Reading: 1 Peter 2:4

According to Peter, making spiritual progress involves personal separation from sin, personal nourishment through the scriptures, and a personal reliance or trust upon the Saviour. We cannot grow spiritually if there is no dependence, no desire, no devotion, and no dealings with Christ. It is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of this aspect of living the Christian life.

Ignore Christ and you will not grow properly as a Christian. This is what Peter is stressing when he uses the phrase in verse 4, “Unto whom coming.” The verb to come used in this statement is a very common one in scripture and is used in various ways. It is used of the act of coming to Christ, that act of faith that unites a soul to Christ. But it is also used to denote drawing near in the sense of ongoing fellowship or ongoing communion with Christ. It signifies continual closeness and association with Christ, a constant coming to the Saviour, and complete reliance upon Him. Charles Spurgeon noted, “Here is the complete description of the Christian life. It is a continual coming to Christ.”

This is where many professing Christians make a dreadful mistake. They come to Christ for salvation but then they try to continue in the strength of the flesh; they ignore Christ. They imagine that faith is a once-done-never-to-be-repeated exercise. They think that their growth in grace depends on them. Richard Baxter spoke of some Christians as “dwarfs” and often that situation can be traced back to this neglect of Christ. I could put it like this: a vital part of Christian maturity involves a continual coming to the Saviour and understanding and enjoying the great spiritual privileges that are ours because of Him. Are you coming to Christ today?

He only makes progress in the gospel who in heart comes to God. (John Calvin)