The diamond industry has long been marred by violence and exploitation—hence the term “blood diamonds.” That tragic reality has helped fuel efforts to discover ways to make synthetic diamonds. Recently, German scientists were able to make diamonds out of peanut butter! The process involved applying staggering amounts of pressure over a few weeks to the salty snack, which produced tiny artificial diamonds.

Is it just as quick to turn baby believers into spiritually mature saints?

Some people think spiritual transformation is simply a matter of creating a high-pressure environment at church or in a special revival meeting, one that will turn your carnal carbon heart into a dazzling sanctified diamond.

Many such techniques have been tried, but Miles Stanford is skeptical of them all.

“How often the individual believer is maneuvered down front to consecrate and reconsecrate, surrender and re-surrender, commit and recommit himself to Christ!” (Stanford, The Complete Green Letters, pp. 35-36).

Are you familiar with those kinds of tactics?

The pastor will offer an impassioned invitation, calling you to the front to commit or to re-commit yourself to Christ, to promise to be holier, to do greater things for the Lord, and to surrender all to Jesus in a moment of emotional crisis…

…and for a while, you’re on a spiritual high.

Then it wears off.

You haven’t changed.

You’re still the same.

In fact, disillusioned with your lack of change, you might even end up feeling discouraged and frustrated, all of which leads you to backslide!

Why does that happen?

Because unlike creating synthetic diamonds, genuine spiritual maturity takes time—and Biblical truth about your position in Christ. As Stanford said:

Never was a believer brought into healthy spiritual maturity by means of pressure meetings, and constant exhortation, nor before he was prepared by the Spirit…Healthy progress is based on the apprehension, understanding, and appropriation of the truths in Christ that make for real growth. (Stanford, The Complete Green Letters, p. 35).