Study Audio Download

The Process of Spiritual Growth From Faith to Love

[Study Aired March 11, 2025]

Introduction

The spiritual journey unfolds according to a heavenly pattern that renews us from within. Rather than occurring instantly, this renewal develops gradually through interconnected phases of growth. As the Psalmist recognized, “The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live” (Psalm 119:144), showing that inner understanding precedes outward transformation. The prophet Isaiah affirmed this interior work, saying “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth” (Isaiah 55:10-11). This growth follows a deliberate design, for as Solomon observed, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Recognizing this gradual, purposeful development enables us to yield to the Lord’s formative work within our hearts and minds.

Scripture reveals that spiritual growth follows specific patterns. The apostle Peter outlines one such progression: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:5-7). This step-by-step development shows how each spiritual quality builds upon the previous one, culminating in love.

Paul reveals a similar progression in Romans: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5). Both passages emphasize that spiritual growth follows an intentional sequence, orchestrated by God Himself.

Faith: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth

All spiritual development begins with faith. The writer of Hebrews makes this clear: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith serves as the essential foundation upon which all other spiritual qualities are built.

Yet we must recognize that even this foundational faith originates not from ourselves but from God. Paul explains, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). This revelation transforms our understanding of spiritual growth—even the starting point comes through God’s work, not our human effort.

Faith itself represents spiritual perception that transcends natural understanding. As Paul declares, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This spiritual sight enables us to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Through faith, we begin to perceive reality from God’s perspective rather than our limited human viewpoint.

This faith becomes the connecting point to all subsequent spiritual qualities. As we trust God rather than our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”, space is created for Him to develop additional spiritual fruit in our lives. Faith opens the door to God’s transformative work within us.

Virtues Developed Through Testing

The progression from faith continues as God develops various virtues through testing and challenges. James explains this developmental process: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Notice how testing produces patience—the same quality Peter and Paul include in their progressive sequences. This reveals the crucial role of trials in spiritual development. Through difficulties, God transforms theoretical faith into practical experience, building qualities that cannot emerge any other way.

Knowledge—another step in Peter’s progression—grows through this practical experience. In 2 Peter 1:5, the Greek word translated as “knowledge” is “gnōsis” (Strong’s G1108), which refers to general knowledge or understanding. However, later in the same chapter, Peter uses a more intensive term: “epignōsis” (Strong’s G1922), when he writes, “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge [epignōsis] of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). This distinction is significant.

While “gnōsis” refers to general knowledge or awareness, “epignōsis” denotes precise, experiential knowledge—knowledge gained through personal experience rather than mere intellectual understanding. This deeper knowledge comes only through walking with God through trials. Paul prayed for believers to grow in this precise knowledge: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge [epignōsis] of him” (Ephesians 1:17).

Similarly, in John 17:3, Jesus uses the Greek word “ginōskō” (Strong’s G1097) when He says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” This word implies an intimate, experiential knowing—not intellectual understanding but relational knowledge. It’s the same word used for marital intimacy in scripture, revealing that true spiritual knowledge involves deep communion with God, not merely learning facts about Him.

As we walk through trials holding fast to faith, we gain this experiential understanding of God’s faithfulness. This knowledge transcends mere information, becoming wisdom born of spiritual experience. As Solomon wrote, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), showing that true knowledge flows from right relationship with God.

Self-control (temperance) develops as we learn to submit our natural desires to God’s higher purposes. Paul describes this inner battle: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27). This mastery over fleshly impulses comes not through human willpower but through yielding to God’s Spirit. As Paul teaches, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Galatians 5:17). True self-control emerges as God’s Spirit prevails over our carnal nature.

The apostle Peter links experiential knowledge directly to self-control, showing that true spiritual knowing naturally transforms behavior. Scripture consistently confirms this connection. John declares, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4), using forms of “ginōskō” twice to emphasize that authentic knowledge of God manifests in obedient living. Similarly, Paul prays for believers to be “filled with the knowledge [epignōsis] of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing” (Colossians 1:9-10), establishing that true knowledge produces worthy conduct. This aligns with Jeremiah’s prophecy that under the new covenant, God would “put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts… for they shall all know me” (Jeremiah 31:33-34), connecting intimate knowledge of God with His law internalized in our hearts rather than merely understood by our minds.

