Topical Bible: Growing

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Definition and Concept
Growing, in a biblical context, refers to the process of spiritual development and maturation in the life of a believer. It encompasses both personal and communal aspects of faith, emphasizing the transformation into the likeness of Christ and the expansion of God's kingdom. Growth is often depicted as a natural and expected outcome of a life rooted in Christ.

Biblical Foundations
The Bible frequently uses agricultural metaphors to describe spiritual growth. In John 15:5, Jesus states, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing." This passage highlights the necessity of abiding in Christ for spiritual growth and fruitfulness.

Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is a central theme in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul encourages believers to mature in their faith, as seen in Ephesians 4:15: "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head." This growth involves increasing in knowledge, love, and holiness, reflecting the character of Christ.

Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the growth of a believer. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes are evidence of the Spirit's work in a believer's life, contributing to their spiritual growth.

Community and Growth
The early church provides a model for communal growth. Acts 2:42-47 describes the believers' devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, resulting in the Lord adding to their number daily. This passage underscores the importance of community in fostering growth and discipleship.

Challenges to Growth
Believers may face obstacles to growth, such as sin, complacency, or external pressures. Hebrews 5:12-14 warns against stagnation, urging believers to move beyond elementary teachings and mature in their understanding. This passage calls for diligence and perseverance in the pursuit of spiritual maturity.

Practical Steps for Growth
Scripture provides guidance for those seeking to grow in their faith. Regular engagement with the Word of God, as encouraged in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, equips believers for every good work. Prayer, fellowship, and service are also vital components of a growing faith, as they align believers with God's will and purpose.

Eternal Perspective
Ultimately, spiritual growth is oriented towards eternity. Philippians 3:13-14 captures this forward-looking perspective: "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus." This passage encourages believers to persist in their growth journey, with their eyes fixed on the eternal reward.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Grow.

Greek

3487. nardos -- nard, ointment of nard
... nardos Phonetic Spelling: (nar'dos) Short Definition: spikenard, a perfume Definition:
spikenard, a perfume made originally from a plant growing on the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3487.htm - 6k

837. auxano -- to make to grow, to grow
... verb Definition to make to grow, to grow NASB Word Usage causes the growth (1),
causing the growth (1), full grown (1), grew (1), grow (8), growing (2), grows ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/837.htm - 8k

3100. matheteuo -- to be a disciple, to make a disciple
... Cognate: 3100 (from 3101 , "disciple") -- to disciple, ie helping someone to the
Word of God to become a matured, growing (literally, "a learner," a true Christ ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3100.htm - 7k

1095. gerasko -- to grow old
... Word Origin from geras Definition to grow old NASB Word Usage grow old (1), growing
old (1). become old. From geras; to be senescent -- be (wax) old. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1095.htm - 6k

2918. krinon -- a lily
... a lily. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: krinon Phonetic Spelling:
(kree'-non) Short Definition: a lily Definition: a lily growing wild, variously ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2918.htm - 6k

1256. dialegomai -- to discuss, to address, to preach
... Doing this is perhaps the most telling characteristic of the growing Christian!
[1256 () is the root of the English term, "dialogue."]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1256.htm - 8k

2913. Kreskes -- Crescens, a Christian
... Crescens. Of Latin origin; growing; Cresces (ie Crescens), a Christian -- Crescens.
(kreskes) -- 1 Occurrence. 2912, 2913. Kreskes. 2914 . Strong's Numbers
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2913.htm - 6k

5528. chortos -- a feeding place, food, grass
... of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: chortos Phonetic Spelling: (khor'-tos)
Short Definition: grass, hay Definition: grass, herbage, growing grain, hay. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5528.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

1432. gadel -- becoming great, growing up
... 1431, 1432. gadel. 1433 . becoming great, growing up. Transliteration: gadel
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-dale') Short Definition: greater. ...
/hebrew/1432.htm - 6k

3870. Luz -- earlier name of Bethel, also a Hittite city
... Luz. Probably from luwz (as growing there); Luz, the name of two places in Palestine --
Luz. see HEBREW luwz. 3869, 3870. Luz. 3871 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/3870.htm - 6k

6851. tsaphtsaphah -- perhaps willow
... willow tree. From tsuwph; a willow (as growing in overflowed places) -- willow tree.
see HEBREW tsuwph. 6850, 6851. tsaphtsaphah. 6852 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6851.htm - 6k

