Growing Together in God's Grace

“True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.”
George Washington

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King Jr.

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
Elbert Hubbard

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.”
C. S. Lewis

Our spiritual walk with Christ is a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes the terrain is rocky, other times the path is narrow, and fatigue can easily set in. Alone, we risk wandering off course or collapsing from exhaustion. Yet God, in His profound mercy, ensured we would not have to endure this journey alone. He knit us together into a vibrant community of faith with fellow sojourners committed to spurring one another onward. It is within this traveling company of believers that we find accountability and the help of a more firm foothold we need to persevere. Rightly cultivated, this communion provides the very spiritual oxygen required to fan the flickering flames of our faith into an all-consuming fire for Christ.

The Blessing of Christian Community
God has knit us together into a spiritual family, a community of believers journeying together to support us, sharpen us, and spur us on in our pursuit of Christ. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV). When we gather in fellowship, we have a unique opportunity to uplift, motivate, and strengthen one another spiritually. This community is a gracious gift from God, and we need the protection, wisdom, and godly influence of others who can challenge us, correct us when we stray, and help us become more like Christ. Left to ourselves, our vision becomes clouded and our hearts hardened. But together, we can continue steadfastly on the narrow path.

Bearing with One Another’s Weaknesses
An essential aspect of the Christian community is bearing with one another’s weaknesses and failings. We are all works in progress, jars of clay being sanctified and molded more into Christ’s image day by day (2 Corinthians 4:7). None of us has arrived yet at perfect holiness. Paul instructs in Romans 15:1 (ESV), “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Those who are more spiritually mature must have patience with those who are struggling, never looking down on them but seeking to gently restore them (Galatians 6:1). We bear one another’s burdens in this way, fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). This is not always easy. Immaturity, foolishness, and repeated sin can grate on us. But we must remember our Savior’s example, “who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself” (Hebrews 12:3, ESV). If Christ could bear with our weaknesses, extending grace upon inexcusable grace, how can we withhold that same compassion from others?

The Danger of Enabling
However, we must be careful not to let “bearing with one another” devolve into defending and enabling immature, unrepentant, or destructive behavior. Ephesians 5:11 (ESV), “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” The goal is not to affirm someone stubbornly remaining in their sin or immaturity, but to call them to a higher standard through loving rebuke and discipline. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12 (ESV), “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?” He goes on to instruct believers to purge the unrepentant sinner from the church body, lest his influence spread like leaven through the whole batch of dough (vs 6-7). There is a point where the extension of grace must yield to firm correction. Jesus did not enable the sinful behavior of those He encountered, but rather called them to repentance. To the woman caught in adultery, He said, “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11, ESV). His grace did not permit her to continue in unrighteousness. While showing compassion, empathy, and bearing with one another are essential virtues, it is equally important to recognize the difference between supporting someone through their struggles and allowing immaturity to go unchecked. Enabling happens when we permit immature conduct to persist without challenge. Enabling hinders the growth and development of individuals within our community, ultimately weakening the unity we share. Let me give you a silly example: Consider one who feels called to be an artist and begins by merely drawing stick figures. We can either encourage this budding talent while lovingly challenging them to develop their skills further, or we can enable immaturity by offering continued, unqualified, and unmerited praise for their rudimentary efforts and shielding them from the truth that such simplistic art will not suffice. The latter approach, rooted in a misguided notion of support and encouragement, stunts their growth as an artist and prevents them from fully stepping into their calling. If the budding artist is still drawing stick figures ten years after starting, they have been enabled and not encouraged. People who enable others think they are helping or showing compassion, but in reality, they are unintentionally undermining that person.

Encouragement, on the other hand, is about motivating someone to make positive changes, grow as a person, and achieve their full potential. It is about supporting them, affirming their strengths and capabilities, but it is also about inspiring them to make better choices and to hone what God has entrusted to them. Proverbs 27:17 (ESV), “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Just as sharpening iron requires friction and accountability, our spiritual growth and character development require the same constructive interaction with others. We are called to lovingly confront and redirect one another. At the same time, the Bible is clear that we must “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV). The original Greek word used there is παροξυσμὸν (paroxysmon), is derived from the root παροξυνοῦντες (paroxynountes), which means to provoke (KJV), or stimulate (NASB). The NIV says, “let us consider how we may spur one another on.” The use of the word spur certainly paints a different picture to what we think of when we consider the word “motivate” (NLT). A spur provides a sharp stimulus to moving in the desired direction. In the same way, we as believers are called to lovingly but firmly prod, urge, motivate, and rally one another. So when the Bible instructs believers to “stir up one another,” it is not just a tender gesture or gentle nudge, it is an impassioned call, provoking and stimulating each other towards greater love and spiritual vitality. We cannot just let immaturity slide without calling one another to a higher standard.

