God's Works Are Perfect In Every Stage of Their Growth

Have you ever felt like you were being pressured to grow up in the Lord? That levels of maturity were more righteous than the newborn babe in Christ? I have. As a recovering legalist, I have laid aside other's expectations and assessments and now rest in the truth that I am His workmanship and I am right where He wants me to be and He is happy with me in whatever stage of the process I'm in.

From a parent's viewpoint I consider the difference in ages of all my children . . .23 years down to 5 years. Does my 23 year old bless me more than my 5 year old? NO! Should my 8 year old compare herself with her 21 year old brother? NO! At each stage of their growth, they are right where they should be and are such pleasure to me.

I think of the thief on the cross alot. He had such a short time between saving faith to Paradise with the Savior. Did he have time to mature? NO! He was perfect right then. This should bring us relief and rest from striving to appear mature and realize that it's His work in us as we trust in Him and we are right on schedule and pleasing just where He has us. There is no "place" we need to strive to get to. We are His beloved and we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus.

One of my favorite authors, Hannah Whitall Smith, wrote "THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET TO A HAPPY LIFE." In Chapter 2 (God's Side and Man's Side), she clearly describes accurately what I'm trying to convey above . . .

She defines man's part is to trust, and God's part is to work. "Plainly the believer can do nothing but trust," she writes. "The Lord, in whom he trusts, actually does the work entrusted to Him."

In essence she writes: "The Potter And The Clay --

Sanctification is both a step of faith and a profit in the oven, and finally turns it out of his workshop, a vessel to his honour, and fit for his use."
Before, I was speaking of the clay's part in the matter. I am now speaking of the potter's part. These two are necessarily contrasted, but are not in the least contradictory. The clay is not expected to do the potter's work. It only yields itself to his working. It seems to me that nothing could be clearer than the perfect harmony between these two apparently contradictory sorts of teaching.
What can be said about man's part in this great work is that he must continually surrender himself and continually trust. But when we come to God's side of the question, much can be said about the many wonderful ways in which He accomplishes the work entrusted to Him. It is here that growing is important. The lump of clay could never grow into a beautiful vessel if it stayed in the claypit for thousands of years. But when it is put into the hands of a skilful potter it grows rapidly under his fashioning into the vessel he intends it to be. In the same way the soul, abandoned to the working of the Heavenly Potter, is made into a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use.


The Maturing Process
Having, therefore, taken the step of faith by which you have put yourself completely and absolutely into His hands, you must now expect Him to begin work. His way of accomplishing that which you have entrusted to Him, may be different from your way. But He knows, and you must be satisfied. . . .

It is the result of the work of God's Holy Spirit, who, by His energizing and transforming power, causes us to "grow up into (Christ) in all things" (Ephesians 4:15). We cannot hope to reach this maturity in any other way than by yielding ourselves completely and willingly to His mighty working. However, the sanctification the Scriptures encourage, as a present experience upon all believers, does not consist in maturity of growth, but in purity of heart.


From the moment the lump of clay comes under the transforming hand of the potter, it is, during each day and hour of the process, just what the potter wants it to be at that hour or on that day. Therefore, it pleases him, but it is far from being the vessel he intends it to be in the future.


A little baby may be all that he or she could be or ought to be, and may perfectly please its mother. Yet it is very far from being what that mother would wish it to be when it reaches maturity.

The apple in June is a perfect apple for June. It is the best apple that June can produce. But it is very different from the apple in October, which is a perfected apple.

God's works are perfect in every stage of their growth. Man's works are never perfect until they are in every respect complete. In this life of sanctification, all we can claim is that by an act of faith we put ourselves into the hands of the Lord for Him to work in us all the good pleasure of His will. Then, by a continuous exercise of faith, keep ourselves there. This is our part in the matter. And when we do it we are truly pleasing to God.

It may require years of training and discipline to mature us into a vessel that will be in all respects to His honour and fitted to every good work. Our part is the trusting. His part is to accomplish the results. Trust is the beginning and the continuing foundation. When we trust, the Lord works, and His work is the important part of the whole matter. . . "

Here is the link if you want to read this entire classic . . .for which I highly recommend because it brings such relief and it has Good News!

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/hwsmith/haplife/content.htm

What is the Good News today? THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION IN IMMATURITY! God is the potter and you are the clay and His work in you is PERFECT in every stage of your growth in maturity. You don't have to fret or worry or strive to get into a "place" or "position" . . . you do not have to qualify. Jesus has qualified you already.

One of my all-time favorite verses is this: HEBREWS 10:14 (LBV) FOR BY THAT ONE OFFERING HE FOREVER MADE PERFECT THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY.

Amen! I am always at the perfect stage . . . where He wants me while He sanctifies me and makes me a holy vessel unto His honor and glory.

In John 17:19, Jesus consecrated Himself towards this work . . "on their behalf I consecrate myself, in order that they may become perfectly consecrated in truth." Wow, what a promise!


Matthew Henry's Commentary explains:
Jesus entirely devoted himself to his undertaking, and all the parts of it, especially the offering up himself without spot unto God, by the eternal Spirit. The real holiness of all true Christians is the fruit of Christ's death, by which the gift of the Holy Ghost was purchased . . . .

So let us be relieved, resting and trusting Him. Amen.