Proverbs 4.13
“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.”
The process of learning is itself something that needs to be learned. Building skill is a skill, and like any skill it needs to be developed. In this verse from Proverbs, the Lord tells us to keep a strong grip on the process of learning, and to never let go. We are admonished to guard against anything that would cause us to stop learning.
The importance of continuous learning in the life of the Christian is reflected in the fact that this verse tells us that learning is our life.
We are called to respond to God in faith and do the work required for spiritual growth and skill-building. We must allow the grace of God to train us. This is the message of Titus 2.11.12, a passage we have studied before. I love this Titus passage because it tells us that God’s grace not only saves us; grace also trains us.
“Training” in Titus 2.12 is the Greek word paideuo, which means to teach and instruct. It is derived from the Greek word for “child,” and it’s literal meaning is “to educate and train a child.” It describes the process of moral and spiritual development, as well as the process of skill-building. It includes instruction, as in a classroom; doing repetitive drills, as in athletics or language-learning; and correction, as in rebuking to redirect wrong behavior.
Grace, then, is not just a moment-of-salvation thing; it is also about ongoing spiritual growth. Grace plays a critical role in driving spiritual development. The Psalms often combine being saved by God and being taught be God:
“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25.4-5)
Grace brings more than a pardon; it also empowers the process of spiritual formation. It brings the power of the Holy Spirit to energize our growth so that we are progressively conformed to Christ’s image and bear fruit for God’s kingdom.
The same grace that appeared to all men and brought salvation — the very same grace — also trains, teaches, and disciplines us. The mature Christian life is not given, it is learned. It is developed through faith-driven discipline in response to God’s grace
People in the grip of grace are not satisfied with mediocrity. They strive for excellence in their life … not because of arrogance or pride, but because they understand they are agents of the Kingdom of God.
The process of training and growth in the Christian faith is rigorous. Discipline is part of the process. So is productive discomfort. This is very important, because many people think that God’s grace makes the Christian life easy. But that is simply not true. Grace doesn’t make the Christian life easy; grace makes the Christian life possible.
