Text: 2 Peter 3:18
The Lord is demanding growth from us. Resurrection is a function of ones’ growth. Some have seen it as an activity that will happen in one day but the new testament teaches us that the resurrection of the body will not occur if there is no resurrection in the soul. Resurrection in the soul can simply be called growth. Growth is resurrection. The extent of resurrection one will experience will depend on how such a person obeys God.
“Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist ” (Matt. 11:11). Risen in this passage does not mean bodily growth. If the bible indicates that John the baptist rose, it means some did not rise or they rose in a different direction. The earth is a place designed for the people of God to grow. We are quicken with Christ and made to sit with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2:5-6). This means that Jesus’ resurrection, purchased the resurrection of our spirits. In the new testament, the new birth is not the ultimate resurrection. After the new birth we are commanded to grow, so that we can experience the resurrection of our souls.
The doctrine of Christ is the power to make a soul rise. There are things we need to rise above by growing out of them. A soul can rise in different directions; some can be earthly and some can be hellish by reason of what their souls mind. A soul that still minds earthly things has not risen. A soul that is hellish grew in an inverted position. The earth is the place designed for growth either unto life or unto death. It would be good to note that everyone on earth is growing, as saints are rising unto life, some are growing unto death.
God gave Adam a body commensurate to the quality of his soul. The knowledge resident in the soul ruled the body. The knowledge of Christ is designed to help us fight sin which is a negative raising. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil injected sin and negative growth into the soul. The knowledge of Christ is to expunge the works of the evil tree in the soul and also stop the soul from growing negatively.
Prior to the New Birth, the soul had grown in corruption as a result of the seed that Satan planted. After Satan planted this seed, evil spirits watered it. The seed of Satan expresses itself in the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life.
The learning of Christ allows the seed of Christ to be planted in a heart. The Gospel communicates seed. Seed in the realm of the spirit comes by words. This seed (Word) has the ability to save the soul. We are to be born again of the incorruptible seed. We need to hear the doctrine of Christ and the doctrine of God. Christ's word would allow a measure of resurrection from the dead.
Christ teaches life and godliness. Through life and godliness the soul would escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, and as such would obtain precious faith. The godly man has been trained to have Christ virtues, and the continuous doing would allow the seed of eternal life to be dropped in the soul.
The dealings of Christ is different from the dealings of God. There is Christ seed and there is God seed, they are not the same. A man can have Christ seed and may not have God seed. If a soul does not pay diligence to the doctrine of Christ such that it prospers in it, the seed of God would not find expression in such a soul. Peter teaches us the wisdom to receive seed, for seed to abide doctrine must come (2 Pet. 1:5-8).
Christ seed would constrain us from living a carnal life. Obedience to the commands of the wisdom of the seed would allow the seeds that have been planted to to grow. We need to do the dictates of the doctrine of Christ. The same principle that would bring Christ seed would also bring God seed. The Gospel would bring materials for the seeds to be planted.
As you obey the commandments of doctrine, your soul would carry the seed of that doctrine. Obedience is key. Obedience to doctrine causes nature formation after the manner of that doctrine. The calling of God over us is to grow.