Journey Toward ‘Maturity’ [v295]

SEPTEMBER 2023

Healthy adults desire to become ‘MATURE’ during their lifetime. So, is there a ‘STANDARD’ that one can use as a guide in their development process?

INTRODUCTION
Anyone who has ever achieved at a really high level knows that there is no substitute for practice. Sure, we have all heard stories of exceptionally gifted people who are able to master a subject or discipline on their first introduction to it, but those kinds of people are the exceptions and not the norm. For most, mastery takes hard work—for a long period of time. People comment about this kind of person: “He was the first one in and the last one to leave” or “Nobody worked harder than she did.”

After examining what makes successful people successful, Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell suggested in his book, “Outliers: The Story of Success” that it takes roughly 10,000 hours to become an “expert in a field.” Yep, 10,000 hours! Basically, five years of 40-hour work week.

Now, I’m sure that the 10,000-hour estimate will vary depending on the industry and the person. However, in other words, it just takes A LOT of TIME and ‘DEDICATION’ to practicing until one gets it ‘perfect’ (or VERY close to it). Doing the same thing over and over and over again is how one gets good at something. It is how one grows and ‘MATURES’ at something.

I love the story that golf great Gary Player tells. There he is, down in Texas, in a bunker hitting practice shots and an old cowboy walks up and watches as the first shot Player hits goes into the hole. The cowboy says to him, “I got fifty bucks to give you if you knock the next one in.” So, Player does. In fact, he goes on to make three more in a row. As the old man is peeling back a couple of one-hundred-dollar bills, he says to Player, “Boy, I have never seen anyone so lucky in my life.” Player’s response says it all. “Well,” he said, “the harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

Although probably not original to Player, his response gets at something everyone knows: behind people who are really good at what they do is a ‘road’ paved with hours and hours and hours of practice.

My dad always used to say that one would have to hit a MILLION golf balls to be a pro golfer. The thing is, I’m thinking that since he played for over 60 years, on leagues all his life, practiced every time he was in the backyard, and played/practiced every day (even if it was raining) for the last 15 years after retirement since he was the “Head Ranger” at a golf course he probably could have been on the Senior Tour. (He was a ‘scratch’ golfer in his 70s!)

Well, one of the best pro golfers ever, Gary Player—rated the 5th or 6th greatest in the history of golf, behind, in descending order, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, and Arnold Palmer—says that a computer has estimated that he has hit over 15 MILLION balls in his lifetime! With this, Player has claimed the title of “Golfer With The Most Golf Balls Hit.” The 87-year-old backed up the claim by reminding fans that he has been swinging a club for over 73 years now (as of 15 DEC 22).

[ VIDEO: PGA Tour Champions Instagram – Gary Player: “I’ve hit 15 million golf balls.”:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmNJB46rNX5/ ]

He said: “It’s a toss-up between three people for who hit the most balls in the world and I’m going to give myself the nod… It’s either Ben Hogan, Vijay Singh, and myself, but Vijay Singh is 20 years younger than me so I’ve hit 20 years of balls more and he’s still got to get to my age, and I’m still hitting balls!”

He added: “They say a computer works out that I’ve hit 15 million. That’s over 73 years and I was an animal, I never got tired, one of the great blessings I had is that I had so much energy.”

Player also said that, “People don’t realize the value of energy. The more you can practice, the more dirt you move the more tournaments you’re going to win… I practiced when people were sleeping, I went to the gym while people were sleeping.” He dubbed it the secret of his success.

It is pertinent to note that Player has always been meticulous with his game. The golfer is famous for his systematic preparation and professionalism.

Having played professionally from 1961 to 2009, the South African Hall of Famer had an exceptionally busy schedule all over the world. He has also been called the “world’s most traveled athlete.” In 2005, it was estimated that he had “probably flown further than any athlete in history”—more than 16 million miles in air travel.

So, when a person reaches the most advanced ‘stage’ in a process—as Gary Player did with his golf shot—they are considered to have reached the ‘pinnacle’ or ‘MATURITY’ in their development of that certain capability or characteristic.

Let me, then, investigate how one moves ‘toward’ maturity—increasing their skill, productivity, and character—and eventually ‘becomes’ matured.

<<< TABLE OF CONTENTS >>>

‘WHAT’ IS MATURITY?

MATURITY THROUGH ‘RESPONSIBILITY’

‘CHARACTERISTICS’ OF MATURITY
– Have An ‘Awareness’ Of Where They Came From
– ‘Believe’ In Themselves
– Seekers Of ‘Self-mastery’
– The Power To Be ‘Self-Reliant’
– Take ‘Responsibility’ For Their Actions
– ‘Emotionally Responsible’
– Practice ‘Self-Forgiveness’ And Don’t Dwell On Past Mistakes
– Forgiveness And ‘Letting Go’
– Showing ‘Empathy’ To Others
– Being ‘Honest With Themselves’ And Ask For Help
– Take A Calm Approach And ‘Rationalize’ Fears And Anxieties
– Emotionally ‘Intelligent’
– The Ability To ‘Detach’ Their Emotions From Their Reactions
– Do Not Use ‘Gossip’ As A Bonding Tool
– Know How To Deal With ‘Negativity’
– Are ‘Open-minded’
– They Actively Seek Out Multiple Points of View
– They Accept That They Don’t Know Everything
– Aware Of Their ‘Strengths And Weaknesses’
– ‘Accepting’ Of Reactions
– Admit When They Are ‘Wrong’
– Do Not Get ‘Angry Easily’
– Face Their ‘Problems’
– Take ‘Ownership’ And Responsibility
– They Are ‘Flexible’
– ‘Acceptance’ Of Things Beyond Their Control
– They Stay Resilient
– The Competence To Be ‘Pragmatic’
– Being Able To Take The ‘High Road’
– ‘Understanding’ Of Situations And People
– Understanding The Value Of ‘Risk Assessment’
– ‘Adapting’ To Life Changes
– They Look For Learning And ‘Growth’ From Every Opportunity
– They Have A ‘Calm’ Disposition
– ‘Positive’ Attitude
– ‘Approachability’
– ‘Accessible’
– They Have Good ‘Time Management’ Skills
– Being Open And ‘Honest’
– ‘Independent’
– Sets Healthy ‘Boundaries’
– A Good ‘Sense Of Humor’
– Delays ‘Gratification’
– Being Disciplined To ‘Control’ Urges
– Can Take ‘Care’ Of Themselves
– Financially ‘Stable’
– Gracious And Giving
– They Think About ‘Others’
– The Capacity To ‘Respect’ Others
– Can Take Care Of ‘Other People’
– They Care For Their ‘Loved Ones’
– They ‘Plan’ Their Life
– Live for Today, Think of ‘Tomorrow’
– They Know Their ‘Priorities’ In Life
– Live A ‘Value-driven’ Life
– Do Things Which Are ‘Right’

‘STAGES’ OF MATURITY

‘DEVELOPING’ ONE’S MATURITY
‘BENEFITS’ OF BEING MATURE
‘PITFALLS’ OF BEING IMMATURE

BEING ‘SPIRITUALLY’ MATURED

SPIRITUAL MATURITY ‘SPECIFICS’
POOR ‘APPETITE’
DISCERNMENT ‘DEFICIT’
‘URGENCY’
‘ABIDING’ IN JESUS
‘UNION’ WITH JESUS
‘PRUNING’
‘RESPONSIBILITY’ TO GROW
‘ABSORB’ THE WORD
FULL ‘ASSURANCE’
‘MARKS’ OF ASSURANCE
CLEAR ‘GUIDANCE’
OVERCOMING ‘TEMPTATION’
SOVEREIGN ‘INTERVENTION’
FIGHTING THE ‘ENEMY’
COPING WITH ‘SUFFERING’
THE ‘COST’ OF MATURITY
‘EXERTION’ REQUIRED
‘DISCIPLINE’ REQUIRED
‘SUBORDINATING’ TO AUTHORITY
PRIORITIES
HOW TO BECOME ‘DISCIPLINED’
A ‘CALL’ TO DISCIPLESHIP
RUNNING WITH ‘ENDURANCE’
‘ENCOURAGEMENT’ TO ENDURE
‘DEVELOPING’ MATURELY
‘PATHWAY’ TO MATURITY

SPIRITUAL MATURITY ‘GROWTH’
HOW DOES ONE ‘GROW’?
NO LONGER ‘CHILDREN’
‘RELUCTANCE’ TO GROWTH
GROWTH COMES IN ‘STAGES’
THE ’MIND OF CHRIST’
‘KNIT’ TOGETHER

‘STEPS’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
‘HINDRANCES’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
– Sin
– Lack Of Commitment
– Pride
– An Unrepentant Heart
– Disobedience
– Self-reliance
– Unforgiveness
– Selfishness
– Idolatry
– Worldliness

‘TWELVE-STEP’ PROGRAM
– Pray for Guidance
– Read Your Bible
– Listen To Teaching
– Practice What You Learn
– Spend Time With Believers
– Serve Others In Jesus’ Name
– Rely On The Holy Spirit
– Focus On Your Relationship With God
– Develop a Heart of Gratitude
– Practice Spiritual Disciplines and Grow In The Fruits of the Spirit
– Be Willing To Make Changes
– Do Not Compare Yourself To Others

SPIRITUAL ‘IMMATURITY’
‘CAUSES’ FOR IMMATURITY

THE ‘DYNAMICS’ OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
– God Is Ultimately ‘Responsible’ For All Spiritual Growth
– Effort, Diligence, And ‘Discipline’ Are Absolutely Necessary For Growth
– Spiritual Growth ‘Potential’ May Not Be Easy To See At First
– Spiritual Growth Depends On An Intimate ‘Relationship’ With Jesus Christ
– Growth Is Primarily An ‘Inside-out’ Process
– Spiritual Growth Relates To Every ‘Aspect’ Of One’s Life
– Growth Happens Most Naturally Within A Close ‘Social’ Context
– Significant Growth Occurs Within The Context Of ‘Challenges’

WRAP-UP
‘INDICATORS’ OF MATURITY
‘CHARACTERISTICS’ OF MATURITY
‘SPIRITUAL’ MATURITY
DON’T STAY A ‘BABY’
IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING ‘LIKE’ JESUS

<<< SUMMARY >>>

The following is a collection of ‘snippets’ from the post that aims to give you the overall ‘gist’ of this post.
[ 10-15 Minute Read ].

‘WHAT’ IS MATURITY?
If you asked a dozen people on the street what it means to be mature, you would get a dozen different answers. Some people would tell you that someone who is mature is a person who has physically reached adulthood or old age. Some people may define maturity as the ability to listen. Others may define it as the antithesis of childishness. Still others may even say that maturity is patience, graciousness, responsibility, or supportiveness. Well, maturity encompasses all of these things, and even more.

The following are a few slightly different viewpoints about what people think about maturity is:
———
Now, ‘professionally’, maturity is defined as “the behavioral expression of emotional health and wisdom. It is the capacity to know one’s own emotional experience, to be oriented by this experience to some aspect of the truth, to place this truth within the context of other truths, and finally to act in accordance with one’s values.”

According to Merriam-Webster, maturity is defined as “adulthood and full development.” The late advice columnist Ann Landers wrote a column titled “Maturity” in which she said, “People display maturity in patience, perseverance, decision-making, dependability, self-control, and humility; that is, the ability to admit simply ‘I was wrong.’”

Interestingly, medical science—neuroimaging—has shown that adolescence continues into one’s 20s and the frontal lobe governing executive functions like working memory, impulse and self-control, planning, and time management, is among the last brain area to mature—which occurs typically around 26 years of age.

