There are several terms for the body’s growth. It is the same as sanctification, the same as transformation from glory to glory into the image of Christ. It corresponds to running the race and to being fully equipped for the work of ministry as well as to being conformed to the image of Christ in His death by knowing the fellowship of His sufferings, which corresponds to always being surrendered into the death of Christ, which is the same as the death of Christ working in us. It always corresponds to being knowledgeable in the word of righteousness by the senses being exercised to discern between good and evil, between pure and impure, between holy and unholy. It is one and the same as increasing in the virtues of Christ. “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control patience, and to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly love, and to brotherly love, love toward all men.” This is the same as increasing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Read: Ephesians 4:15-16; Romans 6:22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Ephesians 4:12; Philippians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Hebrews 5:13-14 and Isaiah 5:20 and 7:15; 2 Peter 1:4-8; 2 Peter 3:18. With reference to the above, Paul writes to the Philippians, exhorting them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2:12-13. And with regards to the same point, he reproves the Corinthians for having stopped in the race, thinking that they were already full and rich. 1 Cor. 4:8. Jesus exhorts the Laodiceans in the same manner. They said that they were rich and were in need of nothing, not knowing that they were wretched in God’s eyes because they had stopped in the race. Rev. 3:17. It is obvious that the growth of the body cannot occur before one is in the body—the body of Christ, which is the church, the bride. “And the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Eph. 5:31-32. We come to the body by reckoning ourselves crucified with Christ. Then we die to the law through the body of Christ—by faith. Gal. 2:20, 5:24 and 6:14; Romans 6:3, 6, 8, 11 and 7:4, 6 and 8:10; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Colossians 3:3. Then follows victory over sin. And having become servants of God, we have our fruit unto sanctification and the end, everlasting life. Rom. 6:22. Sanctification, being molded into the image of Christ, begins after we have been set free. It only exists where there is victory. Therefore we can see people who believe in the forgiveness of sins but who do not believe in victory over sin, in putting off sin; they possess just as little of God’s nature after they have been converted for fifty years as in the first year after their conversion. We gain victory over sin by reckoning ourselves dead with Christ by faith. Nevertheless, some of the sin will usually cling to us for a while. Therefore the Scriptures exhort us to “lay aside all . . . remnants of wickedness . . . .” Jas. 1:21. “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking . . . .” 1 Pet. 2:1; Col. 3:3, 5, 8: “For you died . . . . Therefore put to death . . . . But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” “Let us lay aside . . . the sin which so easily ensnares us . . . .” Heb. 12:1. In other words, this must be done if we desire to be molded into Jesus’ image—to be transformed from glory to glory. What is sin? It is transgressing the law, doing what you know you should not be doing and neglecting to do what you know you should be doing. 1 John 3:4; Jas. 4:17. Having now been cleansed by faith in Jesus’ blood, not knowing anything with myself and thus being perfect according to my conscience (Acts 15:9; 1 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 9:10), I can see the glory of the Lord in the Spirit, and then growth takes place. 2 Cor. 3:18. Growth occurs when I see a light, a truth, a glory in life which I have not seen previously. This light judges and reveals the corresponding darkness that was in me until now, but about which I did not know anything previously. Now that it has been revealed, I sentence it to death, which means that I reject it and desist from it by faith just as I have acted with regards to sin. This is how judgment returns to righteousness, which means that the light that has judged me becomes life in me. Thus I have grown in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Rom. 8:12-14; Ps. 94:15; 2 Pet. 3:18. It was this knowledge, this glory, this light that is in Christ Jesus that Paul considered to be of such great worth. Phil. 3:8; Col. 2:3. Growth must be maintained and accelerated by serving each other, and through life in the church. The person, who resists it or despises it, resists God’s saving counsel and despises God. Pay heed to the Word! 1 Cor. 12:25; 14:26, 31; Eph. 4:11-12, 16; Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 10:24; Rom. 12; 1 Pet. 4:10-11. It is the intention that by faith we shall live in constant victory over sin, but if anyone sins, he must acknowledge his sin and cleanse himself from it. 1 John 2:1 and Chapter 1:9. Now by wholeheartedly and at all cost desiring to be molded into the image of Christ, we will notice that it is not just the manifest evil—sin—that wants to hinder this work, but also much else, which we gladly put off and from which we refrain by pursuing the goal. In this context we read: “Let us lay aside every weight and the sin . . . .” A prudent man will lay aside everything that is unnecessary. In 1 Corinthians 9:25 the apostle says that just as those who compete in a race in this world are temperate in all things (to enable them to run a better race), so we also are temperate in everything so as to be able to run faster and win an incorruptible crown. Are you running, dear soul? Why not? There are few who run because there are few who believe. Jesus indicates this by saying, “When the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” Those who really believe God will become followers of Christ. What is the race, actually? Putting off everything that is heavy to bear which would cause us to be stragglers in the race is not racing! Nevertheless, it is necessary so that the race can end well. What the race itself consists of is briefly mentioned above. We will also be able to understand some of it when we meditate on the exhortation in 1 Timothy 6:11: “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness . . . .” The apostle Paul writes this to whom? Was it to someone who did not possess these virtues? Who is it whom he exhorts to pursue righteousness? Was it an unrighteous man? Not at all! He writes this to a faithful servant of Christ, one of the most excellent of them all! Was he not justified? Yes! And even more than that! He walked blamelessly in God’s holiness and righteousness! Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 6, 10. What does Paul mean by that? It is truly hidden. It is the mystery of godliness that cannot be revealed to a self-satisfied mind, but it is revealed to as many who abide in acknowledgment, to those who are willing to walk on the consecrated way, those who are only satisfied by incorruption, by the truth in their innermost heart, and by the utmost righteousness. Here lies the mystery of Paul’s word: Death is working in us!Elias Aslaksen