The Strength of the Christian by TM Moore

*This is a wonderful reinforcement to us to read the great saints in all ages and to grow strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. We need the past writings of the saints as well as each other to do the task set before us! Lynn

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…
Ephesians 3.14-19

The Christian life is not a solo project. God has called us together into communities – the Body of Christ – because He knows that we only grow strong when we are in company with all the saints. As Paul indicates, we will increase in the power of the Spirit unto Christ-likeness as we learn and grow together with other believers. Together the saints of the Lord are able to correct, teach, admonish, help, encourage, strengthen, and pray for one another, and to stimulate one another to love and good works. If we really intend to grow in the strength of Christ, then we must do so in company with other believers, for only in the fellowship of the church will God enable us to realize the charge to be strong which He has imposed upon us.

Which makes active involvement in a local church an indispensable means for growing strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

But there is more required of us in benefiting from the company of all the saints. God is using the work of many believers beyond our local fellowship to help His people grow strong in Him. Good Christian writers and teachers are available to us in print, via the Internet, and even – in a few cases – by television and radio. We should seek out such believers as will consistently build into our souls the strength we need to grow into Christ-likeness. In my early years as a believer Dr. Joel Nederhood was a constant weekly companion on the radio and Francis Schaeffer was a daily instructor in print. These two saints helped to form important aspects of my soul at a crucial period in my own development.

But there are also available to us the works of great saints from every age of the Church, and we should seek out ways of learning from their writings as well. The works of Augustine, à Kempis, Calvin, Edwards, Wesley and many others have survived as long as they have because Christians have found them to be sources of great strengthening in their own development.

The saints of the past, together with the saints of the present, are wondrous gifts of God and means of grace whereby He helps us to grow strong according to the riches of His glory. Let us not overlook the benefits to be gained from regularly submitting to the teaching and writing of those whom God has approved, and has made available to us for our benefit. For only in company with all the saints will we realize our fullest potential for growing strong in the Lord.

Start your own ViewPoint discussion group. This week’s series is available in a free downloadable format, suitable for personal or group study. Download the series, "Strength of the Christian."