Taking responsibility for one’s missteps is a hallmark of maturity; crafting ‘villains’ and finger-pointing is immature.
———
Maturity is about taking responsibility for things that make you grow in your chosen direction. Maturity is about having developed the habit patterns that support your growth as a person in a complex world in your chosen direction.

It is the ‘responsibility’ one is willing to take that moves them in the direction of their desired growth without any form of external pressure.

One’s level of maturity in a given circumstance is determined by their ability to apply the following skills in a particular circumstance. Specifically, the ‘sequence’ of how they:
———
So, maturity is usually broken down into five different ‘contexts’:
———
Another way to ‘define maturity would be to show what it is not—the antithesis. So, the following are some ways to spot ‘IMMATURE’ people:
———
Well then maybe a ‘scientific’ viewpoint can help with this. A machine learning scientist in Leeds England, Daniel Burkhardt Cerigo, wrote a blog post listing a few things that he defines as maturity:
[ more…]

MATURITY THROUGH ‘RESPONSIBILITY’
Maturity is an aspiration or ideal, a thing which one either moves towards or away from but will never ‘fully’ attain.

A critical distinction is ‘HOW’ one gets there. Normally, biological maturity is generally a function of time. In time, given adequate nutrition, a typical human being will reach a sort of biological maturity.

[ Researchers have shown that physically, a human achieves ‘biological’ maturity at about 20-25 years old. However, brain maturity doesn’t peak until about 30 years of age. Then, on average, a gradual physical decline starts at about 40 and accelerates after 60 years of age. ]

However, this is not so with emotional or spiritual maturity. In these areas, a human could be given all the time in the world and still remain infantile and childish. (I’m sure you have witnessed examples in your own life of people for whom time and age have achieved little in the area of emotional or spiritual maturity.) So, for humans, outside of the biological sense, maturity is far from guaranteed.

True maturity is not a function of age or time, but ‘RESPONSIBILITY’. Maturity is a ‘byproduct’ of taking responsibility for one’s own life—their attitude, their thoughts, their actions, their time, their finances, their relationships, their health, and their personal development—and then taking responsibility for the well-being of others.

So, if one wants to grow in maturity, they never start by taking greater responsibility for their life. They need to stop coasting, goofing off, or blaming others. They need to ‘own’ every aspect of their life as it is and begin to make it better. They need to create order out of disorder, discipline out of indifference, and vitality from suffering. As they do, they will mature and minimize the suffering in their life and in the world around them.
———
Dr. Edwin Louis Cole stated that “Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility.” Responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions, and reactions that shape our lives.
———
It sounds like an easy concept but true responsibility requires living by a set of ‘guidelines’ that encompasses everything we do. So, the following are some questions to ask yourself:
[ more…]

‘CHARACTERISTICS’ OF MATURITY
Maturity is the capacity to respond positively to a given circumstance, and control and manage one’s emotions. Being mature also implies that one has a certain level of understanding and can determine how to approach and cope with challenging situations. As a result, maturity makes it easier to find good answers to issues, and it also allows one to avoid being emotional.

It is essential to understand that maturity is a continuous process. To become a better person, one should continue to work on themselves. There is no definitive objective or degree of maturity that remains constant. Working regularly on one’s mental and physical well-being prepares one to deal with any life situation that may arise.

Emotional maturity is a prerequisite for a contented life and can be a pivotal factor in how we deal with the world around us. So, what is this ‘magical’ character trait and how can it be achieved?

Well, when we think about maturity, the first thing that usually comes to mind is age. However, when it comes to emotional maturity, the age of a person is not always an accurate indicator. Instead, emotional maturity relates to an individual’s ability to both manage and understand their emotions. There are many dimensions to emotional maturity, but to put it simply, emotional maturity helps us to cope with the difficult situations that life ‘throws’ at us. As such, being emotionally mature can help one to navigate the modern world and find fulfillment and happiness within it.

So then, how does one ‘identify’ emotional maturity? Well, the following are some ‘INDICATORS’:

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

– Have An ‘Awareness’ Of Where They Came From
– ‘Believe’ In Themselves
– Seekers Of ‘Self-mastery’
– The Power To Be ‘Self-Reliant’
– Take ‘Responsibility’ For Their Actions
– ‘Emotionally Responsible’
– Practice ‘Self-Forgiveness’ And Don’t Dwell On Past Mistakes
– Forgiveness And ‘Letting Go’
– Showing ‘Empathy’ To Others
– Being ‘Honest With Themselves’ And Ask For Help
– Take A Calm Approach And ‘Rationalize’ Fears And Anxieties
– Emotionally ‘Intelligent’
– The Ability To ‘Detach’ Their Emotions From Their Reactions
– Do Not Use ‘Gossip’ As A Bonding Tool
– Know How To Deal With ‘Negativity’
– Are ‘Open-minded’
– They Actively Seek Out Multiple Points of View
– They Accept That They Don’t Know Everything
– Aware Of Their ‘Strengths And Weaknesses’
– ‘Accepting’ Of Reactions
– Admit When They Are ‘Wrong’
– Do Not Get ‘Angry Easily’
– Face Their ‘Problems’
– Take ‘Ownership’ And Responsibility
– They Are ‘Flexible’
– ‘Acceptance’ Of Things Beyond Their Control
– They Stay Resilient
– The Competence To Be ‘Pragmatic’
– Being Able To Take The ‘High Road’
– ‘Understanding’ Of Situations And People
– Understanding The Value Of ‘Risk Assessment’
– ‘Adapting’ To Life Changes
– They Look For Learning And ‘Growth’ From Every Opportunity
– They Have A ‘Calm’ Disposition
– ‘Positive’ Attitude
– ‘Approachability’
– ‘Accessible’
– They Have Good ‘Time Management’ Skills
– Being Open And ‘Honest’
– ‘Independent’
– Sets Healthy ‘Boundaries’
– A Good ‘Sense Of Humor’
– Delays ‘Gratification’
– Being Disciplined To ‘Control’ Urges
– Can Take ‘Care’ Of Themselves
– Financially ‘Stable’
– Gracious And Giving
– They Think About ‘Others’
– The Capacity To ‘Respect’ Others
– Can Take Care Of ‘Other People’
– They Care For Their ‘Loved Ones’
– They ‘Plan’ Their Life
– Live for Today, Think of ‘Tomorrow’
– They Know Their ‘Priorities’ In Life
– Live A ‘Value-driven’ Life
– Do Things Which Are ‘Right’

‘STAGES’ OF MATURITY
We all mature in ‘stages’, from conception to death. Now, physical maturity is fairly obvious. We all start as a tiny embryo and over time grow a body. We are born immobile, yet gradually learn to sit, stand, crawl, and walk. We learn to use a spoon, then later a knife. We go through puberty. We mature.

However, other kinds of maturity are not so obvious. For example, when you look at someone, you might accurately assess their physical stage if they have an adult body. But it is not so easy to tell if they are ‘emotionally,’ psychologically, or relationally mature. We would need to interact with them over time to assess the more hidden aspects of their human maturity. Even then, our guesses might be off because, beyond physical maturity, most of us don’t know the signs of the other aspects of human maturity.

In reality, most of us have matured physically but have failed to mature in other ways. Maturing is our job, and it needs to be done in ‘community’. We acquire missing skills by spending time with people who have the skills we lack.

In life, maturity comes in ‘stages’—infant, child, adult, parent, and elder. Each stage has both needs and tasks. The needs are what we needed to receive from others, our parents, or community. The tasks are the things we must master at each stage. The good news is even if you are missing a skill from a prior ‘stage’, one can recover. It is not too late. Is it easy? Nope, but it is worthwhile. In fact, recovering our maturity is probably one of the most worthwhile things we can do because it increases our capacity to give to a world in desperate need. It is a real answer for real people.

We all have ‘gaps’ in our maturity skill acquisition. Those deficits can ‘trip us up’. So, knowing our deficits can be life-changing and one can see what needs to happen.

Human maturity is also not limited to a set span of time. We are not destined to stay ‘stuck’!!!

Maturity skills are abilities for a lifetime. They enrich our lives and give us capacity. We can continue to mature our entire life. One can ALWAYS get ‘unstuck’!

‘DEVELOPING’ ONE’S MATURITY
So, physical growth is inevitable, but how does one ‘DEVELOP’ one’s maturity to be responsible, accountable, and conscientious? Well, by taking small, sequential, logical, practical, sensible steps towards growing and ripening into a mature, settled, and ‘developed’ person. The thing is, wisdom and experience cannot be ‘faked.’ One must be willing and patiently wait for each stage of maturity—not trying to ‘force’ the process but letting each stage of growth unfold. Caterpillars come to mind that will help refine my point.
———
Healthy adults continue throughout their lifetime to change in ‘positive’ ways. The maturing process includes personality improvement and regeneration supporting one’s finest qualities

French philosopher Henri Bergson stated that “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” So, just as the flower starts as a seed and ultimately transforms into a beautiful bloom where it is planted, one will see themselves and their ‘desire’ to bloom into something mature and wonderful.

Part of emotional maturity is understanding that it is an ongoing process. You cannot become emotionally mature in a week and carry that title through life. It demands sustainable effort, dedication, and grit to continue growing through all stages of life.

Like any type of maturity, there is NO ‘finish line’ to cross. Maturing is an ONGOING ‘PROCESS’ throughout one’s ENTIRE LIFE. Again, it can be categorized into three areas:
———
Improving your emotional maturity is a significant journey that requires you to be self-aware. Confronting the emotions that you have repressed is demanding—you might feel overwhelmed at times, but that is okay. Remember to rest as you strive toward personal growth. This is your time to focus on yourself and your needs, but you can’t forget to take care of yourself along the way.

The following are some ‘tips’ to help DEVELOP one’s emotional maturity:
[ more…]

‘BENEFITS’ OF BEING MATURE
The thing is, there are some of the benefits of being more mature, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Sabrina Romanoff:
– Better Relationships
– More Stability
– Less Conflict
[ more…]

‘PITFALLS’ OF BEING IMMATURE
Then, on the other hand, Romanoff cites some potential ‘pitfalls’ of being ‘immature’:
– Giving Into Impulses
– Missing The Bigger Picture
– Avoiding Responsibility
[ more…]

BEING ‘SPIRITUALLY’ MATURED
When you stop to think about it, there are many different kinds of maturity. There is physical maturity, having a well-developed and healthy body. There is intellectual maturity, having developed a consistent worldview. There is psychological maturity, being able to establish relationships with people and bearing responsibilities. However, above all, there is ‘SPIRITUAL’ maturity, and that is what I want to delve into. Defining what spiritual maturity is.

Well, the Apostle Paul calls maturity to the “in Christ,” and he meant to be ‘united’ with Jesus just as the branches are ‘in’ the vine. Paul also described the church in Corinth as “infants in Christ,” who could not be given “solid food” because “[they were] not able to receive it.”
———
In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” [ Ephesians 4:14-15 ]. Clearly, Paul’s desire is for the Church/believer to grow up into a ‘mature’ faith.
———
The Apostle Paul discussed the matter of transformation: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind” [ Romans 12:2 ]. The Greek word translated “transformed” in this verse indicates ‘metabolic’ change. We do not need outward correction and alteration; rather, we need an inward change in nature and in life.
———
So, when this change reaches the point of fullness, the time of maturity has come. The last stage of transformation is maturity. Maturity is not a matter of one’s being changed, it is a matter of having the divine life imparted to them again and again until they have the fullness of life.

