“…the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” Colossians 1:5-6 NIV
We have covered most of the above scripture in previous posts, but it is needed to understand verse six. Notice the phrase “in the same way.” The way the gospel grows is being referred to and described. As the faith and love they expressed toward all God’s people was contained in the “seed” of hope that was given to them, so likewise, the gospel grows the same way – first the seed, then everything in the seed grows into reality.
This is often talked about in scripture, but it begins (as with all things) in Genesis 1. In Genesis 1:11, we are told
“Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.”
This verse was the pattern for all things on the earth – seed-time and harvest. Everything grows and matures just like the plants do. All things are changing, and as believers, we either are moving and growing forward in the things of Spirit in Jesus, or we are moving backward and becoming less and less imprinted in Him. The choice continually remains in our hands.
This “seed” principle explains the obvious problem when we understand we have been given all from the beginning. We have received from Him full grace and the fullness of the deity, yet we do not feel like it and we have trouble even reaching for that reality. All things begin in seed form and then develop into reality when they have been patiently covered, fertilized, and allowed to spend time in the Son with the rain providing the needed moisture. So, it is in Spirit. First in the natural, then in the spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:46)
So, the gospel spreads this way and when we become Christians, we are not only like a human baby in the Spirit, we are also like a seed that has just been put into its soil. Our lives will take time to unfold. How they unfold is left to our careful or careless care. We need to see from this passage that all things take time to unfold. Let’s give Him time with us, one-on-one as well as our moments spend in our work and leisure.
It is true – God is not finished with us – yet! So we continue to trust Him and push forward into what is already given. He is so very good!
Mannaword 