Press On to Maturity in Christ

New Things Have Come

To be forgiven, and to forgive others as we have been forgiven, changes everything.  A person who has trusted in Christ, expressing their faith in His sacrifice at Calvary as a substitute payment for their own sins, experiences a new beginning.  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the person is redeemed, "bought," as it were, out of slavery to sin.  The person is sanctified, (i.e., "made holy), and justified, (i.e., declared righteous, in a legal sense). They also are indwelt, or "baptized" in the Spirit, thoroughly identified with the Spirit of God in every aspect of their lives.  "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves of free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."  It is this "baptism" that unites all true believers, creating a spiritual bond between all believers.  They are also adopted into Christ's "family."  "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!"  That word, "Abba," is the familiar address for "father," as intimate as "Daddy."  Believers still have great reverence for God, but their union with the Spirit, and resulting adoption, creates an intimate relationship with God.  This is the start, the beginning of their walk with God by grace through faith, empowered by the Spirit, day by day.  But, as wonderful and mysterious as this is, it is only the beginning.

The Need for Maturity

Some people find faith, but stall before pressing on to maturity in Christ.  The writer of Hebrews, (probably Apollos), exhorted believers who were stuck in immaturity.  "Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1-2).  To the writer of Hebrews, the basics include concepts like understanding the nature of Christ, repentance from unbelief and self-made works salvation, baptism, the authority of elders, the resurrection, and even eschatological issues, such as future judgment of the world.  These are the "basics."  He exhorted them to press on to maturity.  Even those who feel they are "mature" may have far more development ahead of them than they realize.  Even the apostle Paul said, "Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect (the word 'teleios,' implies having reached a 'goal' or a desired 'end result'), but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:12).

Stages in the Development of Maturity

The stages of growth in the natural world may give some insight into the stages of growth in the spiritual life.  An apple tree begins as a seed, then becomes a seedling, then a sapling that might begin to flower, and finally a fruit-bearing tree that increases its fruit harvest each year until it ages or is troubled by disease, drought, or storms.  The book of Mark says, "The soil  produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head" (Mark 4:28).  The physical stages of human development also provide a metaphor for the developmental stages in the spiritual life.  After birth, a baby is totally dependent on his or her mother and father for everything, but they still have all the potential in their genes, and all the legal and familial rights as a member of the family.  Soon, the baby becomes a child, expressing themselves and exercising their abilities, although they need a lot of discipline by mom and dad to learn about life and how to behave appropriately.  As an adolescent, they begin to learn more about human relationships and learn things to prepare for adult life.  Then, as a maturing adult, they must take on greater responsibilities and learn from the trials and difficulties of being a responsible adult.

The Bible recognizes four stages of spiritual development, infancy, dependent childhood, maturing-adulthood, and mature adulthood. 

Spiritual Infancy

Of infancy, Peter says, "Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" (1 Pet. 2:2).  Spiritual "milk" is the scriptural basics that are clear and easy to digest, such as scriptures about the love of God, assurances of salvation, the importance of the scriptures, the practice of prayer, including adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, and the need for fellowship, and privilege of sharing one's faith.  It is a good time to recount stories that focus on Jesus and concrete examples of heroes of the faith

Dependent Childhood

At this stage, a young believer needs "solid food," but they have yet to put much of what they have learned into practice.  Application of the principles of the Bible, in time, develops experience and discernment in the ways of God and how to avoid foolish or evil ways.  "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (Heb. 5:11-14). 

Peter sets forth a process through which the promises of God, the revealed word, may be used to transform a young believer into a strong, maturing adult.  "⁴ For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. ⁵ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶ and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷ and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:4-8).

Maturing Adulthood

These young disciples can handle solid food.  They have acquired the skills to feed themselves, such as inductive Bible study and hermeneutics.  They know how to put things in biblical and theological context, and to discern and apply the principles of the word of God.  But, they still need coaching, and they often work in supportive roles, following other leaders with more experience.  We see these relationships in examples like Timothy and Paul or Mark and Peter.

Paul wrote to Timothy, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³ Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this."  Paul uses metaphors for young adults, such as soldiers, athletes, and hardworking farmers" (2 Tim. 2:1-7, NIV)

Mature Adulthood

This level of maturity is achieved through years study, meditation, and prayerful exercise of spiritual gifts of service, enduring many trials and tests that happen in the course of life and service, with the objective of becoming more like Christ.  James, the brother of Jesus, and pastor of the church of Jerusalem, wrote, "² Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).  The instructions to Titus by Paul for the appointing of elders gives some insight into the qualities of a mature believer to which all should strive.  "⁷ For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." 