[ FYI: For more details about ‘regeneration’—or being “born again”—view last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/what-are-you-responsible-for-v294/ ]

SPIRITUAL MATURITY ‘SPECIFICS’
Spiritual maturity is achieved through ‘becoming’ more like Jesus. After salvation, every Christian begins the process of spiritual growth, with the intent to become spiritually mature. According to the Apostle Paul, it is an ONGOING ‘PROCESS’ that will never end in this life.

In, speaking of full knowledge of Jesus, he tells his readers that he himself has not “already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” [ Philippians 3:12-14 ]. Like Paul, every believer needs to ‘PRESS ON’ continually toward a deeper knowledge of Jesus.

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

POOR ‘APPETITE’
DISCERNMENT ‘DEFICIT’
‘URGENCY’
‘ABIDING’ IN JESUS
‘UNION’ WITH JESUS
‘PRUNING’
‘RESPONSIBILITY’ TO GROW
‘ABSORB’ THE WORD
FULL ‘ASSURANCE’
‘MARKS’ OF ASSURANCE
CLEAR ‘GUIDANCE’
OVERCOMING ‘TEMPTATION’
SOVEREIGN ‘INTERVENTION’
FIGHTING THE ‘ENEMY’
COPING WITH ‘SUFFERING’
THE ‘COST’ OF MATURITY
‘EXERTION’ REQUIRED
‘DISCIPLINE’ REQUIRED
‘SUBORDINATING’ TO AUTHORITY
PRIORITIES
HOW TO BECOME ‘DISCIPLINED’
A ‘CALL’ TO DISCIPLESHIP
RUNNING WITH ‘ENDURANCE’
‘ENCOURAGEMENT’ TO ENDURE
‘DEVELOPING’ MATURELY
‘PATHWAY’ TO MATURITY

SPIRITUAL MATURITY ‘GROWTH’
God’s goal, says the Apostle Paul, is for us to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head” [ Ephesians. 4:13-15 ].

Twice in this passage, Paul gives us the ultimate goal of the life of faith. It is the ‘measuring stick’ by which we can judge our progress as believers. In verse 13 he says it is “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” And in verse 15 he urges us to “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” He puts it also in a most descriptive phrase, “mature manhood”!

God’s ultimate plan for the believer is that they be “conformed to the image of His Son” and to demonstrate the character qualities of Jesus—extraordinary integrity, temperament, wholeness, compassion, individuality, boldness, righteousness, earnestness, love, forgiveness, selflessness, and faithfulness.
[ more…]

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

HOW DOES ONE ‘GROW’?
NO LONGER ‘CHILDREN’
‘RELUCTANCE’ TO GROWTH
GROWTH COMES IN ‘STAGES’
THE ’MIND OF CHRIST’
‘KNIT’ TOGETHER

‘STEPS’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Before we look at the steps to spiritual growth, one must understand the obstacles, barriers, or ‘hindrances’ to spiritual growth.

‘HINDRANCES’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

– Sin
– Lack Of Commitment
– Pride
– An Unrepentant Heart
– Disobedience
– Self-reliance
– Unforgiveness
– Selfishness
– Idolatry
– Worldliness

SPIRITUAL ‘IMMATURITY’
In general, emotional immaturity manifests in many different situations, but learning how you might show this trait helps you identify specific habits to develop and skills to improve.

The following are ‘signs’ of emotional ‘IMMATURITY’:
– Incapable Of Expressing Emotions
– Blames Others
– Does Not Ask For Help
– Does Not Respond Well To Stress
[ more…]

‘CAUSES’ FOR IMMATURITY
So now, spiritually speaking, what are the root causes for immature Christian living? Well, ‘APATHY’ is one of the primary spiritual maturity ‘killers’.

When self-focus enters our hearts and consumes us, the hunger for spiritual things exits. The cold hard fact is that some people just don’t care and have been hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Small thoughts of God yield a small view of sanctification. Little thoughts of God snuff out the necessary zeal for mature Christlikeness. The backslider has said in his heart, “I don’t care.” A cold, apathetic faith is an immature faith. Immaturity as a result of apathy doesn’t animate anything; it only steals, kills, and destroys maturity. Apathy cannot be reasoned with and makes us numb to spiritual realities. All sin makes us stupid, but apathy makes us cold and stupid.

The second primary maturity killer would be ‘LAZINESS’. While apathy says, “I don’t care,” laziness cares but doesn’t do anything about it. The harsh reality is that many Christians are unwilling to pay the high price of personal discipline to pursue Christ above all else. There is a refusal to work diligently (1 Corinthians 9:27). Laziness must be replaced with the rigorous discipline that results in growing maturity in Christ.

A third primary cause for immaturity is ‘IGNORANCE’. I am not being pejorative here but speaking of the spiritual competency needed to grow in Christ. Ignorance can be willful and sinful, or it can be that someone’s a new Christian or has simply never been taught how to walk with Christ. Regardless of the reason, ignorance is no state in which to remain. Peter said we have everything we need from God for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Excuses are mere ‘speed bumps’ to the straight path of obedience that Jesus wants the believer to pursue. They have direct access to the ‘mind’ of Christ, the Word of God, the Church, and the Holy Spirit, who aids us in putting off the works of the flesh and its excuses in exchange for genuine maturity. The believer claims ignorance for a short while, however, after a while, it becomes a poor excuse.
[ more…]

THE ‘DYNAMICS’ OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
In Gary C. Newton’s book, “Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity,” he says that a strategy for growing toward Christlikeness must be based on the actual ‘ways’ that people grow and mature. So, by identifying and understanding how one matures spiritually, they become more intentional about their use of time and methods. Understanding the ‘dynamics’ of spiritual growth makes one more aware of how God uses the specific circumstances of their lives to draw them closer to Himself.

Newton identifies eight principles of spiritual growth. Each principle helps one unravel God’s ‘mystery’ of transforming sinful, rebellious people into godly, passionate lovers of His Son, Jesus. The following principles are grounded both in Scripture and in common experience.

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

– God Is Ultimately ‘Responsible’ For All Spiritual Growth
– Effort, Diligence, And ‘Discipline’ Are Absolutely Necessary For Growth
– Spiritual Growth ‘Potential’ May Not Be Easy To See At First
– Spiritual Growth Depends On An Intimate ‘Relationship’ With Jesus Christ
– Growth Is Primarily An ‘Inside-out’ Process
– Spiritual Growth Relates To Every ‘Aspect’ Of One’s Life
– Growth Happens Most Naturally Within A Close ‘Social’ Context
– Significant Growth Occurs Within The Context Of ‘Challenges’

WRAP-UP
If you have ever hung around a toddler or a teenager for any length of time, you know what immaturity looks like. If the toddler doesn’t get their way, they might stomp, scream, and fall on the floor in a fit of rage. Toddlers have few ‘filters’ preventing them from expressing their inner world in a dramatic fashion.

Now, teenagers have a few more filters but still don’t have a fully-formed prefrontal cortex (the brain’s rational thinking arena). Teens may not fall on the floor in a fit, but they might scream, slam doors, pout, or use passive-aggressive and manipulative tactics to achieve their goals. It takes them a while to learn how to act maturely.

So then, what makes one “mature”? Well, the thing is, it isn’t until one is about 25 years old that their brains are fully developed, and they are capable of understanding consequences, using sound judgment, and practicing more ‘mature’ behavior. Then, parental training, cognitive development, trial and error, and role models all contribute to helping one grow in maturity.

Specifically, “acting maturely” primarily includes (not exhaustive):
[ more…]

‘INDICATORS’ OF MATURITY
Professor of Law, Jonathan Todres suggests that there are five ‘indicators’ for maturity:
– Political Participation
– Independent Economic Power
– Responsibility And Accountability
– Bodily Integrity
– Family Rights
[ more…]

‘CHARACTERISTICS’ OF MATURITY
So, the following are some ‘specific’ characteristics (not exhaustive) one possesses when they have achieved a reasonably ‘effective’ level of maturity in their lives.

[ NOTE: There are more details for each one of the following topics in the “All The Details” section below. ]

– Take Responsibility For Their Actions
– React With Equanimity
– Put Into Practice What They Learn
– Know Their Limits And Take Reasonable Risks
– Take Into Account Their Influence Over Others
– Resilient In The Face Of Difficult Situations
– Know How To Manage Their Lives In A Self-Sufficient Manner
– Do Not Use Emotional ‘Blackmail’
– Know How To Enjoy Themselves, And They Make The Effort To Do So
– Fulfill Their Responsibilities And Obligations
– Keep Long-Term Commitments
– Process Flattery Or Criticism Properly
– Possesses A Spirit Of Humility
– Decisions Are Based On Character, Not Feelings
– Expresses Gratitude Consistently
– Knows How To Prioritize Others Before Themselves
– Seeks Wisdom Before Acting

Maturity is the ‘JOURNEY’ of self-development that leads to a more productive and fulfilling life.

‘SPIRITUAL’ MATURITY
When one is just “born again” as a ‘child’ of God, they are ‘spiritually’ immature. However, a time passes, they should develop the qualities or abilities that the Bible says characterize one as “mature.”

Just as a baby needs to do certain things to grow physically, so believers in Jesus also need certain kinds of ‘activities’ to grow spiritually.

So then, how can one move toward maturity? Well, the following are some ‘steps’ to help one do so:
– Desire
– Commitment
– Nourishment
– Faithfulness
– Humility
– Courage
– Resilience
– Discernment
– Growth in Repentance
– Growth in Obedience
– Exercise and Practice
– It Takes Time And Patience
– Growing Up

DON’T STAY A ‘BABY’
The Apostle Paul reminds the believer that they need to reason like ‘men’ and not like children: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” [ 1 Corinthians 13:11 ].

“Childlike faith” means that we trust God implicitly just like young children trust their parents. To say that childlike faith means that we are unconcerned with doctrine is really to be childish. Therefore, we must study with prayer and humility so that we may ‘grow up’ in one’s faith.

In “The Last Days” Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, “Were any great men born in this village?” The old man replied, “Nope, only babies.”

This story reminds us that there is no instant greatness. Growth DOES TAKE ‘TIME’. However, as I just said, one must ‘DESIRE’ to grow to maturity.

Sometimes one can be an adult in one area, but still a ‘baby’ in another area—so one needs to be aware of where they need to grow. Like the Apostle Paul, one just needs to be humble enough to admit that they have not ‘arrived’ yet (Philippians 3:12) and work on the areas in their life that need a little attention.

The thing is, their best ‘method’—‘training’ course—is to study God’s Word and pray about those areas that need attention, and involve spiritually mature people to assist in their spiritual growth.

So, what are you doing today to grow up and mature?

IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING ‘LIKE’ JESUS
Stephen Rankin, in his book “Aiming at Maturity: The Goal of the Christian Life,” defines “a spiritually mature Christian [as] one whose whole character—dispositions, words, and actions—emulates the character of Jesus Christ himself.” The Apostle Paul calls on the church in Ephesus to “be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved [us] and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” [ Ephesians 5:1-2 ]. Spiritual maturity should be the goal of every believer striving to IMITATE JESUS’ ‘ACTIONS’ and LIVE OUT HIS ‘CHARACTER’.

Over 30 years ago, Gatorade produced one of the most famous and memorable commercials of all time—the iconic “Be Like Mike” campaign. The advertisement featured professional basketball player Michael Jordan and showed him doing fantastic things on the basketball court and a variety of different-aged children trying to do the same ‘moves’ and shots Jordan did.

