How to Know If You Are Growing Spiritually

A couple of weeks ago, my cousin gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! And when I first saw her, I was struck by how tiny she was! As I haven’t been around newborn babies in a while, I must have forgotten how small they can get.

While I was looking at her, I imagined how she would continue to develop and grow through no conscious effort on her part and I was in awe of God’s handiwork. Truly, the human body is a miracle; a testament to God’s beauty and majesty in creation.

My musings over the wonders of physical growth got me thinking of spiritual growth. All Christians start their spiritual journey as babes. And in the same way, God designed natural babies to grow, Christians also have an immense capacity to grow and mature in their walk with Christ.

It’s God’s will for us to grow as evidenced in 2 Peter 3:18 which says to “grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ,” and Hebrews 6:1 which says “to leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.”

But the thing with spiritual growth is that we can’t see ourselves growing; it’s when we look back after a period that we can know if we have grown or not. We can’t check it daily on a spiritual scale.

Moreover, the amount of time we have been saved is not an indicator of our spiritual maturity. A Christian saved for years could still be less mature than one who has been saved for months.

So how can we know if we are growing spiritually if we can’t measure it nor determine it with time? Well, Scriptures answer that question for us, specifically Hebrews 5:12-14.

The book of Hebrews centers around the theme that Christianity is superior to Judaism. And in this passage, the author was addressing Jews who remained immature in the faith by sticking to fundamental truths of the old Covenant (Judaism) rather than coming to maturity in the advanced facts of the New Covenant (Christianity).

However, as the author was talking about maturity, we can learn some principles and apply them to our Christian spiritual growth. And here are three questions we can ask ourselves to know if we are growing spiritually and maturing in our faith.

1. Do you know enough to teach others?

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food

Hebrews 5:12

The author was essentially telling those Jews that after a certain period, they ought to have been mature enough to teach others. But Instead, they couldn’t handle deeper truths and still needed to be taught the basics of the faith.

Christians also need to grow in their knowledge of Christ and contribute to the body of Christ.

We may begin with the ABC’s of the faith, but eventually, we have to grow and begin to learn more profound doctrines of the Word. Advanced understanding of Scripture and theology isn’t reserved for pastors alone. We should aim to become knowledgeable enough to teach new Christians. For even though we are not all called to be pastors, we are all called to make disciples.

Therefore, to know if you are growing spiritually ask yourself, am I still being taught the elementary truths of God’s Word? Have I progressed to more in-depth knowledge of Scripture? Can I instruct the Bible to others? Am I pouring myself into others and making disciples (Matthew 28:19)?

2. Do you feed on milk or solid food?

for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

Hebrews 5:13

Milk in this context represents the law and the Old Covenant; the author was telling those Jews that since they fed only on milk, they were unskilled in the word of righteousness and remained unsaved.

Christians also need to progress from milk to solid food. Milk is suitable for babies in the faith to help them grow (1 Peter 2:2), but a sign of spiritual growth is the ability to also receive solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2).

Milk represents fundamentals truths of the faith, and as previously mentioned, we should progress to solid food which represents deeper truths and doctrines. But interestingly, milk also represents dependence.

Babies depend on their mothers for milk until they grow up and learn to feed themselves with solid food. The same goes for Christians. At first, we rely on spiritual milk from pastors and teachers. But as we mature, we ought to be able to feed ourselves when we are hungry.

Therefore, to know if you are growing spiritually ask yourself, am I dependent on others to feed me spiritually, or do I know how to feed myself? Can I (and do I) rightly divide the Word (2 Timothy 2:15)? Do I receive fresh revelations from God, or do I feed only from the revelations of my spiritual leaders?

3. Do you have discernment?

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:14

Babies put everything in their mouths. They don’t know what they should put in and what they shouldn’t. They also don’t know what is right and what’s bad for them. The Jewish readers of Hebrews had become like babies and had no discernment since they had not trained their spiritual senses.

Having discernment is also critical for Christians and a sign of spiritual growth.

Without discernment, we are vulnerable to false teachings. And make no mistake; there are plenty out there! Paul even said to mature in the Lord so that “we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).

Therefore, to know if you are growing spiritually ask yourself, can I discern false teaching when I hear one? Do I test the spirits before believing them (1 John 4:1)? Do I examine scriptures against what I hear like the Bereans (Acts 17:11)? Can I tell right from wrong? Do I know when to engage in some behaviors and when not to ( 1 Corinthians 10:23)?

The importance of growing spiritually

It’s critical to ensure you are growing spiritually because it proves you are a real Christian. Growth is evidence of life. Real babies can’t help but grow; if they are not growing, they are either fake (dolls) or dead.

In the same way, a Christian who is not growing spiritually is either a false disciple or spiritually dead.

Furthermore, spiritual growth leads to fruitfulness, and fruitfulness is evidence of real faith (James 2:17). Jesus said those who abide in Him are like branches that bear fruits (John 15:5). Notice He didn’t say “may” bear fruits; being fruitful it’s not optional for a genuine Christian. It is so essential that Jesus said He would cut us out if we are unfruitful (John 15:2).

The importance of fruitfulness is further illustrated in the parable of the barren fig tree in Luke 13:6-9.

In this parable, a certain man had a fig tree, and for three years the fig tree didn’t produce any fruit, and He said to the keeper of His vineyard “ look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?” Though the keeper asked for one more chance for the fig tree to bear fruits, He agreed to cut it down if nothing changed.

Fruits typically refer to our actions or behavior due to the transformation of our heart. These include the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 such as love, joy, peace, as well as good deeds, and repentance. And when we start bearing fruits, God “prunes” us so we may bear even more fruits which will bring Him glory (John 15:8).

So how do we grow and bear fruits? By abiding in Jesus (John 15:5). And how do we abide in Jesus? By keeping His Word (1 John 2:5-6).

The only sure way to grow spiritually is by reading, studying, and applying the Word of God. Jesus said men do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

As much as we feed our bodies, we should also feed our spirit. Then frequently examine ourselves to ensure we are growing spiritually and bearing fruits.

  Grace and peace!