1980. halak -- to go, come, walk
... 4), goes (22), goes to and fro (1), goes down (1), going (30), gone (39), grew
(2), grew steadily (1), grew...continually (1), grow (1), growing* (1), indeed ...
/hebrew/1980.htm - 8k

7641. shibbol -- ear (of grain)
... Or (feminine) shibboleth {shib-bo'-leth}; from the same as shebel; a stream (as
flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy, a branch -- branch ...
/hebrew/7641.htm - 6k

98. agam -- a marsh, muddy pool
... From an unused root (meaning to collect as water); a marsh; hence a rush (as growing
in swamps); hence a stockade of reeds -- pond, pool, standing (water). ...
/hebrew/98.htm - 6k

6779. tsamach -- to sprout, spring up
... root Definition to sprout, spring up NASB Word Usage branch (1), grow (8), growing
(1), grown (2), spring (5), spring forth (5), springs (1), sprout (4 ...
/hebrew/6779.htm - 6k

100. agmon -- a rush, bulrush
... From the same as 'agam; a marshy pool (others from a different root, a kettle);
by implication a rush (as growing there); collectively a rope of rushes ...
/hebrew/100.htm - 6k

3188. yachas -- genealogy
... genealogy. From yachas; a pedigree or family list (as growing spontaneously) --
genealogy. see HEBREW yachas. 3187, 3188. yachas. 3189 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/3188.htm - 6k

Library

Growing Faith.
... III The Lover Wooing (John i. 19-xii. 50) Growing Faith. Now we climb the hill
where the disciples are. The crowds are in the bottom-lands. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/growing faith.htm

The Seed Growing Secretly.
... XV. THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY. ... The parable of the seed growing secretly holds in
Mark the place that the parable of the leaven holds in Matthew. ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xv the seed growing secretly.htm

Growing Bigger for Service's Sake.
... Each One of Us Growing Bigger for Service's Sake. There's a second thing to do. ... We
must set ourselves to growing bigger and better for service's sake. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/growing bigger for services sake.htm

I Feel Myself Growing Dizzy with all This,
... From the Fifth Book. 4. I feel myself growing dizzy with all this,. I feel
myself growing dizzy with all this, and wonder whether ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/4 i feel myself growing.htm

The Seed Growing Secretly
... Strong Meat for Hungry Souls: The Gospel of St. Mark CHAPTER 4:26-29 THE
SEED GROWING SECRETLY. "And He said, So is the kingdom of ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 4 26-29 the seed growing.htm

Growing Consciousness of his Messiahship in Christ.
... CHAPTER II. COURSE OF CHRIST'S LIFE UP TO THE OPENING OF HIS PUBLIC M1NISTRY.
Section 31. Growing Consciousness of His Messiahship in Christ. ...
/.../section 31 growing consciousness of.htm

The Growing Grain.
... THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM THE GROWING GRAIN. And he said, "So is the kingdom
of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the growing grain.htm

Growing up into Christ
... Chapter 8 Growing Up Into Christ. The change of heart by which we become
children of God is in the Bible spoken of as birth. Again ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 8 growing up into.htm

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, in Reference to Growing in Grace.
... CHAPTER VII. HOW CHRIST IS TO BE MADE USE OF, IN REFERENCE TO GROWING IN
GRACE. I come now to speak a little to the other part of ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter vii how christ is.htm

A Soul's Tragedy
... Taking that verse as our starting-point, we have three stages in Saul's growing
hatred and awe of the young champion, and of David's growing influence and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/a souls tragedy.htm

Thesaurus

Growing (31 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) of Grow. Multi-Version Concordance Growing (31 Occurrences). Mark 4:8
Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. ...
/g/growing.htm - 15k

Increasing (61 Occurrences)
... n.) of Increase. Multi-Version Concordance Increasing (61 Occurrences). Mark 4:8
Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. ...
/i/increasing.htm - 24k

Rush (35 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A name given to many aquatic or marsh-growing endogenous plants with
soft, slender stems, as the species of Juncus and Scirpus. ...
/r/rush.htm - 20k

Pasture (120 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Specifically: Grass growing for the food of cattle; the food of cattle taken
by grazing. ... 5. (vi) To feed on growing grass; to graze. Int. ...
/p/pasture.htm - 33k

Becoming (75 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Luke 1:80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in
the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel. (WEB). ...
/b/becoming.htm - 27k