The mature believer operates, not by the wisdom of men, but by the power of God and they share the mind of Christ, functioning, as it were, as ambassadors for the King of kings on Earth.

³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, ⁴ and my ^[b]message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not ^[c]rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; ⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; ⁸ the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

^10 [d]For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, ¹³ which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, ^[e]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

¹⁴ But ^[f]a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually ^[g]appraised. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶ For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:3-16)

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).  As ambassadors for God, they carry on the work of Christ, reconciling the world to God.  As such, those who are mature, who serve as ambassadors, often are marked by suffering.  But, their circumstances only serve as the setting for magnifying the power of God and the message that they bring.  "¹⁹ And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Eph. 6:19-20).

Signs of Immaturity

We all have weaknesses.  But, these issues may be signs of spiritual immaturity:

1. Arrested growth (Heb. 5:12)
2. Insensitivity to evil (Heb. 5:14)
3. Worldly-mindedness (1 Cor. 3:4)
4. Emotional instability, particularly regarding sound doctrine  (Eph. 4:14)
5. Pride (1 Cor. 3:6)
6. Self-centeredness (Luke 9:23)
7. Lack of love for the other believers (1 Jn. 2:10, 11)
8. Discontentedness (1 Tim. 6:4-8)
9. Avarice (Tit. 1:10-11)
10. Deeds of the flesh (Gal. 5:19, 21)
11. Contentiousness (1 Cor. 3:3)
12. Destructive criticism (2 Cor. 12:19, 20)

Marks of Maturity

Every maturing believer is a work in process.  These characteristics indicate progress in maturity.

1. Focus of life is the securing of the glory of God (Jn. 17:4; 1 Cor. 6:20)
2. Growing love for God and others (Jn. 13:34-35; 2 Thess. 1:3; Rom. 5:5)
3. Growing personal and experiential knowledge of God (Ex. 33:13; Phil. 3:10)
4. The pursuit of holiness is more attractive than the pursuit of happiness (Jn. 15:11; Heb 1:9)
5. A growing walk by faith, rather than by sight (2 Cor. 5:7; Jn. 20:29b; Heb. 11:10, 27)
6. A life characterized by prayer
1. pervasively practiced (1 Thess. 5:17; Acts 6:4; Phil. 4:6-7)
2. Privately devotional (Matt. 6:5-15; Lu. 5:16)
3. Persistently importunate (Matt. 7:7; Lu. 18:1-8)
4. Powerfully intercessory (Eph. 6:18-20; Col. 1:9-12; Jam. 5:16; 2 Thess 3:1; Col. 4:12)
5. Purely unhindered (1 Tim. 1:8; Prov. 15:8; 1 Pet. 3:7)
6. Publicly appropriate (1 Cor. 11:1-16; 1 Cor. 14-19; Matt. 6:5, 7)
7. Dissatisfied with the "milk" of the word and craving "solid food" (Heb. 5:13a-14)
8. Teachable, welcoming experiences that develop the mind, heart, and spirit (2 Pet. 3:16-18; Prov. 4:7)
9. Abiding perseverance in obedience to the truth (Jn. 3:31-32; 15:5)
10. Trust, acceptance, and contentment, rather than anxiety, resentment, or rebellion against the disciplines or circumstances that God, in His wisdom, allows (Heb. 12:11; Rom. 12:2; Phil. 4:10-13; 2 Cor. 12:9)
11. Growing discernment that enables discriminating between truth and error; good and evil (Heb. 5:14)
12. Humility and a preference for serving others over serving self (Mark 10:45; Lu. 22:27c; Phil. 2:3-4)
13. Focus on giving, rather than receiving (Mark 10:45; Phil 4:14-18)
14. Acceptance of responsibility in the work of the kingdom (2 Tim. 2:1-7; 4:5)
15. Harmonious unity with the Christian community (Eph. 4:13; Phil. 2:2)
16. Respect for God-ordained authorities (Rom. 13:1-7)
17. Fruitfulness, not barrenness (Jn. 15:5, 16)
1. In character (Gal. 5:22-23)
2. In service (Jn. 4:36; Rom. 1:13)
18. Tested righteousness
1. Endurance and joy from a tested faith (Ja. 1:2-5)
2. Resistance to temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)
3. Blessedness for righteous suffering (Matt. 5:10-12; Jn. 15:20; 1 Pet. 2:19-24, 3:14-18; Phil. 1:29)
19. Enthusiastic zeal (Jn. 2:17; Phil. 3:14; Col. 4:12-13; Tit. 2:14)