Throughout the commercial, both adults and children are singing lyrics about themselves wishing that they could play basketball just like Jordan—and being shown trying their hardest to do so:
———
[ VIDEO: Gatorade’s original “Be Like Mike” commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3FE489LUQ ]
———
Now, when Gatorade released the commercial, Jordan had become such a household name that his renown was felt nationally. Most people already wanted to be like Mike, the commercial just gave voice to this sentiment.

So then, spiritually, the quest for the believer to “Be Like Christ”—or attain Christlikeness—is the ‘GOAL’ for their spiritual MATURITY.

Reformed Scottish theologian and pastor Sinclair Ferguson did a great job answering the question, “What does it mean to be a mature Christian?” The following are some ‘snippets’ of his answer. [ Note: The entire answer is in the “Articles” section below. ]

“The New Testament’s language for maturity belongs to a family of words that mean” completeness. And, therefore, I think that the simplest way to describe growing in maturity to final maturity is the kind of thing that Paul says at the end of 2 Corinthians 3—that we are being changed from one degree of glory to another and that this comes from Christ through the Spirit as we are transformed into His likeness.”

“If you think about what Paul says in Romans 8:29, that the whole goal of His predestination is that we should be conformed to the image of His Son.”

“Then you can encapsulate the whole of the Christian life in all its ups and downs,
joys and sorrows, afflictions and triumphs, as the way in which the Father through the Spirit is conforming us to be like His Son without ceasing to be our true selves in that Son.”

So, what are you doing to ‘EMULATE’ JESUS in your life? As a BELIEVER, it should be a DAILY ‘DESIRE’—by ‘scouring’ one’s Bible and being ‘mentored’ by a mature believer regularly.

HOWEVER, if you are UNBELIEVER, I ‘BEG’ you to get ‘right’ with God RIGHT NOW! (Note: A prayer of repentance is just below to help you verbalize your ‘heart’ to God about this.) Again, just be like the tax collector in the Temple and cry out, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.”

UNBELIEVER, PLEASE, DO THIS RIGHT NOW! Procrastination will lead you nowhere and since YOU are wholly ‘RESPONSIBLE’ for your own FUTURE, procrastination is probably hindering you from acting on what is the MOST ‘IMPORTANT’ thing a person needs to do ‘BEFORE’ THEY DIE: REPENT of their sins and BECOME a ‘child’ of God—which ‘guarantees’ them a place in Heaven… FOREVER!

[ FYI: For more details about procrastination and some ‘tactics’ on how to stop it, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-sense-of-urgency-v269/ ]

All this to say, JESUS IS THE ‘STANDARD’ by which EVERYONE can become ‘MATURE’ in ALL ‘ASPECTS’ of one’s life—and, MOST ‘IMPORTANTLY’, in one’s spiritual maturity, which they will ‘take’ to Heaven with them!

[ FYI: For more details about what Heaven will be like, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/theres-no-place-like-home-v288/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/ ]

<<< END OF SUMMARY >>>

<<< ALL THE DETAILS >>>

The following is a comprehensive presentation of the topic that follows the ‘headings’ laid out in the Summary.

The following are a few slightly different viewpoints about what people think about maturity is:

“Maturity is the ability to think, speak, and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity.”
[ Samuel Ullman, poet ].

“Caring—about people, about things, about life—is an act of maturity.”
[ Tracy McMillan, author ].

“Maturity is achieved when a person postpones immediate pleasures for long-term values.”
[ Joshua L. Liebman, Rabbi ].

“Maturity: Be able to stick with a job until it is finished. Be able to bear an injustice without having to get even. Be able to carry money without spending it. Do your duty without being supervised.”
[ Ann Landers, advice columnist ].

“To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.”
[ William Arthur Ward, poet ].

“I guess real maturity, which most of us never achieve, is when you realize that you’re not the center of the universe.”
[ Katherine Paterson, author ].

“To grow mature is to separate more distinctly, to connect more closely.”
[ Hugo von Hofmannsthal, German novelist ].

Now, ‘professionally’, maturity is defined as “the behavioral expression of emotional health and wisdom. It is the capacity to know one’s own emotional experience, to be oriented by this experience to some aspect of the truth, to place this truth within the context of other truths, and finally to act in accordance with one’s values.”

Taking responsibility for one’s missteps is a hallmark of maturity; crafting ‘villains’ and finger-pointing is immature.

Now, most agree that maturity is a ‘choice’ and it never comes from age. It comes when one is able to learn from their bad and good experiences and implement those learnings in their further life.

So then, what are some aspects about oneself that will help them know if they are mature or not? Well, the following list will give you some thoughts about that:

– When one does things not to prove their point but to acknowledge the right thing

– When one attempts something not to win or lose, but to learn something

– When one learns that being silent is necessary at some places rather than ‘proving’ themselves

– When one learns to share themselves in order to make others’ life more comfortable

– When one resists the childish impulse to blame others when things don’t go well in life

– When one refrains from fault-finding but considers their own role and how they have contributed to any upset. They then take responsibility for it and work on themselves to prevent the dynamic in the future.

– When one knows their values and are principled in their decisions

– When one resists settling for less and consciously work on becoming better humans, partners, lovers, and parents, regardless of their age.

So then, literally, something that is “mature” is something that has undergone a process of ‘development’.

Maturity is about taking responsibility for things that make you grow in your chosen direction. Maturity is about having developed the habit patterns that support your growth as a person in a complex world in your chosen direction.

It is the ‘responsibility’ one is willing to take that moves them in the direction of their desired growth without any form of external pressure.

One’s level of maturity in a given circumstance is determined by their ability to apply the following skills in a particular circumstance. Specifically, the ‘sequence’ of how they:

– Cope
– Adapt
– Survive
– Discover
– Practice
– Learn
– Grow
– Evolve within a situation

So, when one is in a given situation or circumstance, they have an opportunity to learn how should they cope and adapt—which then allows them to ‘grow’. Then, they can practice and apply the learning to their growth ‘evolution’ in maturity.

The more one knows themselves, the better they will be at doing the above eight things, and consequently, the “more mature” they will become.

Then, the more situations they find themselves in, the more they get to learn about themselves—which is why maturity is an unfolding ‘JOURNEY’ of self-knowledge.

These ‘parameters’ are usually based on observing someone’s behavior and then determining if they match a person’s expected behavior The thing is, the observation of another individual—regarding a specific behavior—is also based on how mature they ‘ARE’ in their ability to demonstrate the same behavior.

Furthermore, when someone is mature, they have the ability to make good decisions on their own, without being guided to them by a parent or another adult. A toddler might decide that it is a good idea to chew on crayons, but both teens and adults would never have that thought, because they have been taught from a young age that crayons are not food. [ Unless you get those new “C.R.E.” edible chocolate crayons! ;^D ].

So, maturity is usually broken down into five different ‘contexts’:

– Physical
Your body goes through four stages of maturity to grow from being an infant, child, adolescent, then adult. [ age, size, hand-eye coordination, the ability to move in different ways (walking, running, biking), etc. ]

– Mental
You grow your cognitive skills, such as how reasoning through problems or processing information. [ Broken up into three ‘sub categories’: Intellectual: school smarts, on-target learning for one’s age, etc.; Ethical: the development of morals, the ability to be empathetic, etc.; and Social: the ability to develop friendships, to share, and to cooperate, etc. ]

– Emotional
As you age and develop, you gain better control over your emotions. For example, you may go from having emotional reactions like tantrums as a toddler to expressing yourself with words and taking the time to reflect on your actions as a teenager. [ Patience, kindness, the ability to manage anger, etc. ]

Maturity develops mostly through interactions with others, or, if one is a particularly reflective person, by actively changing troublesome behaviors. To develop mature behaviors, the following are a list of expected behaviors:

– Be Gracious
– Stay Optimistic
– Follow Through
– Think Before You Act
– Don’t Lash Out
– Be Generous With Your Time
– Take Accountability For Your Actions
– Be Honest
– Practice Self-control
– Speak For Yourself
– Welcome Challenges
– Don’t Expect Anything To Be Easy
– Seek Out Other Points Of View
– Be Respectful
– Set Goals

Now, developing new habits is ‘tough’ to do, especially when it involves training your brain. However, it IS possible to change your behaviors—just pay attention to your words, behaviors, and actions. Once you identify the ways that you want to improve, set goals, and make changes in your everyday interactions. Soon, you will find that these new behaviors will become habits, and your maturity level will ‘skyrocket’!

Another way to ‘define maturity would be to show what it is not—the antithesis. So, the following are some ways to spot ‘IMMATURE’ people:

– They Don’t Take Responsibility
One of the key characteristics of emotional maturity is that you take responsibility for your own life. As soon as you hear someone framing themselves as a ‘victim, you know they’re on the wrong path.

The mature person realizes that they are the only ones who can do anything about these situations, and they ‘frame’ them differently. They take responsibility for coming up with solutions to make things better.

– They Can Only See Things From Their Perspective
This is why they are shocked and enraged when criticized. They are unable or unwilling to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and see situations from another point of view.

The emotionally mature person is good at considering all points of view, and recognizing that they aren’t perfect either, and may be part of the problem, not part of the solution.

The mature person cares about what is right, not who is right.

– They Lash Out When The Pressure Is On
It is easy to be cool and calm when things are going well. When there is money in the bank and your relationships are on an even keel.

However, when things are going badly, this radically changes for the immature person. Money is tight, there’s friction with a supplier or an employee, and suddenly you see a very different side of them.

They ‘blow up’ or make excuses or tell lies or are just awful to be around. The real you come out when the pressure is on, not when everything is going along nicely.

– They Take It All ‘Personally’
Whatever happens, they take it as a personal ‘attack’.

The thing is, most of what happens to us is not personal.

People act the way they do for their own reasons most of which have nothing to do with us.

– They Treat People Badly Because They Are Having A Bad Day
Mature people recognize that they MAY well be part of the problem and they are able to ‘stand’ outside themselves and look at the situation from the other person’s perspective.

So, if you are concerned that you haven’t got all the previous habits down pat, not to worry! One is NEVER too old to ‘grow up’!

Mental health counselor Jenny Brown, writes in her book “Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring Your Best to All of Life’s Relationships” that one of the worst habits people have that restricts them from achieving maturity is criticism: “When we’re finding fault with others, we stop working on ourselves.” The thing is, usually criticism is a ‘front’ to poor self-esteem and assertiveness skills. Dale Carnegie, in his book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” said that “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”

Well then maybe a ‘scientific’ viewpoint can help with this. A machine learning scientist in Leeds England, Daniel Burkhardt Cerigo, wrote a blog post listing a few things that he defines as maturity:

– Maturity isn’t what people tell you it is. It isn’t what your parents told you and it isn’t what your peers tell you.

– Maturity isn’t your salary. It isn’t your (trouser) suit, and it isn’t the title on your business cards.

– Maturity isn’t your mortgage. It isn’t your glassware, and it isn’t moving into the up-and-coming area of a capital city.

– Maturity isn’t opera tickets. It isn’t knowing your wines, and it isn’t that time you went to a Michelin-starred restaurant.

– Maturity isn’t your marriage. It isn’t being a parent and it isn’t telling your kids to go on the naughty step.

– Maturity is not the number of years you’ve been alive.

– Maturity is being honest, even when that’s difficult. It’s being completely honest with yourself about what you’ve done, and what you really feel and why.

– Maturity is admitting mistakes, to yourself and others. And it’s knowing it’s ok to ask for help.

– Maturity is being able to empathize, even with our polar opposites. It’s knowing every other person can be as complex and vulnerable as you.

– Maturity is realizing we are exactly as significant and exactly as insignificant as every other human.