Anise (1 Occurrence)
... The common dill, the Anethum graveolens, is an annual growing wild in the cornfields
of Spain and Portugal and the south of Europe generally. ...
/a/anise.htm - 9k

Fig-tree (33 Occurrences)
... the mountain villages of Palestine, with their extensive fig gardens, to realize
what a long-lasting injury would be the destruction of these slow-growing trees ...
/f/fig-tree.htm - 26k

Olives (30 Occurrences)
... upon this ridge is the strong northwest wind which permanently bends most trees
toward the Southeast, but affects the sturdy, slow-growing olive less than the ...
/o/olives.htm - 37k

Lignaloes
... Post (HDB, I, 69) suggests that they may possibly have been growing at that time
in the Jordan valley; this is both improbable and unnecessary. ...
/l/lignaloes.htm - 10k

Graze (11 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To feed on; to eat (growing herbage); to eat grass from (a pasture);
to browse. 3. (vt) To tend (cattle, etc.) while grazing. ...
/g/graze.htm - 10k

Resources

What is the key to growing as a new believer? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about aging/growing old? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)? | GotQuestions.org

Growing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Growing (31 Occurrences)

Mark 4:8
Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some brought forth thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much."
(WEB ASV DBY RSV)

Mark 5:26
and had undergone many different treatments under a number of doctors and had spent all she had without receiving benefit but on the contrary growing worse,
(WEY)

Luke 1:80
The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
(WEB)

Luke 2:40
The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
(WEB)

Luke 8:6
Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture.
(WEY)

Luke 13:6
And He gave them the following parable. "A man," He said, "who had a fig-tree growing in his garden came to look for fruit on it and could find none.
(WEY)

Acts 16:5
So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and growing in numbers from day to day.
(WEY)

Acts 19:20
So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
(WEB NAS)

Romans 4:19
And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness.
(WEY)

Ephesians 2:21
in union with whom the whole fabric, fitted and closely joined together, is growing so as to form a holy sanctuary in the Lord;
(WEY NAS)

Colossians 1:6
which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
(WEB DBY RSV NIV)

Colossians 1:10
so as to walk worthily of the Lord unto all well-pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing by the true knowledge of God;
(DBY NIV)

1 Thessalonians 3:12
and as for you, may the Lord teach you to love one another and all men, with a growing and a glowing love, resembling our love for you.
(WEY)

2 Thessalonians 1:3
Unceasing thanks are due from us to God on your behalf, brethren. They are appropriate because your faith is growing greatly, and the love of every one of you for all the others goes on increasing.
(WEY RSV NIV)

1 Timothy 2:15
Yet a woman will be brought safely through childbirth if she and her husband continue to live in faith and love and growing holiness, with habitual self-restraint.
(WEY)

1 Timothy 4:15
Habitually practise these duties, and be absorbed in them; so that your growing proficiency in them may be evident to all.
(WEY)

Hebrews 8:13
In that he says, "A new covenant," he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and grows aged is near to vanishing away.
(See NAS RSV)

2 Peter 3:18
But be always growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be all glory, both now and to the day of Eternity!
(WEY)

Genesis 41:5
He slept and dreamed a second time: and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
(See RSV NIV)

Genesis 41:22
I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good:
(See RSV NIV)

Exodus 9:22
Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."
(See NIV)

Exodus 9:25
The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.
(See NIV)

Exodus 10:5
and they shall cover the face of the land, so that ye will not be able to see the land; and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which ye have remaining from the hail, and shall eat every tree which ye have growing in the field;
(DBY NIV)

Exodus 10:12
Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left."
(See NIV)

Exodus 10:15
For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:23
and that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath;
(See RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 2:26
And the youth Samuel is going on and growing up, and 'is' good both with Jehovah, and also with men.
(YLT NAS)

2 Kings 19:26
And their inhabitants were powerless, They were dismayed and put to shame; They were as the growing grass, and as the green herb, As the grass on the housetops, and grain blighted before it be grown up.
(DBY)

Job 21:7
"Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
(See NIV)

Ecclesiastes 2:6
I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
(See NAS RSV)

Isaiah 32:13
Over the ground of my people thorn -- brier goeth up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Growing

Growing Up

Related Terms

Increasing (61 Occurrences)

Rush (35 Occurrences)

Pasture (120 Occurrences)

Becoming (75 Occurrences)

Anise (1 Occurrence)