Growing up is no little deal. As children make the transition to adolescence, as adolescents make the transition to adults, and as graduations send kids out of the home to colleges, universities, training programs, and places of work, the question of what it means to grow up becomes a pressing one. Particularly, we might ask: What would it mean to grow up as a Christian?

“God’s plan is not limited simply … to human beings. God’s plan, as Creator, is for everything. He’s determined to completely undo the effects of the fall and to renew the whole world.” —Alistair Begg

In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter issues two incisive imperatives: “Be sober-minded; be watchful.” We have a duty of personal vigilance, since, as Peter goes on to explain, “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” There can be no passive defense in the Christian life. The moment we let our minds wander, the moment we get lazy, unguarded, or slothful, we are immediately in a spiritual danger zone.

“There was never a time when God did not exist. … God existed always as a Trinity—God the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit.” —Alistair Begg

Dear Friend, August 3, 1983, was a day I will never forget.