– Maturity is realizing that other people’s opinions and feelings towards you are not what create your self-worth. You define what you think is valuable and a good life to live, and you try to live it.

– Maturity is realizing that simply being alive isn’t progress. It’s knowing that progress is reflecting on your experiences and then consciously incorporating what you’ve learnt into your life.

– Maturity is knowing that self-understanding is a never-ending process. That there are no fixes, just continuous discovery.

– Maturity is acceptance. It’s accepting this moment you’re in right now, and learning to enjoy it. It’s accepting yourself, and learning to love that person.

– Maturity is taking responsibility for your own happiness.

So, to try to give a ‘summary’ statement, it seems that maturity is the alignment of one’s truth, wisdom, and their values, and something they can ‘CULTIVATE’.

MATURITY THROUGH RESPONSIBILITY
Maturity is an aspiration or ideal, a thing which one either moves towards or away from but will never ‘fully’ attain.

From there, one needs to begin taking responsibility for the well-being of those around them. They do not have to wait for a leadership position—like parenting or management—to be given to them. The ‘position’ is irrelevant. (The world is full of immature parents and immature managers.) One just needs to start taking ‘responsibility’ for the well-being of those around them. Work for their good. Encourage them. Bless them. Challenge them. Make their life easier and their day brighter because you are in their life. Find out their goals and help them achieve them. Take greater responsibility for the goals and culture of the groups you are a part of. Taking this path of responsibility will mature you, minimize the suffering in your own life, and bless the world around you.

Dr. Edwin Louis Cole stated that “Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility.” Responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions, and reactions that shape our lives.

An infant enters this world responsible for nothing and to no one. In fact, everyone else in that baby’s life is responsible for their needs. As the baby grows and becomes responsible, he or she begins to become accountable for his or her actions, attitudes, choices, and behavior.

Think about this now toddler misplacing a toy. It would be expected that the conversation with a parent would go something like this: “Where is your toy?”, “I don’t know, it got lost.” Moving from a child to a responsible adult is the very basic principle that it didn’t just get lost but “I lost it.”

It sounds like an easy concept but true responsibility requires living by a set of ‘guidelines’ that encompasses everything we do. So, the following are some questions to ask yourself:

– If you agree to do something, do you do it?
– Are you consistent?
– Do you place blame or make excuses?
– Do you admit when you make mistakes?
– Can people count on you?

Being a responsible person is not always easy. It sometimes requires us to do things we don’t like or even dread. It takes a self-imposed discipline regardless of the circumstance.

Responsibility is a main ‘pillar’ of good character because it shapes our lives and defines who we truly are by giving us the choice. Accountable and self-reliant people not only depend on themselves, but show others that they can be depended on. This breeds trust, and trust is key to all relationships.

Each and every day, we have the responsibility to choose how we live. We have been given the ‘gift’ of life, talents, and the ability to create.

Here’s an illustration that might help:

What if there was a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400? Your account carries over no balance from day to day; allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do? Well, at I’m thinking that everyone would draw out every cent, of course!

Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as a loss, whatever of this amount you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you and each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s ‘deposits’.

We are accountable to invest our time so as to get from it—the utmost in health, happiness, and success! We all have the responsibility to make the most of each day and are accountable for our actions, attitudes, choices, and behavior today.

The thing is, the ‘clock’ is running!

So then, how does one ‘identify’ emotional maturity? Well, the following are some ‘INDICATORS’:

– Have An ‘Awareness’ Of Where They Came From
No matter how much we may try to deny it, we are profoundly affected by our surroundings and environment. Where we grew up, our family background and our community all influence our inert biases and prejudices. Having an awareness of how these biases, prejudices and potential privileges influence decisions and actions is a key indicator of emotional maturity. Through this awareness, emotionally mature people are better able to see the world from a different perspective and question themselves when they think their ingrained beliefs may be tainting their viewpoint.

– ‘Believe’ In Themselves
Emotionally mature people don’t have a false sense of self that is ego-based and deluded. But they do have optimism in their own ability to use effort and patience as a way to establish the belief that they are equipped to deal with whatever life may through their way.

– Seekers Of ‘Self-mastery’
Mature people are passionate about self-development, psychology and understanding the inner workings of themselves and the workings of the world. They are open to learn and apply the principles they gain from their explorations in personal development to all areas of their life. This type of growth-mindset keeps mature people living more conscious and aware lives because they are able to live according to the life principles and wisdom gained both trough their own and the experiences of others.

Mature people typically have a team around them, from therapists to coaches to keep them in check and on the path to living a life they love. Because they are supported, guided and in the action of practicing the right attitudes and life principles, mature people more easily overcome the challenges that life inevitably brings them. Through self-mastery mature people learn the art of turning life’s ‘lemons’ into lemonade.

– The Power To Be ‘Self-Reliant’
Self-reliance is a sure sign of maturity—even animals are able to fend for themselves eventually. Of course, this example does not include people who have special needs.

Self-reliance means you can manage your own affairs. You no longer need support and guidance for basic needs. A mature person knows how to care for themselves, find a job, and solve problems

– Take ‘Responsibility’ For Their Actions
While it is not easy to admit when you are wrong, another key sign of emotional maturity is the ability to do so. Admitting when you are wrong not only demonstrates that you take responsibility for your own actions, it also shows that you are not quick to blame others for your own mistakes. An obsession with always being right, no matter what the cost, is an indicator of emotional immaturity. Apologizing takes courage, and in recognizing our own weaknesses, we can demonstrate our emotional intelligence.

The same goes for receiving criticism, an emotionally mature person is able to receive criticism and not take it as a personal attack. Rather, they can take the feedback on board and aim to learn from it instead.

Life and life’s circumstances, at the end of the day, have to be dealt with from our own will and volition, and admitting wrong is woven deeply into the fabric of mature people because they view humility and admitting wrong as steps up the mountain, not steps going backward. The mature person is able to understand that life is what they make it. That every person’s destiny is within their choice. Those with maturity live life making conscious decisions knowing that whatever the result is, they are the one’s responsible.

– ‘Emotionally Responsible’
For an emotionally responsible and mature person, empathy (putting oneself in other’s shoes) is a gifted trait which is sadly uncommon in this world. They know the extent they can affect the persons around them and society acts accordingly to that. It does not mean that changes colors like a chameleon to constantly please the people every time. They always respect other people’s emotions, and treats them in the same way they want to get treated.

– Practice ‘Self-Forgiveness’ And Don’t Dwell On Past Mistakes
The ability to admit when you are wrong goes hand in hand with letting go of previous mistakes. Rather than punishing yourself for what went wrong in the past, or clinging to feelings of regret, a key aspect of emotional maturity is learning to let go. You recognize that constantly punishing yourself for previous errors is counter-intuitive and, instead, realize that you are only human and forgive yourself. Being kind to yourself is a key part of emotional maturity and allows you to learn from mistakes rather than dwelling on them. Indeed, forgiving yourself for past mistakes is an important step in achieving a contented life not least because when we make mistakes, we tend to learn a lot from them.

Bad habits can range anywhere from smoking to toxic behaviors, and if you’ve left them in the past, you are nailing being a mature, responsible adult. But with that being said, of course, some mature adults still smoke, or who still eat too much junk food.

We all have bad habits. The difference between being mature and being immature is that the former tries to work on changing these habits. The latter doesn’t.

So, even if you have not completely quit all your bad habits, do not worry. If you are aware of them and are taking steps to work on yourself, you are off to a good start!

– Forgiveness And ‘Letting Go’
It is not always simple to forgive and ‘let go’. However, life is short to hold grudges and obsess about minor matters. Being able to forgive implies that one does not quickly get upset. They recognize that everyone makes mistakes and that no one is flawless. Therefore, letting go of grudges liberates one’s emotions and promotes love over hate.

Although everyone’s life is different, some have encountered unthinkable hardships such as betrayal, hatred, rejection, and unexplainable events. However, choosing forgiveness is better since it strengthens one and brings inner calm. Therefore, despite being deeply hurt, one chooses forgiveness over ego as forgiveness is a choice.

When you hold onto anger over an injury from the past—thinking it gives you power over the person you refuse to forgive—you freeze your emotional growth and you gain nothing but misery.

Maturity demands a ‘big-picture’ view of life and it is incompatible with self-righteous anger. If one is holding a grudge, they are unlikely to wish the offender anything but suffering. However, in doing so, they wish the same on themselves—and that suffering does not take long in coming.

With forgiveness, though, one chooses to focus their thoughts on a good outcome for the other, and in doing so, they tend to bring blessings upon themselves. (One also frees themselves from the grip of that anger, which gives one the strength to continue growing.)

– Showing ‘Empathy’ To Others
As well as being kind to themselves, people with high levels of emotional maturity demonstrate equal kindness to others. This is done through the ability to empathize, as well as being able to show care and consideration for the feelings of those around you. In the same way that an emotionally mature person is aware of their own prejudices and biases, they are also able to see when specific circumstances and challenges affect the actions of others. It is often easy to spot an emotionally mature person as people are naturally drawn to them thanks to their ability to listen without judgement and show empathy to others.

You take life lessons you have learned and situations where you have suffered and feel another person’s pain and know what it is like to “walk in their shoes” when they are going through a similar situation. You are able to read a situation or listen to them about it, share your experience with them to show that you can relate to it, and often try to find ways to try and help.

– Being ‘Honest With Themselves’ And Ask For Help
A large part of emotional maturity comes from being in tune with your emotions and being honest with yourself about how you are feeling. It is incredibly tempting to ignore feeling a particular emotion or memory that we find uncomfortable and even painful. However, in doing so, we banish these emotions from our psyche and allow them to take control of us in different ways. Emotional maturity means acknowledging that perfection is impossible, everyone is partial to feeling difficult emotions such as fear, anger, and embarrassment. The most important thing is to be honest with yourself about what you’re feeling and not being afraid to ask for help in times of difficulty.

– Take A Calm Approach And ‘Rationalize’ Fears And Anxieties
It is impossible to never feel anxious or afraid, however, it is how we deal with these emotions that determine our level of emotional maturity. If anxiety is controlling your activities or thought patterns this can have a severe effect on your well-being. While it is certainly not easy, a sign of increasing emotional maturity is not always envisaging the worst-case scenario. Being emotionally mature means that you can rationalize feelings of anxiety and fear by recognizing that sometimes things do go wrong, but largely you can get through these difficult times and there is always a ‘Plan B’ whatever the situation you are facing.

– Emotionally ‘Intelligent’
Life is going to be full of problems. The acceptance of this allows mature people to stay calm and think more clearly during life’s more difficult moments. The whole process of meeting and solving problems is what gives life its deeper meaning. Mature people have established the emotional intelligence necessary to understand that life’s difficulties are the cutting edge of what distinguishes one from being a success or a failure.

Problems call forth our courage and wisdom. It is only through being able to walk calmly and bravely through difficulties that the mature develop any sense of trust in God, life or in themselves. It is through this process they grow emotionally and mentally. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” The emotionally mature learn not to dread, but to welcome life’s challenges for this very reason.

– The Ability To ‘Detach’ Their Emotions From Their Reactions
As we have learned, a great deal of emotional maturity comes from being aware of, and having a handle on, your emotions. This ability can have a profound effect on your interactions with others as, instead of feeling an emotion and reacting immediately, you are able to create a distance between your initial emotion and your immediate reaction.

