your muscles to get stronger."
The man, puzzled by the trainer's answer, replies and says, "Ok. But can't I just establish a relationship with you and you grow my muscles?"
The trainer answers, "Sure! Absolutely! We can setup a training regiment where we'll start you off with lifting light weights to
work your muscles. Then as you get stronger we'll add more weights and..."
But the man cuts him off and says, "No that's not what I had in mind. That's not what I mean". The man adds, "I was hoping that when I establish a relationship with you, that you can do all of the
work for my muscles."
The trainer looks at the man with a frown, visibly confused and unsettled. "Wait...so you want me to grow your muscles without adding any of your own effort? Somehow you want me to
workout for you? I'm sorry but that's not how it
works, sir. I can spot you and support you with my own strength when it gets tough and you feel weak, and I'm fully committed to guiding you through this entire process until you as strong as I am; and I'll never leave you alone in it. But to grow your muscles you have to put in the
work."
The man now mirrors the trainer's frown and asks, "Can't you just teach me more and more about my muscles, put the weights in my hands and then lift my arms for me?"
"I'm sorry but what you're asking of me doesn't make any sense. You have to exercise your own God-given muscles. You have to use the strength given to you to resist a heavy weight against you in order to grow stronger. The stronger you get the easier it is to resist the weight until it no longer weighs you down."
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We have to use the grace God's given us to resist the devil's temptation to sin in order to grow stronger in grace. We have to put in the (good) work of obeying God's commands and not sinning. Christ our trainer is with us in Spirit to spot us and guide us in our workout.