Many of us remember when we were little the adult table and the kid table at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. It was always an exciting time when we “graduated” from the kid table to the adult table. No more seating assignments next to little Johnny where you were expected to help him eat his food and be the ever-present care-taker of all things little-kid related. Finally, real conversation would take place. As expected, once an individual made the transition to the adult table no clear-minded adolescent wants to go back to the kid table. There are certain behaviors that follow in suit with the movement from the kiddy table to the adult table. And at some point all kids grow up and make this move; you don’t see many adults sitting at the kid table. Why? Because growing up is part of what we’re called to do.

Ponder on this for a moment: how many Christians, in their spiritual maturity have been sitting at the kid table for far too long and haven’t grown up? Growing up in our faith is an expectation that God puts forth in his Word. Part of our spiritual DNA is not to be complacent or stagnant but there is to be movement, movement to become a more faithful believer and follower of Jesus.

Here are some verses to think through concerning growing in faith and godliness:

1. We’re called to keep growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18)
2. We’re not to be content with being an immature Christian (Hebrews 5:11-6:4)
3. God works in us through his word to bring us to spiritual maturity (John 17:17; Colossians 3:16)
4. Believer’s are called to desire or crave God’s word just as a young child craves milk (1 Peter 2:2-3)
5. The Spirit of God, teaches us through the Bible (John 14:25-26)
6. The word of God is effective and powerful (Hebrews 4:12)
7. Like a runner, we are called to keep pressing forward in our spiritual life until we gain the victory (Philippians 3:12-14)
8. In order to grow in our faith we need to get rid of anything that might hinder us (Hebrews 12:1)
9. To grow in our faith is to fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
10. Believer’s are to train themselves to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
11. We’re called to put a lot of effort into living a godly life (2 Peter 3:14)
12. To grow in our faith is to abide in Jesus and his word (John 15:1-8)
13. We’re called to imitate Jesus in all things (1 John 2:6)
14. Our motivation to become godly comes in and through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57-58); 2 Corinthians 7:1; Romans 12:1)
15. God calls us to work out our salvation in every area of life (Philippians 2:12-13)
16. God is graciously transforming every Christian more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18)