Certainly above and beyond ev ery other characteristic of one who is spiritually mature is the idea of living a life of love. This attribute is the greatest because it goes be yond the legality of mere com mandment. Do we have a desire to be like Jesus in a concept of being spiritually holy rather than simply humanly happy? Remem ber growth is never static. It is possible to slip backwards in our progress along the pathway of God's grace. We can be degener ating rather than moving ahead. We need to keep up with our Bible study, prayer life, meditation and witnessing. Backsliding is an ex tremely serious spiritual condition. You never stand s till. Are you growing in grace or slipping be hind? The book of Hebrews empha sizes this situation in addressing believers, not unbelievers, remind ing them that they had become dull of hearing (5 :11 ,12). They should have been teaching others but instead had to be taught them selves all over again. They definite ly bore the marks of spiritual de gradation and degeneration. Are you, right now perhaps, losing out with God? This does not have reference to your salvation. That transaction is eternally settled when you receive Christ as your personal Saviour. The question is all in the area of your progressive sanctification and maturity in the Lord. One mark of backsliding is when a believer experiences a dullness and a sluggishness in hearing the Word of God. Many have become spiritually lazy and are unwilling to discipline themselves concern ing the deepest truths of God. How Page 37
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