've been driving a car and eating with a knife and fork for years . . . no refresher required. That's how it usually is with the basics . . . though not necessarily with the basics of Christian living.We have the privilege of beginning in this session a study of spiritual growth as it's indicated in the Word of God. And frankly I don't believe there's anything more important for the believer than the theme of growing spiritually. Let me just share with you to begin with two very important Scriptures that help us to see this in perspective. In Second Peter chapter 3 and verse 18, this is the last verse in the Second Epistle of Peter, it says this, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be glory both n w and forever. Amen." The summation of what Peter has to say in this great epistle is that we grow in grace. Backing up to nearly the beginning of his First Epistle, chapter 2 verse 2 he said this, "As new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that ye may grow by it."Now Peter then in a sense begins and ends his very practical epistles with an injunction to us to grow. Spiritual growth is basic to the life of a believer just as physical growth is basic to the life of a physical person. And God commands us to grow. There's really nothing more tragic than a stunted believer, than a Christian who has passed along time in his spiritual experience without coming into maturity. And we've all seen children who are retarded in some way in their growth pattern, and really it's a sad tragedy when we see someone who has lived a long time but never really grown physically or men
