Do you realise that the Bible says that sharing your faith is really important for your own spiritual growth? Read these words from Paul’s letter to Philemon:
I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. (v6) NIV
It’s in the sharing of our faith with others that we grow in our understanding and our knowledge of Christ. Which also means that if we don’t share our faith, our growth is going to be inhibited in some way. Now, what Paul is initially referring to here is sharing the life of faith with other Christians. But what he has in mind isn’t merely having a fellowship meal or sitting in cosy groups of Christians. Rather, for Paul, sharing faith always means participation in the apostolic mission of the church, which is to reach people with the gospel. Paul wanted to plant churches all the way along the north side of the Mediterranean from Athens towards Rome, and he wanted other people to share in that mission in fellowship together. So when Paul says participation in fellowship, he’s talking about joining together in the apostolic mission.
It’s in sharing our faith that we grow in it. And if we don’t share our faith, our own spiritual growth will be inhibited. Our own understanding of the grace of Christ will be restricted. Our own spiritual dynamic growth into Christ will be withheld in some way if we’re not sharing our faith with others as we join in the mission of the church.
There’s something about the dynamic of the spiritual life that means we stagnate if we are not an open channel for the grace of God to flow through us to others. One of the keys to spiritual growth is fellowship in mission! If you want to deepen your relationship with Christ, tell the world about him.
Prayer: Lord, I want to talk about you more often, and more wisely. I want to know you more deeply and to become more like you. Help me to grow into you by sharing in the fellowship of the gospel.
