Christian Advance Articles

Care For The Slow Grower & Hurtful Disciple

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15(NIV) urges believers to live in harmony and pursue good in their relationships. Some do not grow as fast as we – the discipler – would like. Paul instructs the church to "warn those who are idle and disruptive," encouraging diligence and order among members. Some of your disciples may be working against your leadership or against other Life Group members. Yes, they may be hurtful. This directive to leadership and disciple-makers reflects a premium on spiritual growth, ensuring no one hinders the community's faith. 

He also advises to "encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone," emphasizing compassion and support for those struggling, fostering a nurturing environment. Patience is key. Slow growth is a reality.  Promote unity despite differences. Verse 15 warns against repaying evil with evil, instead urging believers to "always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." This challenges Christians to break cycles of vengeance, promoting kindness and forgiveness. Together, these verses advocate for a proactive, loving community that uplifts all members and responds to evil with unwavering goodness, reflecting Christ’s transformative love in confronting the issues.

As you prepare for Fall Life Groups prepare your hearts for the inevitable. Immature, slow growing disciples can be discouraging, disruptive, and divisive. Kick off the Fall in confidence. You are not alone. Paul had to deal with the same things 2000 years ago.

Holiness Revealed in Love

The mystery of God’s holiness is that He both reveals and conceals Himself. In His sovereignty, He chooses when to show His glory and when to remain hidden, reminding us that He is not ours to manage but ours to worship. Sin, then, is not simply moral failure—it is a direct turning against the Holy One of Israel. Yet even in our rebellion, He draws near.

Scripture teaches that holiness is not abstract or ethereal. It is not merely an idea to ponder, but a reality to live. From Israel’s calling to the coming of Christ, God has shown that His holiness is relational. It is not a distant force but a presence that speaks, redeems, and dwells with His people.

Yes, there is awe and mystery in true faith—a trembling awareness of the Other. But this awe is never left in fear alone. When holiness is revealed, it comes with reconciliation. The risen Christ spoke peace to His frightened disciples: “Peace be with you.” That peace is the final word of holiness made flesh.

Holiness is not cold or detached. It is love, communion, and impartation. To walk in holiness is to walk in the peace and presence of the One who calls us His own.

WHAT IS GOOD?

In Genesis 1, Yahweh is portrayed as the Creator who brings all things into existence ex nihilo and consistently declares His work “good” (tov). This word does not primarily describe moral niceness but reflects the language of an artist assessing a creation that matches the intention in the artist’s mind. When God calls something “good,” He means it is exactly what it was designed to be—fully in harmony with His creative plan.

Conversely, when God says something is “not good,” it does not imply inherent moral evil. Rather, it means the thing does not yet align with the Creator’s design. The Hebrew word ra, often translated “evil,” more broadly means “bad”—anything that does not conform to creation’s intended order. English confuses this by using “bad” for both moral corruption and ordinary misfortune, but Hebrew ra covers all forms of non-conformity, not only moral wickedness.

Isaiah 45:7 illustrates this: “I form light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity.” Here “calamity” translates ra. God is not saying He creates moral evil; instead, He has formed a world where both conformity and non-conformity to His design are possible. Human beings can choose to follow or resist the creation plan, but God Himself never acts outside His own character or intention. Unlike the pagan gods—often unpredictable, impulsive, or inconsistent—Yahweh is steadfastly and consistently good.

Within Scripture, the key theological-moral terms are “good” and “sanctify.” “Good” expresses what God intends and what pleases Him; “sanctify” expresses how that intention becomes real through God’s presence and self-giving.