Bible Studies

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The Sophomore’s Rut Part Three

Being a “run of the mill” type of Christian usually does not get much attention from the Kingdom of Darkness. With such believers, the devil is satisfied to quit while he is ahead of the game, as they go about trying to make his world (Luke 4: 6) a “better place to live” for as long as it lasts, and pose no serious threat to his agenda.

Some, with their erroneous religious teachings and traditions of men (Mark 7: 8), unwittingly become useful tools in the opposition’s hands.

In Mark 7: 8, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees about their “add-ons” to what God had actually said in Old Testament Scripture, but the practice is alive and well in many denominations within the Christian Community. 1Tim. 4: 1 tells us that it is only going to get worse as the dispensation of the Church Age comes to its prophesied Matt. 24: 14 end.

Spiritual combat with the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil on a daily basis is a foreign concept for the “run of the mill” Christian. They smirk and roll their eyes back when advancing disciples openly speak of such things.

Being weak, unedified believers, their own fallen nature that remains within them after salvation (Rom. 7), does a pretty good job all by itself of distracting them from identifying and executing the type of post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God. Such believers need little attention from the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil.

The devil is quite content to quit while he is ahead of the game, and leave such unproductive (Mark 4: 19)) believers alone. He may even bless them with worldly prosperity, leading them and others to believe that all is well with them in their walk with God, when in fact they have not even taken the first step along the road of discipleship.

Discipleship calls for the ongoing, daily intake (2Pet. 3: 18) and 24/7 application (James 1: 22) of the Word of God, as one continues to be conformed to the likeness of Christ (Rom. 8: 29), with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20).

It is in the sophomore stage of discipleship that one BEGINS to “count the cost” of discipleship, experiencing the inevitable 2Tim. 3: 12 persecution, the Luke 14: 26 challenges, and spiritual combat with the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. It is at this stage that one learns that life gets more challenging and difficult the more one advances in the post salvation spiritual life.

All an advancing disciple has to do to get out from under the frequency and intensity of the attacks by the Kingdom of Darkness (Eph. 6: 12), is to stop moving forward in the plan of God.

He or she may, however, find himself or herself in the “belly of a large fish”, as did Jonah, who did not want to go where God wanted him to go, and to do what God wanted him to do!

See the OT Book of Jonah for details.

Frankly, it is when one finds himself in the midst of spiritual combat that many would be disciples harbor such thoughts as “this is not what I signed up for,” and are content to know they are eternally secure (Rom. 8: 1), and no longer have any desire to take their discipleship any further.

Such sophomores are still self-centered, and have not yet reached the upper level of spiritual maturity where they can honestly say, “For me, to live is (for) Christ, and to die is gain (Phil. 1: 21 NASB2020 parenthesis mine).”

Being self-centered and not Christ-centered, their only association with God or the things of God, are the result of what they fear they can lose if they don’t make at least a minimum effort to stay on the right side of God. Their relationship with God is one of obligation, with very little (if any) intimacy.

Then there is another group of sophomores that develop a “holier than thou” estimation about themselves (Rom. 12 : 3), and begin to look down on others who are ignorant of the knowledge that they now have obtained, failing to remember that these others are where they themselves once were. Such sophomores turn others off, and therefore are not much use to God for the promotion of the Great Commission.

Finally, there are sophomores who continue to grow in the knowledge (2Pet. 3: 18) and application (James 1: 22) of the Word of God, and continue to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Christ (Rom. 8: 29), in thought, speech, and behavior. It is they who will continue to move forward in the plan of God, reaching and maintaining the upper levels of spiritual maturity.

These spiritually mature believers have identified their spiritual gift and accompanying ministry (1Cor. 12). Their commitment to finish the course that God has set before them (2Tim. 4: 7) has become the driving force and focus of their conscious attention 24/7, no matter where they are, what they are otherwise doing, or whatever opposition they face.

It is this type of advancing disciple that can expect to hear the, “Well done…(Matt. 25: 21 KJV),” words of commendation.

End Of Part Three

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