Sermon Recap: “What’s Needed to Grow Spiritually?” (Philippians 3:10-21)

“Are we there yet?” No, we still need to grow. There are no shortcuts or "quick fixes" to spiritual maturity—it's a journey that requires intentional effort and the right mindset.

As we look at Philippians 3:10-21, we can’t forgtet 3:1-9. There’s an important distinction between our position and condition in Christ:

  • (3:1-9) Position: We are already righteous in Christ (forgiven and accepted)

  • (3:10-21) Condition: We are not yet fully righteous (a work in progress)

We can see key requirements for spiritual growth in this passage (although we only covered the first three):

  1. A Journey Mindset (3:10-12): We need to embrace the challenging road ahead. Just as the Apostle Paul decried to participate in Christ's sufferings, we need to develop what author Oliver Burkeman calls "a taste for problems,” difficutlties, and challenges. There will always be mountains to climb in our spiritual journey—the key is learning to embrace them rather than avoid them.

  2. Spiritual Self-awareness Philippians 3:12-13a): We need to be honest about our need for growth. Paul himself admitted he wasn’t there yet. True growth requires the humility to acknowledge and repent of our shortcomings and the courage to confess them to ourselves and others.

  3. Focused Effort (Philippians 3:12b,13b-14): We need to actively pursue spiritual growth. As Dallas Willard noted, "Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning." We're called to "press on" toward the goal, just as Paul did, with intentional focus and determination. What’s one area in your spritiual life that need focused effort?

  4. Mentors and Models (Philippians 3:15-17): Watch and learn from those who went before you and live around you.

  5. An Eternal Perspective (Philippians 3:14,20-21): Choose rewards that last.

Spiritual growth isn't easy or instantaneous, but it's worth the effort. Our position in Christ is secure, but our condition is meant to be constantly improving as we journey toward spiritual maturity.

Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash