Scripture and the stages of spiritual growth
Although there are those who will disagree, I personally believe that Scripture itself evidences the stages of spiritual growth. At the beginning of the Old Testament, God is clearly a severe judge and stern master. He promises rewards, albeit primarily earthly, for strict obedience to his laws, and threatens, and often inflicts, terrible punishments for violations of his law. His law seems to cover even petty aspects of life, and at least segments of the Jewish people, such as the Pharisees, developed lengthy commentaries to provide guidance in how to observe God’s laws faithfully. In other words, the first part of the Old Testament, particularly the Pentateuch, or first five books, have the characteristics of the first stage of spiritual growth.
Later in the Old Testament, God is described in more friendly terms. He is seen as a nurturer, one who cares about his People, one who will hold them in his arms and protect them as a mother would her child. The psalms can be considered spontaneous cries to God spanning the entire spectrum of emotions: joy, rage, sorrow, awe, etc. In other words, later in the Old Testament we see earmarks of the second stage of spiritual growth.
The New Testament proposes a transformed and deepened relationship with God through Jesus Christ. One of Christ’s central teaching is that it is not the outward appearances that matter most but the intention with which we act. While love is mentioned in the Old Testament, it is with Christ that love becomes the central motif of one’s relationship with God and with other human beings. Unity with God is now stated as possible, made possible by unity with and in Christ. God is no longer distant, but is present in creation through Christ. Sacrificial love is demonstrated on the Cross. In other words, one finds characteristics of the third stage of spiritual growth.
We now move on to the transition periods in spiritual growth known as the “nights.”
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