Higher Spiritual Qualities

As these foundational virtues are established, God develops higher spiritual qualities that more directly reflect His nature. Godliness—reverence and devotion toward God—grows as we increasingly become aligned with His character. This conforms us to Christ’s image, fulfilling God’s eternal purpose: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

Brotherly kindness flows naturally from this growing conformity to Christ. As John explains, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14). This love for fellow believers serves as evidence of spiritual maturity, demonstrating that God’s nature is being formed within us.

The culmination of this spiritual progression is love—not human affection but God’s supernatural agape love. This selfless, sacrificial love reflects God’s very essence, for “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Paul identifies love as the greatest spiritual quality: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [love]” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

This progression reveals a profound truth: spiritual growth is the process of God developing His own nature within us. Each quality brings us closer to reflecting His character, fulfilling His purpose “that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

God’s Sovereign Work in Our Growth

Throughout this developmental process, we must remember that spiritual growth comes through God’s work, not self-effort. Paul affirms this truth: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). The same God who initiated our spiritual journey faithfully continues developing us according to His perfect plan.

Paul further emphasizes God’s primary role: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). This reveals the comprehensive nature of God’s work—He influences both our desires (“to will”) and our actions (“to do”). Our spiritual growth proceeds according to His good pleasure, not our personal preferences or timeline.

Our part in this process involves yielding to God’s Spirit rather than producing results through human effort. As Jesus taught using the vine metaphor: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John 15:4). We bear spiritual fruit not by striving but by remaining connected to Christ, the source of all spiritual life.

This understanding liberates us from performance-oriented spirituality. We need not generate these qualities through self-effort but rather being given the ability to cooperate with God’s Spirit as He produces them within us. As Paul writes, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). Notice these are called fruit of the Spirit, not fruit of human effort.

The Evidence of Spiritual Growth

Genuine spiritual growth manifests in observable ways. Jesus emphasized that true development produces visible results: “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit” (Matthew 7:17). This fruitfulness becomes inevitable as we abide in Christ: “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit” (John 15:5).

Peter contrasts this fruitfulness with spiritual barrenness: “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge [epignōsis] of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). Here Peter again uses the deeper term “epignōsis” (precise, experiential knowledge), reminding us that the presence and abundance of spiritual qualities prevent stagnation, ensuring continued growth in our intimate, experiential relationship with Christ. This deliberate word choice emphasizes that mere intellectual understanding of Christ is insufficient – the spiritual qualities Peter lists cultivate the kind of deep, personal knowing that transforms our entire being. The presence and abundance of spiritual qualities prevent stagnation, ensuring continued growth in our relationship with Christ.

This growth process transforms us progressively, as King Soloman describes: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). This beautiful imagery of increasing light illustrates how spiritual growth advances gradually toward completion, with each stage building upon and intensifying the previous one. Just as dawn begins with faint light that steadily brightens to the full day, our spiritual transformation unfolds in progressive stages of increasing glory and clarity.

Peter’s language of “adding” these qualities suggests more than mere accumulation. The Greek word used (epichorēgeō) implies generous, abundant supply—each quality multiplies rather than merely adds to our spiritual development. This multiplication principle explains why mature believers often experience accelerated growth—each quality enhances all others, creating exponential rather than linear development.

Obstacles to Spiritual Growth

Despite God’s faithful work, various obstacles can hinder our spiritual development. Pride particularly impedes growth, as it prevents us from receiving God’s grace: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). When we believe we’ve attained spiritual maturity through our own efforts, the very grace that produces true growth is blocked.

Neglect also stunts our development. The writer of Hebrews warns against spiritual drift: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1). Regular immersion in Scripture and spiritual practices such as prayer, fellowship, and self-sacrifice help create the ideal conditions for spiritual growth to thrive, much like consistent sunlight and water allow plants to develop strong roots and produce abundant fruit.

Worldliness similarly hinders spiritual progress. John cautions, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Attachment to worldly values and priorities diverts our attention from spiritual realities, slowing our development. John further defines this worldliness as “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16), identifying the three primary channels through which worldly influence corrupts spiritual growth. These same channels of temptation appeared in Eve’s original temptation—she saw the fruit was “good for food” (lust of the flesh), “pleasant to the eyes” (lust of the eyes), and “desired to make one wise” (pride of life) in Genesis 3:6. Similarly, Satan tempted Jesus through these same avenues in the wilderness when he challenged Jesus to turn “stones be made bread” (lust of the flesh), showed Him “all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them” (lust of the eyes), and urged Him to “cast thyself down” from the temple to prove His divine status (pride of life) in Matthew 4:1-11. Paul warns that friendship with the world creates spiritual enmity: “know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). This divided loyalty creates a double-minded condition that James describes as unstable “in all his ways” (James 1:8). Jesus taught that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), emphasizing that worldly attachments compete directly with spiritual priorities. The remedy for worldliness comes through renewed thinking, as Paul instructs: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). This transformation requires God to set our affections “on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2), creating a fundamental reorientation of our values and desires.

