“Let Us Grow” ( Ephesians 4:15, HCSB ) by Carley Evans

Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator), a 6th-century encaustic icon from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai. NB - slightly cut down - for full size see here (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If Christians are perfect already, then why does Paul urge us to “grow in every way into Him who is the head — Christ?” His admonition makes no sense if we have accomplished the ultimate state, i.e. sinless-ness, i.e. holi-ness. Yes, we are declared sinless, we are positioned in Christ as holy, but we continue to make mistakes because we are still contending with the ‘flesh’ — what is that anyway? Some might say the ‘flesh’ is the sinful nature, the ‘old man.’ Or, perhaps the ‘flesh’ is as simple as ‘we are born human, not divine.’ I know — I hear the protest — that sounds like an excuse for sin.  Rest assured, there is no excuse for sin. We shouldn’t say, “Well, it’s Adam and Eve’s fault, you know.” Nor should we deny that we sin. Instead, God calls us to confess our sins one to another. If we don’t sin, how then can we confess?

And so, we are called to “speak the truth in love.” The truth is God asks us to “grow in every way” underneath and within Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Healer and Coming King.

“But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.”