Manuscript Releases, vol. 7 [Nos. 419-525]

MR No. 464—Principles of Christian Growth

The Lord expects human agencies to cooperate with Him, making constant advancement, increasing in faith and adaptability until Christ alone is magnified and self lost to view. The Holy Spirit will cooperate with determined effort on the part of the human agent. 7MR 226.1

The Word of God is the living seed, and as this seed is sown in the mind, the human agent must give it diligent care through the successive stages of its growth. How is this to be done?—After the Word has been carefully received, it is to be cherished and practiced in the daily life. It is to spring up and bear fruit, putting forth first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. 7MR 226.2

Man is to hear the Word of God, filled with a hungering desire to hear in faith and profit by the hearing. He is to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” We are to fear and tremble lest we make a wrong use of the words of the gospel, the leaves of the tree of life, which are for the healing of the nations. “Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he seemeth to have.” 7MR 226.3

We are to give sincere, earnest attention to the instruction of Christ, realizing the importance of hearing correctly, that God may use us in instructing others. “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” The measure of the earnestness with which you hear My Word, that you may benefit others, will be the measure which will be given back to you. To him who hath, who listens intently that he may receive knowledge to lay up in the treasure-house and impart to others, shall be given; for God sees that he will use his knowledge aright. He who hath not, who has not improved his opportunities, who has not practiced the truth, that others may see the blessing of his knowledge, shall be taken away, even that which he hath. His opportunity to be all that God designed he should be, receiving and imparting the light of heaven, shall be taken away from him.—Manuscript 103, 1901, 4, 5. (Untitled, typed October 8, 1901.) 7MR 226.4

Released January 9, 1976.