The idea that we can come into full spiritual strength and life in a single moment by a miraculous exercise of the grace of God, though widely entertained, is contradicted by all that our Lord has ever taught. In his parabolic method of speaking, it is always first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear; it is first the seed, smallest of all seeds, then the herb, then the tree. These illustrations of his are designed to teach the direct truth of progressive regenerative growth. One might as well undertake to ascend a mountain without taking the necessary series of upward successive steps, or from a child to become an adult by an instantaneous effort, as to become regenerated without passing through, and slowly through, the proper successive stages of progress. So none may feel discouragement because they do not come into all truth at once, or lose their many evils, sins and faults at once, or gain the perfect love for God and man at once.
There is very little real good in our first upward efforts very little of the Lord in them. In whatever of good we seem to do we, in heart, take the credit to ourselves. Thus there is little genuine humility in our religion. It is the easiest thing in the world to imagine we are humble when, really, we are proud. People are sometimes proud of their humility.
