Health Check

Articles

Ross Triplett
05/02/21 - Articles

Just as disease will destroy the physical body, so also will sin destroy the spiritual. James said, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death” (James 1:12-15).

Another facet of spiritual growth involves a balanced diet of spiritual food. Jesus said, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6): the spiritual man needs spiritual food. But food alone is insufficient to the obtaining of proper growth: man, also needs exercise. The Hebrew writer said, “But solid food is for full-grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). Another prerequisite of growth is a healthy environment. Paul warned Christians that “Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). If the child of God does not endeavor to control their environment, they are in danger of corruption. All these factors are necessary to the achieving of spiritual growth, all of which takes time. The Hebrew writer rebuked his reader, saying, “For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). Physical and spiritual growth requires diligence, .

How does an individual know if they are spiritually healthy? What type of questions do we need to ask ourselves to determine our spiritual health? Here are just a few: “Belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17), Have you grown in the knowledge of God’s word? “That we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), Do you behave as an adult, or as a child? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23), Are you producing godly fruit?

Spiritual growth will not happen by accident, nor is it something that happens overnight. Spiritual growth requires diligence and perseverance, and it requires action. How is your health maintenance check?

John wrote to the church of Sardis, saying, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God” (Revelation 3:1-2). Ross Triplett, Sr.