Perhaps most serious is the obstacle of carnality. Fleshly attitudes rather than spiritual attitudes prevailing in our lives. Paul addressed this condition in the Corinthian church: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ… For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1,3). Carnality keeps believers in spiritual infancy, preventing the maturation God intends.

God addresses these obstacles through loving discipline: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6). This correction, though painful, serves a redemptive purpose: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:11). God’s discipline removes obstacles to growth, promoting our spiritual development.

The Ultimate Purpose: Conformity to Christ

The entire progression from faith to love serves God’s ultimate purpose: conforming us to Christ’s image. Paul states this clearly: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). Each stage in our spiritual growth brings us closer to this perfect likeness. This conformation process represents God’s primary work in believers, as Paul elsewhere describes: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). The apostle’s language of “birth pangs” reveals both the intensity and importance of this transformative work.

This holy purpose explains why God orchestrates our circumstances to produce spiritual growth. As Paul teaches, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). The “good” mentioned here isn’t primarily our comfort or preference but our increasing Christlikeness. In fact, the very next verse defines this good as being “conformed to the image of his Son.” This reveals that every circumstance, whether pleasant or difficult, serves the Father’s purpose of developing Christ’s character within us.

The Spirit’s work transforms us as we fix our attention on Christ rather than ourselves. John reinforces this principle: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). The ultimate seeing will produce the ultimate likeness.

This conformity reaches its fullest expression in love—the quality that most completely reflects Christ’s nature. As Paul writes, “And above all these things put on charity [love], which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:14). Love represents spiritual maturity, binding all other virtues together in perfect harmony. This centrality of love fulfills Christ’s own teaching that love for God and others constitutes the essence of God’s law: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. “ (Matthew 22:37-40). John affirms this connection between God’s nature and love: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). As we grow in love, we more perfectly reflect God’s very essence.

Our increasing conformity to Christ’s image requires the gradual removal of all that is inconsistent with His character. Paul describes this putting off of the old nature: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts… And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22,24). Similarly, he urges believers to “mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth” (Colossians 3:5), using language that suggests a putting to death of our fleshly nature. This putting off of the old and putting on of the new constitutes a fundamental aspect of our transformation into Christ’s image.

This developmental process fulfills God’s eternal purpose in creating us. He designed us to bear His image, a purpose temporarily marred by sin but restored through Christ. As we progress from faith to love, God accomplishes His original promise: “Let us make (be making) man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). In Christ, this original design finds its perfect expression and fulfillment. As Paul states, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him” (Colossians 2:9-10). Our completeness comes not through independent development but through union with Christ, whose perfect image gradually forms within us through the Spirit’s work.

Conclusion: The Ongoing Journey

Spiritual growth continues throughout our earthly journey. Even Paul, despite his spiritual maturity, acknowledged his ongoing development: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after… I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14). If an apostle recognized his need for continued growth, how much more should we maintain this humble perspective.

Our role in this growth process involves cooperation with God’s work rather than independent effort. We participate by yielding to His Spirit, studying His Word, engaging in prayer, and remaining connected to the body of Christ. As we do, God faithfully continues the work He began, developing spiritual qualities according to His perfect design.

The ultimate fulfillment of this growth process awaits Christ’s return: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). This hope motivates our present participation in the growth process, knowing that one day our transformation will be complete.

As we reflect on the spiritual journey we’ve examined, we can trace God’s intentional pattern: faith provides the essential foundation, enabling us to trust God beyond what we can see. Through testing, this faith develops virtues like patience, knowledge, and self-control. These qualities prepare us for higher spiritual attributes—godliness, brotherly kindness, and ultimately love, which represents the fullest expression of Christ’s nature within us. Each stage builds upon and enhances the previous one, creating not just linear growth but multiplication of spiritual fruit.

Though obstacles like pride, neglect, worldliness, and carnality may hinder this development, God faithfully works through every circumstance to accomplish His purpose—conforming us to Christ’s image. As we understand this progressive nature of spiritual growth, we can more patiently cooperate with God’s work in our lives. Rather than becoming discouraged by our imperfections, we trust the One who promised, “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). The journey from faith to love unfolds according to His perfect wisdom and timing, accomplishing His eternal purpose in our lives.