This ability to react more carefully is an example of practicing mindfulness in your day-to-day life as you observe your initial emotion, recognize it, and think about how you should react rather than allowing your instinct to dictate your response and saying the first thing that comes to mind. This practice can go a long way towards maintaining positive relationships and is both a sign, and huge benefit, of being an emotionally intelligent and mature person.

– Do Not Use ‘Gossip’ As A Bonding Tool
Mature people discuss ideas rather than people. Instead of gossiping, they spend their time concentrating on themselves and doing productive things. Furthermore, persons with lower maturity levels use gossip as a bonding tool and lack stable, influential groups from which to learn. Therefore, one must be aware of the kind of individuals with whom they should associate.

– Know How To Deal With ‘Negativity’
To be mature, one must be able to deal with negative people and events. They should also be able to maintain a positive attitude when they hear nasty rumors about themselves. Also, when they associate with toxic individuals or get into arguments. They should not allow their emotions to get the best of them but rather control their mind and tongue to prevent saying things they may later regret.

Furthermore, coping with negativity means dealing with one’s negative ideas. It also implies that one uses terrible events as life stepping stones to teach them lessons and move them to a higher level of knowledge. Also, accepting that part of life is not always easy, and you may receive unfavorable comments.

– Are ‘Open-minded’
Maturity is the acceptance of people and things that are different from what one prefers. Understanding that different people have diverse views, thoughts, and perspectives. As a result, one should tolerate differences and avoid imposing one’s beliefs on others. Keeping in mind that no two people are the same, everyone has a preference.

– They Actively Seek Out Multiple Points of View
Emotionally mature people actively seek to inform their own opinions by actively seeking out the points of view of others. They don’t feel threatened by disagreement, but look to be informed by people, and aren’t afraid to question both their own convictions, knowing that they don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s not about an argument to prove who is right; it’s about wanting to be informed by different points of view to further clarify their own points of view, or recognizing that perhaps their point of view may even be wrong.

– They Accept That They Don’t Know Everything
A mature person, both mentally and physically, understands that they cannot know everything. Therefore, they accept corrections and do not argue to prove a point only to be correct. Furthermore, being mature entails understanding that there is no harm in admitting that one does not know something. In other words, maturity means a person is willing to learn from the perspectives of others.

Mature people keep their eyes and ears open to look for situations where they can learn something. They also understand that not everything requires their opinion. One should only speak when they have something positive to say that can help others.

Furthermore, emotional maturity allows one to accept any criticism. Evaluate it objectively to grasp benefits. A less mature person, on the other hand, is quickly crushed by criticism. Also, by negativity, and might become so defensive that they lose out on an opportunity to learn and grow. Therefore, to deal with unfavorable criticism, one should try to improve their sense of humor.

They don’t argue “just to be right” or to show dominance to be in charge. They keep an open mind and have open ears and eyes to look for situations where they may be able to learn something, as well as know when they may have something positive to contribute to a situation that can help others.

– Aware Of Their ‘Strengths And Weaknesses’
Self-awareness is an important indicator of maturity. A person who knows his or her strengths and weaknesses can gauge situations and make smart decisions.

Mature individuals understand the things they can do well and what they are not good at. As such, they can take appropriate action to learn more before taking on a new job or taking a business risk.

– ‘Accepting’ Of Reactions
All of us face the pain of heartbreak, rejection, or any other such hurtful situation at some point in life. However, maturity demands that after a passage of time, that one accept things for what they are (if they can’t be changed) and move on in life with dignity.

Different people take different time to get over things in life. However, no matter what the situation is, different types of maturity are required to prepare yourself to make peace with the job and look forward. Mature people challenge to let go of things, so that they can act in positive ways, to grow further with every incident.

– Admit When They Are ‘Wrong’
Maturity also means not blame others for their faults. Instead, one should honestly accept responsibility for their acts. Find courage and accept mistakes as a part of the learning process and a natural aspect of life. Therefore, they do not consider corrections to be an attack or an insult. As a result, despite their age, they acknowledge their faults, understanding that anybody may be misled and make mistakes.

– Do Not Get ‘Angry Easily’
When someone is emotionally mature, they do not take minor issues personally. Especially when they disagree with other people’s views or beliefs, they are unmoved by people’s behavior or remarks, even if they get mocked.

– Face Their ‘Problems’
Maturity means facing one’s difficulties head-on. One must respond to the challenges they encounter, rather than simply sitting and hoping challenges will fix themselves. Furthermore, one should not rely on someone to come and save them at all times. Instead, discover answers and decide to find methods to address the difficulties no matter what occurs.

– Take ‘Ownership’ And Responsibility
An emotionally mature person is able to own up to their own mistakes and not immediately look to blame others. This takes a level of self-honesty and acceptance. If things keep on going wrong, an emotionally mature person will look inwards for answers as to what thoughts or actions may be contributing to the situation and works towards a better understanding and course of action moving forward.

– They Don’t Blame Their Parents For Their Problems
Blaming one’s parents does not help, no matter how terrible their upbringing was. Instead, one must come to a point where they take responsibility for their happiness, difficulties, and choices. Likewise, blaming parents and not doing anything useful does not help. Instead, one should think about moving on, letting go of the past, and focusing on the present.

It is challenging to act mature in every situation since emotions and feelings might take control. Not everyone can successfully appear mature in every problematic situation or keep their cool while responding to challenging events. However, to cope positively with difficulties, one should continually strive to improve oneself.

– They Are ‘Flexible’
It is all too easy to assume things will go according to plan, or that a situation or event will go smoothly because it has each time in the past. When it doesn’t (and that is often a “when” than an “if”), an emotionally mature person is able to think things out and come up with a viable Plan B or even C as needed so that a situation can be dealt with, and still move forward not letting the bump in the ‘road’ ruin the entire plan.

– ‘Acceptance’ Of Things Beyond Their Control
Mature individuals resign to the fact that not everything in life is within their control. So, instead of lamenting this, a mature individual has the strength to know what they can change and the wisdom to know what they can’t.

For example, in your early life, you might strive pointlessly to figure out how to live forever. But as you gain knowledge and experience, you realize that this is something outside of your control. Instead, you can make the most of your years by eating healthily, keeping a regular sleep routine, and exercising.

– They Stay Resilient
Resiliency is the ability to return to a normal state of mind after a devastating blow. Life is not always favorable, and mature people know this.

In the face of upsets, setbacks, or disappointments, an emotionally mature person will acknowledge their feelings, identify what can be done, and then decide what steps to take to move on.

Staying down after a disappointment can be an indication that a person is not mature enough to recover from difficulties. Of course, this does not include mental illnesses like depression which need to be considered separately.

Mature individuals can suffer from a setback, like losing in a game or not getting a promotion, and bounce back from this failure to move on and become a stronger person.

– The Competence To Be ‘Pragmatic’
Pragmatism is a thought process where you want to get things done even if the outcome isn’t your ideal. Pragmatists take action.

A mature individual knows that not everything in life is handed on a ‘silver spoon’. Things get tough and unfavorable. Being a pragmatic individual means you try to find ways to make turn things around to make things a little better—step by step.

During one’s youth, they are often ‘idealists’. They want the world to be a certain way and are uncompromising in their pursuit of their ideals. But, as they gain experience, they realize why the world isn’t the way we want it to be. Instead, they learn that progress toward their ideals is slow and arduous. That’s where pragmatic action comes in.

– Being Able To Take The ‘High Road’
Taking the ‘high road’ means doing the right thing even when there is a temptation not to. Taking the high road is a sign of maturity because you are standing by your moral code when others may not.

For example, a mature individual knows how to apologize if they make a mistake.
Immature people will not do this—how could they when their pride sets aside their morality?

Taking the ‘high road’ also means not engaging in useless and meaningless arguments. Sometimes, it is better to let things go rather than dig in and cause trouble.

– ‘Understanding’ Of Situations And People
Life brings tough and tricky situations along the way, for most of you. However, the difference between a mature person and an immature one is that one with maturity will try to understand the situation or that person, before reacting.

To keep yourself in another person’s ‘shoes’, logically reason out why something may have happened in a certain way, not merely judge or blame the other person; these are some of the things that make you an understanding person and further give the word mature meaning in your life.

– Understanding The Value Of ‘Risk Assessment’
Mature individuals must have already learned from their experiences and use these experiences to assess risks.

As a mature person, you must consider the possible consequences of your actions. The potential negative consequences are the ‘risks’ from certain tasks. Now, this doesn’t mean not taking risks. Rather, it means taking measured risks and having a good sense of when a risk is worthwhile and when it is not.

It is why mature people walk away from a fight or attempt to de-escalate arguments—they know it is not worth it based on a mature risk assessment.

– ‘Adapting’ To Life Changes
Change is inevitable, but growth, along with happiness, is optional. Life keeps changing, bringing with it, new people, a set of experiences and challenges for you. Although change itself helps you become more mature, to deal with it also requires some maturity.

Immature people show a lack of understanding of situations, by either showing resistance to change or behaving in their old ways. As a result of this, they fail to adapt in a positive manner, which brings newer challenges for them. A mature person, on the other hand, sees things for what they are and makes conscious efforts to adapt to the change. This helps them learn and grow and take a step further in life.

– They Look For Learning And ‘Growth’ From Every Opportunity
An emotionally mature person is on the lookout for what can be learned from any situation or opportunity, and searches for the growth opportunity within it, asking “How can I learn and grow from this?”

– They Have A ‘Calm’ Disposition
Emotionally mature people do get mad but do not let the emotion dictate their response. They aim to have a clear mind with the goal of having rationality dictate how to effectively deal with a situation and also see all of the available options to come to a successful resolution. They know that when emotions override rationality, clearness of thought gets blurred and can limit the options for dealing effectively.

– ‘Positive’ Attitude
A positive attitude comes naturally to the mature person. They have faith in the concept that with enough hard work, patience and persistence things will work out. This type of attitude keeps mature people in a state of harmony with themselves and others because from their vantage point there is a way to make every situation a win-win experience. They have mastered the principles of being in mutually beneficial relationships and staying out of relationships which do not serve them or their highest good.

– ‘Approachability’
Emotionally mature people are able to and prefer to talk WITH people, not AT them. They have genuine empathy for others, an open mind, and work towards not being judgmental of others, knowing that judgments are often based on preconceived notions can impede their ability to know someone and their truth.

– ‘Accessible’
The emotionally mature understand the most important thing they can give relationships, projects, goals, or business is their time. When a person with maturity loves something and it is of value to them, they spend time with it, working on it, taking care of it and enjoying it. They value themselves and therefore see their time as valuable and they have the deep desire to use their time well. For this reason, they are open to interruption and will make themselves accessible whenever it is important. Because they value themselves and their own time, they also value the time they give and spend with others, and make those commitments a priority in their lives.

– They Have Good ‘Time Management’ Skills
Are you the type who rushes out of the door, unprepared, stressed, and anxious? Or are you the type of person who leaves five minutes early, has their bags packed the night before and arrives to work cool, calm, and collected? If it is the second option, it’s another sign you’re a mature, responsible adult!

Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but time management skills show that you’re dedicated to your commitments. It also shows that you are organized and are good at planning ahead. If that doesn’t scream sensible adult, I don’t know what does!

– Being Open And ‘Honest’
Mature people live with high integrity. They are committed to knowing, hearing, and working within the truth no matter how hurtful or stressful that truth may be. Mature people are also willing and committed to telling the truth even when it is humiliating and difficult for oneself or another. They have an open mind to hear counsel and to respond to reproof.

When a responsible and a matured person say “I will do it”, they achieve it. When they say they will stick by you not only during one’s happy times but also in hard times, they mean it. They are always there for you as a ‘lighthouse’ to a stranded ship in the sea. Keeping their word and promises are one of the biggest traits of being a reliable, responsible, and a matured person. Such persons are always a person of their word.

