Where jealousy exists attitudinally, strife will result visibly. The former is a sinful, immature emotional feeling and the latter is a manifestation of selfishness and provocation. Accordingly, immature believers cause division in the body of Christ. The babe in Christ has difficulty in putting away the old self cf. But in truth, as Paul said of himself in Galatians 2: So why all the quest for personal glory?
Accordingly, when faced with a decision regarding personal interests over those of the body of Christ, we are to choose the latter. Infants in Christ, states our passage, walk like mere men. Or said another way, they act like non-believers. This contrasting portion of the second verse in the introductory sidebar is easy to see and understand. Spiritually mature individuals, because of their regular diet of the Word, have the ability to discern truth from error.
They are trained to see life through the lens of the Book penned by the Author of life. A parallel passage to this is 1John 2: I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Similar to Paul, the apostle John uses the analogy of physical maturation to depict spiritual growth although the Greek words to characterize these levels of growth are different. The young man and the father differ from the child in that they have overcome the evil one. Much more can be learned from this passage, but in relation to this study and this sub point, what this similarly illustrates is that the spiritually mature believer can and will discern spiritual truth from error, wherein the infant does not.
In other words, babes can get caught in the web of false doctrine or religion. The spiritually mature on the other hand have come to grips with the truth of 1Peter 5: Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Satan thrives at sidetracking young believers into false religious systems that seem to the spiritually less discerning to be similar to biblical Christianity. But the spiritual adult can ascertain true saving faith from false religions and cults as is implied by the third passage in our original listing of passages:.
As a result [they] are no longer. The child in the faith tends to go with the flow the wrong flow i.
This could refer to following others who cause schisms in the Body of Christ. Furthermore they are doctrinally deceived. Notice Paul says in this regard, every wind of doctrine, i. They lack knowledge of the Word. As I often have said in our studies, a common thread among all false religions is an unbiblical understanding of the person and work of Christ, often combined with extra-biblical revelation of some sort.
As spiritual infants they lack the ability to discern error from truth. They lack training in the Word of God. At the risk of sounding arrogant or self-righteous, I will say that the majority of believers today in the American Church are spiritual infants. Most are grossly under-taught in the Word of God due to the impact of the seeker-sensitive movement in many churches. Accordingly, they are headed for heaven but in the meantime their usage by God here on earth is quite limited.
Now think of this unfortunate phenomenon as it relates to Public Servants who desire higher office: In few circumstances does a President or King appoint an infant to an important task.
II. NOURISHMENT
First, the would-be servant must grow up and come to know the King personally and intimately, and in maturity earn his trust by living in accordance with his principles. It is only then that one could possibly think he or she would be appointed to an important position. In a similar sense, do not expect God to appoint you to a higher level of service prior to maturing in your relationship with Him.
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man.
- Spiritual Maturity: Steps to Growing as a Disciple of Christ?
- Differentiating Between Spiritual Infancy and Maturity!
- God, I need to talk to You about Dishonesty (God I Need for Adults);
- Busted: A Tale of Corruption and Betrayal in the City of Brotherly Love!
- Steps to Christ.
- Milk or Meat of the Word, which one are you satisfied with? | Grace Bible Times;
In this Ephesians passage, again contrasting teleion with nepios, yet another characteristic of a mature believer comes to light. Mature believers are critically sensitive to the unity of the body of Christ. They hold unity as a high priority because for one reason, the corporate unity of the body of Christ is the strongest form of evangelism to the secular world. Jesus said this to God the Father in regards this point Jn. The unity of the body is extremely important and those who are mature in Christ and they will avoid disrupting it. In contrast the spiritually immature as previously seen, are characterized by jealousy, which leads to strife, which leads to disunity.
As the believer grows closer to Christ through prayer and obedience to His Word, he becomes more and more like the One who saved him. This is an ongoing process that is aided by the indwelling Holy Spirit. It should be noted again that perfection in Christlike behavior will never be fully attained in this life; not until we go to be with our Savior glorification is perfection achieved.
It follows then that we must be gracious and patient with others in agape love — not self righteously thinking we have a lock on orthopraxy and orthodoxy. Interestingly, Paul uses the word mature or complete teleios in Colossians to explain the unending role and goal of the Pastor-Teacher in this sanctifying process:. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man mature in Christ.