A Balanced, Biblical Approach
So how do we strike the right balance of grace and truth in our Christian communities? We take our cue from Christ, the one who personified both in perfect measure (John 1:14). On the one hand, we are called to bear with one another’s weaknesses through a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1a), being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, just as God in Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). We must be committed to restoring one another in love when sin does occur, never lording our righteousness over others but humbly recognizing our own capacity for failure (Galatians 6:1b). At the same time, we cannot neglect speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).Out of care and concern for one another’s spiritual wellbeing, we must lovingly admonish (Colossians 3:16) and exhort each other to put sin to death (Colossians 3:5; Romans 8:13) and walk in obedience to Christ (John 14:15). As brothers and sisters, we sharpen each other’s faith through open and honest dialogue (Proverbs 27:17). This balance of grace and truth creates an environment marked by vulnerability, accountability, and transformation (Ephesians 4:15; James 5:16).When we own our brokenness before one another, we have no fear of condemnation but can experience the healing and freedom found in the light (James 5:16, 1 John 1:7). When sin does eventually surface, as it inevitably will, we receive the faithful wound of a friend to point us back to repentance and restoration (Proverbs 27:6). True encouragement finds its ultimate source in God Himself. When David was in distress, fleeing from Saul, we read that “Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God” (1 Samuel 23:16, ESV). This powerful example reminds us that our support for one another should always point back to the Lord. Jonathan did not merely offer empty platitudes or worldly advice. A God-centered approach to mutual edification helps maintain the delicate balance between grace and truth. It keeps us humble, recognizing that any strength or wisdom we offer comes not from ourselves, but from the Lord. It also provides a standard against which to measure our words and actions, ensuring that our support aligns with God’s revealed will and character. It is an atmosphere of healthy conviction where sin or immaturity is not coddled but addressed through biblical discipline and called to continuing repentance (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5). There is tough love when needed, calling one another to a higher standard of holiness. In this type of community environment, spiritual growth is not just possible but expected. We make progress in putting off the old self and putting on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24). Having laid aside every hindrance, we can run with endurance the race set before us, cheering one another on toward the prize of Christ-likeness (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Preserving the Unity of the Body
Of course, anytime you have a group of imperfect people living in transparency and speaking truth to one another, there is bound to be friction and tensions will rise. Disagreements and hurt feelings are inevitable on this side of eternity. However, amid differences, we must make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Unity does not mean avoiding conflict or sweeping issues under the rug (Matthew 18:15-17). Instead, it involves working through challenges together, with grace and humility (Ephesians 4:2-3; Philippians 2:3-4), to strengthen our bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Our spiritual family may be dysfunctional at times, but it is still family (Romans 12:5; Galatians 6:10). We share the same Father (Ephesians 4:6) and a common purpose – to bring glory to God’s name on earth (1 Corinthians 10:31) as His ambassadors
(2 Corinthians 5:20). So, we follow the biblical model for resolving conflict – going first to the person 1-on-1 to seek understanding and reconciliation (Matthew 18:15). We overlook minor offenses when possible (Proverbs 19:11) and are quick to extend and receive forgiveness as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). Most importantly, we clothe ourselves with humility and patience, making allowance for each other’s faults in love (Colossians 3:12-13). Is it easy? No. Preserving unity requires sacrifice (John 15:13), deference (Romans 12:10), and dying to self (Luke 9:23; Philippians 2:3-4). But it is essential for the health of Christ’s body and the testimony of the gospel we proclaim. As Jesus prayed, we are to be one, united in love, so that the world may see and believe in the Father’s love (John 17:20- 23). Unity does not mean uniformity or the absence of conflict, but rather a commitment to love, respect, and reconciliation in the midst of differences.

The Journey Continues
On our spiritual journey, it is easy to lose sight of where we are headed. Bogged down by challenges, failures, and conflict along the way, our gaze shifts from Christ to ourselves. That is why we need the gift of Christian community, to fix our eyes back on Jesus, to lift our eyes to the higher call (Philippians 3:14). So, let us continue walking together in authentic, grace-filled fellowship. Bearing with one another’s weaknesses, but also calling each other to a higher standard. Forgiving but also exhorting toward repentance. Gently restoring and also firmly rebuking. Speaking the truth, but always in love. It is a challenging balance, one that can only be achieved through humility, wisdom, and the Spirit’s power. But it is a journey worth taking for the spiritual fruitfulness and Christ-exalting unity it produces. May we journey together faithfully, giving and receiving grace, until we all attain maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:13). As we journey together, let us commit to strengthening one another’s hands in God. In times of trial, celebration, or everyday life, may our encouragement always direct hearts and minds back to the One who is the source of all comfort and strength.

So, dear reader. where do you stand? Are you fostering a community marked by both grace and truth? A place where people can be transparent about their struggles without fear of judgment, while also receiving the loving exhortation they need to progress in faith? Or have things stagnated, where immaturity and sin issues go unaddressed in a misguided attempt to “keep the peace?” Search your heart honestly. If complacency and enabling behaviors have crept in, repent today and realign yourself with God’s vision for biblical community. Extend grace lavishly, but pair it with a humble willingness to speak truth, even when it is hard. Value unity, but not at the expense of compromising holiness. The journey of faith is an arduous one, and we desperately need the blessing of fellow sojourners to lock arms with us. Devote yourself to cultivating the kind of transparent, accountable, and transformative relationships that propel spiritual growth. It will not be easy, but it allows the full power of Christian community to be unleashed. Fix your eyes on the prize of Christ-likeness, and spur each other onward in that same pursuit through unwavering encouragement and loving correction. The world is watching to see if our communion has any distinct, spiritual vitality. Determine, by God’s grace, to give them an unobstructed vision.