– ‘Independent’
Mature people have lived life and sought personal growth which allows them the freedom of their independence. Through commitment and life experience mature people have developed an independent mindset and live life following the principles and purposes they have set for themselves, regardless of what other people say and think. This sense of independence brings fearlessness to their personality, and the resilience to be true to who they are. These are not people who follow the crowd, or the establishment; they follow their hearts, passions, and desires.

– Sets Healthy ‘Boundaries’
Strong boundaries are essential for everyone to have, but it’s usually when we mature and reach adulthood that we start to really enforce these limits. A good example of this is being able to ‘set’ boundaries.

As a form of self-respect- health-orientated boundaries that you set for yourself, and also for others to know you have certain lines related to yourself that you don’t allow others to cross.

When you put this boundary in place, it shows you are responsible and mature enough to know when to say “No” before one suffers from ‘burnout’.

– A Good ‘Sense Of Humor’
Emotionally mature people realize that all of life can’t be taken seriously. They do realize the importance of getting done what needs to get done, but they realize the importance of having fun and laughter in life as a great coping mechanism and pressure release from stress.

– Delays ‘Gratification’
Mature people have found a way to ground themselves in self-control. They know that those things worthy of their time will require their patience, persistence, and effort. Mature people are able to delay gratification. They enhance their experiences of pleasure by first dealing with and experiencing their pain and getting it over with. In other words, they place their responsibilities before leisure as the only successful way to live.

The mature are willing to tolerate feelings of discomfort long enough to find solutions to their problems. An immediate solution may represent gratification to many, but mature people know that the best solutions come with delaying the need to get rid of the problem quickly. The most lucrative solutions are found in the process of thinking through the problem.

– Being Disciplined To ‘Control’ Urges
A mature individual has self-control, and this virtue applies to many circumstances. The ability to control one’s urges means that the person is behaving rationally and with good reason—not based on emotions.

Children and teenagers typically do not have this self-control—they often take what they want without thinking of the consequences because they lack maturity.

– Can Take ‘Care’ Of Themselves
It also means that he can support himself and does not have to constantly depend on others for taking important decisions in his life. When a matured and a responsible person says “I can take care of myself,” they mean that they can not only survive but also thrive in any situation and rise from the ‘ashes’ to put things right in their life.

– Financially ‘Stable’
Being financially stable is one the most important aspects of our lives. If you cannot save enough for your present and future, you end up being broke and ‘hurting’. I have seen people sticking to their family and friends. Borrowing often to meet their needs is not a good trait if one wants to be financially stable.

So, what is being financially stable? Well, it depends. Even if you are earning a lot of money but are unable to ‘harness’ it, you are not financially stable. One must develop the capacity to handle their income well, spending on necessities and saving properly leads to a healthy financial life. Now, that does not mean you have to be a miser. One just needs to properly take care of its ‘flow’.

– Gracious And Giving
Mature people live with a natural feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for the expansive range of people, events and circumstances in their lives. Because maturity is based in responsibility, mature people live with higher levels of happiness and lower levels of depression and stress. The emotionally mature turn their happiness into sharing and generosity. They offer helpful services to others as a way to spread their own wealth and joy in ways that circle back. When their giving circles back, the emotionally mature experience even deeper levels of pleasure, personal satisfaction, and gratitude for what they have been given in life to now gift back.

– They Think About ‘Others’
You are a responsible adult is if you don’t just think about yourself all the time—you also think about those around you. Whether that is making sure your family is well cared for, thinking of their needs, or being conscious of the consequences your actions have on others, these are an important sign of maturity.

Even if you do not have children, if you are looking out for friends, neighbors, or even people in the wider community, it shows you are responsible and you have a caring personality.

– The Capacity To ‘Respect’ Others
Ignorance is a sign of immaturity. Being able to respect anyone despite their ethnicity, gender, religion, or political views is a sign that you have had enough experience to understand the diversity and intrinsic value of all human beings.

Maturity happens because of exposure to a wide range of people in life. It comes from knowing that you cannot control what people believe in, that people are different, and that we should be tolerant of one another if we want peace.

Immature people insist that they are always right. It is always about them—they have a feeling of delusional superiority.

– Can Take Care Of ‘Other People’
A responsible and matured person is a torchbearer for their family, friends and society they live within. They can act as a friend, philosopher, or a ‘guide’ to the people around them. Such a person is always looked at as a leader when it comes to being economically, physically, and emotionally supportive. They believe that they can take proper care of them and help them in their well-being.

– They Care For Their ‘Loved Ones’
Everyone has a unique way of showing love. However, in general, immature people sometimes become clingy and possessive, thinking they are doing this out of love and care. However, mature people, on the other hand, take different routes to take care of their loved ones.

– They ‘Plan’ Their Life
People who lack maturity often make decisions in ‘haste’, whether it concerns their career, relationships, or anything else. They make plans and take decisions based on their emotions and impulses. Mature people, on the other hand, look at life objectively and weigh the options practically before arriving at any conclusion.

Therefore, from relationship maturity to intellectual maturity, we all need different ‘types’ of maturity to deal with different kinds of challenges.

– Live for Today, Think of ‘Tomorrow’
Ignoring tomorrow will have lasting and disturbing consequences. This is the vital sign of being responsible and mature in your own life.

– They Know Their ‘Priorities’ In Life
Mature people know what matters most, and they have the sense to line up things in the proper order of importance. They are good at prioritization because they know what matters. In addition, mature people understand that resources are finite so they need to forego some things to have the more important things in life.

Since resources are finite, mature individuals know that they must not spend on unimportant things when there are bills that need to get paid. They also know how to use their time wisely. Children, for example, will typically play first before doing their homework. Mature individuals do it the other way around.

– Live A ‘Value-driven’ Life
You recognize your own purpose and worth and seek to continue to grow personally and professionally as well as seek to help others when they need it.

– Do Things Which Are ‘Right’
A very strong trait of being responsible and matured person is that they do things which are right rather than doing things which they like. They give importance to priorities in their lives rather than living in their whims and fancies. Because, once we put priorities in their proper place, good things tend to happen.

Knowing the ‘components’ of maturity can help one to be conscious of their virtues and shortcomings. It can also help them to think about how they relate with the world around them. It can be helpful to consider that everyone is trying to grow and carry themselves more maturely, just like they are. Maturity comes ‘STEP-BY-STEP’.

We all have ‘gaps’ in our maturity skill acquisition. Those deficits can ‘trip us up’. So, knowing our deficits can be life-changing and one can see what needs to happen.

Human maturity is also not limited to a set span of time. We are not destined to stay ‘stuck’!!!

Maturity skills are abilities for a lifetime. They enrich our lives and give us capacity. We can continue to mature our entire life. One can ALWAYS get ‘unstuck’!

A man finds a cocoon of a butterfly, and after watching it struggle for a few hours to force its body through a little hole, the man decides to ‘help’ and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. What the man didn’t understand was that the restricted cocoon and the struggle to get through the tiny hole is God’s way of forcing fluid from the body to its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

So, opening the cocoon prematurely never allowed the caterpillar to mature. The thing is, this is also true of human maturation as well. Sometimes life needs to happen to make one strong enough to free themselves from out of their ‘cocoon’.

One develops maturity by practicing and exercising their gifts, talents, and energy. They develop maturity by learning lessons, correcting mistakes, seeking excellence, and contributing ethically, honestly, and faithfully to completion of their mission. They and their mission are like the rose mentioned above when it is allowed to effortlessly, naturally mature and grow from a seed to a mature blossom.

If one does not allow oneself the proper time to ‘bloom’ Richard Kaplan, an American network television producer, said there is a potential downside: “People mature with age and experience. I hope I more resemble a fine wine than a bad vinegar.”

Healthy adults continue throughout their lifetime to change in ‘positive’ ways. The maturing process includes personality improvement and regeneration supporting one’s finest qualities

Like any type of maturity, there is NO ‘finish line’ to cross. Maturing is an ONGOING ‘PROCESS’ throughout one’s ENTIRE LIFE. Again, it can be categorized into three areas:

– Physical
Your body goes through four stages of maturity to grow from being an infant, child, adolescent, then adult.

– Mental
You grow your cognitive skills, such as how reasoning through problems or processing information.

Now, while most people believe that maturity comes with age and research does suggest that emotional maturity improves with age, that is not the case for everyone.

If you might feel ‘stuck’ on your journey to becoming emotionally mature—or have no idea where you are in your growth—it probably means you need to learn how to ‘DEVELOP’ your emotional maturity.

Improving your emotional maturity is a significant journey that requires you to be self-aware. Confronting the emotions that you have repressed is demanding—you might feel overwhelmed at times, but that is okay. Remember to rest as you strive toward personal growth. This is your time to focus on yourself and your needs, but you can’t forget to take care of yourself along the way.

The following are some ‘tips’ to help DEVELOP one’s emotional maturity:

– Develop A Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is crucial when you’re setting and working toward goals because it welcomes the necessary learning and improvement to progress. Focus on continuous self-improvement and growth rather than nitpicking failures and shortcomings.

– Build Self-confidence
It takes a strong sense of self-confidence to manage all of the moving parts to a successful life. Never underestimate what you are capable of and love yourself for who you are. A great way to gain confidence is to do things that are outside of your comfort zone.

– Set Healthy Boundaries
Your friends and family could have a habit of crossing the line and making you uncomfortable, but you can limit that behavior in the future. Set healthy boundaries that keep your well-being in mind and make you feel safe. Remaining firm with these boundaries is a sign of emotional maturity because you’re respecting your emotions by standing up for yourself.

– Understand Your Emotions
To be emotionally mature, you need to understand your emotions. That is easier said than done—vulnerability is scary, but recognizing emotions helps you handle them more maturely. When you understand what makes you angry, sad, or excited, you can use that to your advantage instead of retaliating at the first hint of negativity. Ask yourself what makes you mad or uncomfortable and why.

– Be Aware Of ‘Triggers’
There may be certain situations or people who ‘trigger’ less than mature responses from you. Maybe it is something your spouse says that makes you defensive or the way you revert back to allowing your mom to baby you when you visit your parent’s home.

The thing is, what triggers immature behaviors can help you change. Think about why the situations or people trigger these responses in you.

– Does it go back to an event in your childhood?
– Did you never learn a more mature response in these situations?
– Do you feel entitled to indulging your reactions, even when you know they aren’t mature?

Once you have a better idea of why you are triggered, think about ways you can respond differently.

You may need support from a counselor to deal with any old wounds from the past that are holding you back and preventing you from changing your reactions and responses.

– Honor One’s ‘Feelings
It is healthy to express your feelings and to really feel them. We are ‘wired’ to have feelings, and expressing them is a loving acknowledgment of the beauty and struggle of life. Show maturity by articulating your feelings.

Expressing your feelings allows you to empower yourself. It is not an opportunity to make accusations. Be generous with yourself as you work through your feelings.

– Practice ‘Mindfulness’
The benefits of practicing mindfulness cannot be praised enough. Mindfulness can help you to become more ‘in tune’ with your thoughts and feelings and help you to gain control of them. It can also help you to appreciate the smaller things in life and take the pressure off yourself if you’re constantly aspiring for perfection.

– Own Your ‘Shortcomings’
Recognize that you have choices in how you act and react. Do not blame other people for the problems in your life. Reflect on what actions you took that contributed to the situation, and own up to them.

