2 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Timothy 1:15
The Final Command
Peter closes his second letter with a striking final instruction:
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. — 2 Peter 3:18
Grow in grace. This assumes several things: that grace is not merely a one-time event at conversion, that there are depths of grace yet to be experienced, and that growth in grace is both possible and expected.
What It Means to Grow in Grace
Growing in grace is not about accumulating more of something external. It is about an ever-deepening experience, understanding, and appropriation of the grace that is already fully given in Christ.
It involves:
Deeper understanding of what grace means. Many believers have a shallow grasp of grace — they know they are forgiven, but they have not yet plumbed the depths of what it means that they are fully accepted, fully loved, fully secure in Christ. Growing in grace means understanding this more and more fully, until it shapes every aspect of life and thought.
Increasing dependence on grace rather than self-effort. The Christian who is growing in grace is becoming less self-reliant and more God-reliant — increasingly aware of their own weakness and increasingly confident in God's strength. Paul's progression to "I am the foremost of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15) was not a decline but a mark of growth.
Greater ability to extend grace to others. Those who have received grace deeply are able to give it freely — forgiving quickly, bearing with weakness patiently, welcoming the struggling without judgment.
Grace and Spiritual Disciplines
Growing in grace does not happen passively. The Bible calls believers to actively engage with the means by which grace flows:
- Regular reading and meditation on Scripture
- Consistent, honest prayer
- Corporate worship and fellowship
- Service and giving
- Confession and accountability
These disciplines do not earn grace — grace cannot be earned. But they are the channels through which grace flows and through which growth happens. As John Wesley put it, they are the means of grace.
The Goal: Christ-Likeness
The goal of growing in grace is not a vague spiritual improvement. It is conformity to Christ — being transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). Grace not only saves us from what we were — it is actively making us into what God intends us to be.