Continued maturation is a sign of adulthood; moving toward completeness is normal for the Christian life. Paul said to the Philippians 1: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will mature it until the day of Christ Jesus. It goes without saying that those who are maturing are also characterized by humility when they discover that they are out of sorts with Scripture.
This passage is from the final verse listed in the opening sidebar. Specifically, Paul is addressing the Corinthian believers — and by extension all believers — with the admonition to be mature in their thinking. Mature believers are characterized by mature thinking: They have an ability to understand the principles of Scripture and reason out from them — and make sound, principle-based applications of the truths therein not only in their personal lives, but in their policy formation. All their decisions will accurately reflect the principles and precepts of His revelation via Scripture.
Mature believers are not disconnected from scriptural truth and application in any area of their lives; that is to say, mature believers have integrity with the Word of God. Continuing with Proverbs 7: Therefore, unlike infants, characteristic of mature, spiritual adults is a true knowledge and deep understanding about the fundamental, foundational issues of life.
The mature believer is a profound person, a wellspring of wise counsel for all of society — and especially in the committee rooms on the Hill. How our nation needs more Public Servants who are trained and discerning, unifying, growing, mature thinkers! They are born from an intense, Holy Spirit-given desire to grow up in Christ. Are jealousy and personal ambition more important to you than the unity of the body of Christ? Do you seek to unify, purify and protect the Body of Christ — even at your own cost?
My prayer is that this study will help you in your quest for spiritual maturity relative to these respective, definitive passages on the subject. It shows they know little of the leadings of the Spirit of the Lord, and realize not the time we are living in. Those who embrace the truth now will have to step fast. There will have to be a breaking up of heart before the Lord, a rending of heart, and not the garment. But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms.
The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith.
Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will. When Christ came to speak the words of life, the common people heard Him gladly; and many, even of the priests and rulers, believed on Him.
But the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined to condemn and repudiate His teachings. Though they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations against Him, though they could not but feel the influence of the divine power and wisdom attending His words, yet they incased themselves in prejudice; they rejected the clearest evidence of His Messiahship, lest they should be forced to become His disciples.
These opponents of Jesus were men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence, to whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow. Would not these pious men receive Him if He were the Christ? God has given us His word that we may become acquainted with its teachings and know for ourselves what He requires of us. It is not enough to have good intentions; it is not enough to do what a man thinks is right or what the minister tells him is right. However strong may be his convictions, however confident he may be that the minister knows what is truth, this is not his foundation.
He has a chart pointing out every waymark on the heavenward journey, and he ought not to guess at anything. It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his example.
We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought and comparing scripture with scripture. With divine help we are to form our opinions for ourselves as we are to answer for ourselves before God. The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed.
You Might be a Spiritual Baby
These men are false teachers. The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given the promise: If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad and that would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error. Every soul must look to God with contrition and humility, that He may guide and lead and bless.
Growth of the body of Christ
We must not trust to others to search the Scriptures for us. Some of our leading brethren have frequently taken their position on the wrong side; and if God would send a message and wait for these older brethren to open the way for its advancement, it would never reach the people. These brethren will be found in this position until they become partakers of the divine nature to a greater extent than ever they have been in the past.
Their work at home, in their neighborhood, and in the church will be in its results as far-reaching as eternity.
It is because this work is not done that the experience of young converts never reaches beyond the ABC in divine things. They are always babes, always needing to be fed upon milk, and never able to partake of true gospel meat. We need to branch out more in our methods of labor; not a hand should be bound; not a soul discouraged; not a voice should be hushed; let every individual labour privately or publicly to help forward this grand work.
Place the burdens upon men and women of the church that they may grow by reason of exercise, and thus become efficient agencies in the hand of the Lord for the enlightenment of those who sit in darkness.
- The Cone Of Spiritual Growth.
- 1. You surrender all..
- Differentiating Between Spiritual Maturity and Infancy;
- 2. You desire to know God intimately..
Strength comes by exercise. All who put to use the ability which God has given them will have increased ability to devote to His service. Those who do nothing in the cause of God will fail to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. A man who would lie down and refuse to exercise his limbs would soon lose all power to use them. Thus the Christian who will not exercise his God-given powers not only fails to grow up into Christ, but he loses the strength which he already has; he becomes a spiritual paralytic. It is those who, with love for God and their fellow men, are striving to help others that become established, strengthened, settled, in the truth.
The true Christian works for God, not from impulse, but from principle; not for a day or a month, but during the entire period of life.