Recently we dwelt upon a few of the primary and essential conditions to progress in the divine life. That is, those things which a Christian, a converted, a regenerated man must do in order that he may become stronger morally, and more thoroughly possessed of the knowledge and spirit of the gospel of Christ. For when we speak of Christian growth we do not mean that a man is partly a Christian, partly pure and free from sin when he is born again, and that growth consists in his becoming more and more nearly free from sin. Not at all. When a soul is renewed the work in nature, in kind, is a perfect work. The man is made a new creature in Christ Jesus. But now he is to grow. He is to make progress toward a point in the Christian life which can only be attained by a longer or shorter period of training, of discipline, of conflict, of pupilage. He is to grow in knowledge, including the knowledge derived from experience; he is to grow in faith, in charity, in firmness of purpose, in all the characteristics of a perfect moral man. Indeed, time alone can bring out some of these characteristics; while experience and discipline will modify and brighten others.

      When a man becomes a Christian he doubtless earnestly desires to attain to perfection of manhood in Christ. He wants to be what he is to be, what the Scriptures represent that he should be. No one then thinks that he will lead a halting, indifferent, vacillating life; a life that fluctuates between the freezing and the boiling point. Much less does he think that he will again wallow in the same mire whence he was taken and washed in the precious blood of Jesus. No, he means to go on. He knows that, though cleansed from all sin, there is progress to be made. He is only a babe after all, and there are possibilities of growth before him which will make him quite other than he is now.

      Thus all men at conversion look at this matter. Many of them, thank God, keep their vows, fulfill their virgin promises. They go on in a pathway that ever becomes more luminous. There is no backward step in their journey; neither do they halt by the way. They use the appropriate means to secure healthy growth. They never count on attaining Christian manhood without a struggle, or entering the haven of rest but over rough seas and against fierce storms. But they overcome these hinderances. Others fail for two reasons: They do not use the means essential to their growth; and they do not overcome the hinderances to their growth.

      We will dwell somewhat upon a few of these hinderances. We do not refer to any neglect in the use of the means to secure growth. For neglect is not a hinderance, it is a sin. And he who neglects the reading of the Bible, the means of grace, private prayer and meditation and other like helps cannot expect even to maintain a Christian life, much less to grow in it. But with the use of all these means there are some things which will retard our growth. These often, perhaps generally, are within our control; and in so far as they are not, it is doubtful whether, if we avail ourselves of the helps within our reach, they can really be regarded as hinderances. That is, it is doubtful whether they can prevent or retard our growth in the divine life. They may prevent us from making the intellectual attainments that we otherwise could; they may interfere with our proficiency in some kinds of service, and thus indirectly affect our spiritual development, but they cannot touch our moral character and standing unless it is within our power to yield or not to yield to them.

      Chief among the hinderances that we will name is the read of bad literature and the keep of bad company. Even Scripture recognizes most emphatically the influence of bad company. The fact lies at the bottom not only of those injunctions which require Christians to come out from the world and to associate with one another, but much in the history of Israel finds an adequate reason in it. But literature has even a stronger influence over a man than society. This he can take to his closet, into his very heart unobserved; and if it is unwholesome it will poison him morally while his exterior life may have a fair aspect. Thousands in all Churches to-day are lean, and weak, and thousands have fallen asleep through the reading of corrupt literature. No man can grow as a Christian who does not put these enervating influences far from him.

      The indulgences of sinful passions also, very frequently, proves a hinderance to growth in grace. We do not refer here to what are commonly called vices. Of these we assume Christians are not guilty. But there are various passions that at different times become excited, the indulgence of which will prevent spiritual growth. Among these are anger, pride, malevolence, hatred, envy, jealousy, ambition, and kindred passions. We see manifestations of these passions everywhere among Christian people. They are among the deeds of the flesh that must be mortified if we would grow rapidly and symmetrically.

      Kindred to these are avarice, stinginess, over anxiety for worldly possessions. These are perversions of implanted powers. They are not to be eradicated, for that is nowhere required; but they are to be brought into normal activity. And if we fail to do this we shall by and by find that they not only hinder our growth, but that they will choke the good seed and renders it wholly unfruitful.

      Certain positions in life also prove hinderances to our growth in grace. We seldom see men remain vigorous Christians for any length of time after getting into these positions. They grow indifferent to moral distinctions in small matters, neglect the means of spiritual culture and growth, and become cold, negligent and dwarfish. Their Christianity becomes of the fashionable and feeble kind, which simply clings to the form of religion and has great confidence in the saving power of a nominal church relationship.

      These things that are so sure to obstruct our progress must be put away from us. We must overcome obstacles which we cannot remove. Our great business here is to fashion ourselves after the divine pattern, and by special help from God to "apprehend that for which also we are apprehended." To this there is every possible inducement. Nothing is so great a mystery as the conduct of thousands of Christian men in this respect. But let neither the mystery of their course, nor the example which they set turn us away from our great life purpose.

[The Church Advocate 40 (July 21, 1875): 4.]

      Christian H. Forney's "Hinderances to Progress" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 40, No. 12 (July 21, 1875), p. 4. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article printed from a microfilmed edition of the newspaper held by the State Library of Pennsylvania. Thanks to Adams Memorial Library for arranging for the interlibrary loan, and to St. Vincent College Library for the use of its microfilm reader/printer.

      Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 26 June 1999.
Updated 13 July 2003.