If you have let somebody down, let them know that you are sorry. By owning your own mistakes, you show others that you are humble and can admit fault, a very mature action.

– Own Your Mistakes
You will make mistakes from time to time. But it’s how you handle those mistakes and take responsibility that matters most when you’re striving to be emotionally mature. Next time you make a mistake, apologize for your error without making excuses for yourself. View each mistake as a learning opportunity to expand your skills and learn more about yourself.

– Take Ownership
Instead of taking responsibility, many people look for other places to lay blame for their circumstances. Recognizing failure as an opportunity to learn and grow will give you the right attitude and will teach you how to be a stronger person.

– Practice Personal ‘Responsibility’
Between an event and your response to it is that brief moment when you decide how you will react. By claiming your power to choose how you respond to life, you can jump off the treadmill of unconscious reactions. Will you react automatically, giving up your personal power to a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction? Or can you break the negative pattern of immature responses and create new, more emotionally intelligent responses that align with who you want to be?

– Avoid The ‘Blame Game’
As the saying goes, “Reality bites.” It is uncomfortable to deal with the challenges, disappointments, and difficulties that life presents us. An immature person rails at reality and tends to blame the world for his or her circumstances. They will avoid, deny, or complain without taking appropriate action.

But being mature requires that we accept reality and work with it. So, rather than whining and moaning about our “bad luck,” we deal with the situation at hand, managing it the best way we know how, and then we can move on with the knowledge that we have done our best.

– Consider Previous Reactions
When thinking about our emotional maturity level it can often bring to mind times in our lives which we are not proud of. Perhaps previous arguments we have had, negative opinions we have held about others, or times when we have allowed fears and anxieties to get the better of us. While this can be uncomfortable, it can be helpful to think about these situations and practice emotional maturity retrospectively. Through personal reflexivity, we can gain an awareness of our own prejudices and biases and even recognize how empathy could have altered your reaction.

– Keep Your Commitments
Make it a point to keep the commitments you have made. Don’t be erratic or ‘flaky’.

When you say you will do something, do it. Even if it is not your idea of ‘fun’, show people that they can count on you and that you are reliable. When you tell someone “Yes,” honor your commitment. Show people that you can be trusted.

– Develop Self-control
Learn to control your words and actions, rather than letting your emotions control you. Pause and reflect on what your emotions are urging you to do, and ensure your actions are always aligned with your values, not how you are feeling in the moment.
Learning how to control your actions and your emotions is a sign of maturity. When you let your emotions control your actions, things can get out of hand quickly. Learning to analyze and manage your behavior can be challenging, but transformative.

– Practice ‘Self-discipline’
One important part of maturity and responsibility is following through, doing what you say, and being a reliable person. This behavior requires delaying gratification and doing things you may not enjoy simply because you said you would do them. Following through on difficult or boring endeavors requires some level of self-discipline. Self-discipline is a muscle you can develop with practice.

So, start by challenging yourself to do one or two small things every day that you know you need to accomplish but do not feel like doing. As you push through these challenges, the actions will get easier because you are developing a habit that does not require so much mental effort.

– Avoid Being ‘Defensive’
When things get heated, be intentional to listen to other people’s opinions, even if you fiercely disagree with them. There are no two people on the planet that will agree on everything. Be respectful and listen, just as much as you want the other person to listen to you. Listening to what other people have to say and not acting defensively shows that you are mature enough to handle conflicts.

– Avoid Negativity
Negativity creates a range of emotions that are not going to help you grow. Mature and responsible people usually air on the side of positivity. Positivity will help you get through difficult situations and overcome the obstacles life is bound to throw at you.

– Make Decisions Thoughtfully
Think before making decisions and seek other’s advice or perspective when needed.

– Be Humble
Rather than professing to know everything, it is important to acknowledge the limits of your knowledge, stay humble, and be motivated to learn more.
Learn to start taking care of yourself and being self-sufficient. This could involve living independently, working on your own terms, or providing for yourself financially.

– They Allow Themselves To Be ‘Vulnerable’
Mature people are not afraid of being vulnerable with others. They can admit their own weaknesses and struggles. They think that by doing so they can make someone else feel less alone, they consider it well worth the risk of humiliation.

Immature people tend to hide their inner mess from others to protect themselves from the humiliation or predatory behavior they expect.

Whatever weaknesses they perceive in themselves, they do their best to keep secret.

They might also divert attention from themselves to someone else by spreading rumors. When they do want attention, they will do their utmost to control the narrative.

– Be ‘Teachable’
It might be fun to feel like you have all the answers and you don’t need anyone’s input, but maturity includes being open to the knowledge and wisdom of others. It is okay to admit you don’t know everything (nobody does!). People around you have wisdom that you may not, so seek out the wisdom of others before making big decisions. This shows that you are willing to learn from others.

When faced with an important decision, seek input from people you trust.

Now, while others can be helpful (or not), your decisions are ultimately yours to make and nobody else’s. Opening your mind to others will allow you to grow in more ways than one.

– Set ‘Goals’
Be deliberate about what you want to achieve. Once you have identified your goals, break them down, and create small steps for you to work toward.

If you don’t know what you are aiming for, how do you plan to get there—or know when you get there? Mature and responsible people set clear goals. Goal setting allows you to target your energy and focus on activities that will help push you towards what you want to achieve.

– Stay ‘Focused’
Learn to delay gratification and prioritize long-term goals over short-term impulses. Follow through and don’t let temporary impulses stop you from reaching your objectives. Studies show that a true sign of maturity is the ability to practice restraint when faced with exciting, emotional, or risky situations.

– Be ‘Persistent’
Work toward your goals and don’t fall off the ‘wagon’ when things get tough, when unexpected roadblocks come up—or if you feel progress is taking too long.

Maturity is a marathon, not a sprint. To become mature and responsible takes commitment and persistence. Embracing personal growth will help give you the motivation you need to work hard and chase your goals.

– Find The Right ‘Balance’
It is important to maintain a balance between prioritizing your needs versus the needs of others. Your agenda shouldn’t solely revolve around you, but it also shouldn’t cater exclusively to the needs of the people around you either, to the extent that you neglect yourself. Learn to set boundaries and take care of yourself and others.

– Respect Other People’s Opinion
People have different views on different topics. Respecting the beliefs and viewpoints of others without judgment is a sign that you are understanding. Even if you don’t agree with someone’s opinion, giving them the courtesy to hear them out shows that you are mature and open-minded.

– Treat People With ‘Respect’
Treat those around you with respect. Respect builds trust and support in a relationship, whether it be with your parents, siblings, friends, or spouse. A good way to learn respect is to first treat yourself with respect.

Think before you speak and hold off from saying anything that can be hurtful.

– Prioritize The ‘We’ In Relationships
Our maturity often ‘flies out the window’ in our close relationships. We tend to be more prone to lose our tempers, say unkind things, and act in childish ways with the people we love the most. This behavior is particularly evident with our spouses or intimate partners.

Immature people tend to prioritize the ‘me’ rather than the ‘we’ in their relationships. They want to win every argument and make sure their own needs are met, even if it causes disconnection and a loss of intimacy as a couple.

So, for a relationship to thrive, you must put the health of the relationship above your own frustrations, wants and needs. One must learn to communicate in a way that doesn’t jeopardize the strength of the relationship and find ways to be cooperative rather than competitive.

– Learn Good ‘Communication Skills’
Even for the most mature people, communicating in a healthy, productive way can be a challenge—especially in our most intimate and significant relationships.

Mature people prioritize the value of their relationships and choose to learn how to communicate in ways that foster mutual understanding, respect, trust, and kindness. They seek mutually beneficial resolutions during a conflict and learn how to speak in ways that don’t trigger hurt feelings, anger, or resentment.

So, one needs to practice compassion, forgiveness, and understanding and seek out a win-win solution during a conflict.

– Maintain A Non-judgmental ‘Attitude’
Being non-judgmental means having an attitude of acceptance, understanding, and acting authentically. Accept the people in your life as they are. Show others that you can learn to accept everyone in your life through understanding. Learn to withhold your judgments and approach people through compassion.

Use empathy and “walk a mile in their shoes” and discover that, regardless of how flawless someone’s life appears, they have problems that cause them ‘pain’.

– Make ‘Requests’
When you want something, don’t be demanding. Instead, make requests. Make your case and then explain your request. Show your maturity by making a request and following through with actions.

Instead of saying, “I deserve it!” or “Why aren’t you giving me what I want?”, say “I would like to tell you that I really want something, and I would like you to hear me out.”

– ‘Listen’ More
Most people tend to treat conversation like a competitive sport, but this approach is the opposite of the one you should be taking. Listening is a sign of maturity because when you listen, you develop a greater understanding.

– Pay ‘Attention’
Start by noticing areas in your life where you tend to have difficulty with being mature. This awareness can be the most difficult step, as most of us don’t want to acknowledge how we might be acting childishly.

The thing is, awareness is the first step toward change. So, take a ‘deep breath’ and try to be completely honest with yourself. Think about the immature behaviors you have noticed in others to see if you consistently engage in any of these. Make notes about any behaviors you do not like in yourself or that you notice others pointing out in you frequently.

– Maintain A ‘Routine’
Build a stable, healthy routine that involves work or school, exercise, a healthy diet, and creative or active hobbies.

– Own Your ‘Mistakes’
Take ownership of your actions and do not try to blame others for your circumstances. Own up to your mistakes and work on correcting them.

– Let Go Of Things That Don’t ‘Serve’ You
It is important to let go of things that are no longer serving you. This could include habits, thought processes, relationships, or activities in your life.

– Express ‘Gratitude’
Be grateful and make it a point to express your thanks for the big and small things you value in your life.

– ‘Give’ Back
Giving back is the ultimate sign of maturity. When you give back your time, knowledge, or effort to other people it shows that you’ve reached a place where you can afford to shift your focus from yourself onto others.

– Make ‘Sacrifices’
A sign of maturity is being responsible enough to make sacrifices for the good of others, or for the future without any resentment. Responsible people understand that sometimes gratification needs to be delayed now in order to attain a future outcome.

– ‘Define’ Their Ideal Self
So, who do you want to be in this life? What ‘kind’ of parent, spouse, friend, sibling, co-worker, adult child, and neighbor do you want to be? How would you like to treat others? How do you want to respond to life challenges? You can’t fully act mature until you define what that means for you.

So, try this: Sit down with a pen and paper, and write down exactly what you want from yourself in your relationships and in various life situations (the positive and the negative). Now, you may not be able to achieve your ideal all of the time (we are human, after all), but you now have an ‘ideal’ worth aspiring to.

– Live By One’s ‘Values’
Maturity includes making decisions based off of your values, ethics, and morals, instead of what feels good in the moment. While spur-of-the-moment decisions can be fun, weigh whether there are any long-term consequences. Allow your values to guide your life. Let your character master your desires.

Whatever you choose, commit to it. Show people that you are willing to live out your values, even if it presents minor inconveniences to you.

– Consciously Choose One’s ‘Beliefs’
When you consciously choose what you believe—rather than cling to inherited beliefs or those held by people you look up to—you are more likely to know why you believe what you do. You are also better able to defend those beliefs when others call them into question.

If, on the other hand, you have adopted a belief without giving it much thought, a simple question like “Why do you believe that?” feels like persecution, or a ‘trap’. Those who carefully consider and choose their own beliefs are usually calmer and more confident in defending them. They have already debated the issues themselves.

– Define Their ‘Integrity’
Part of creating your ideal self is knowing what ‘integrity’ means for you.

Life is so full of mixed messages and conflicting views of right and wrong and good and bad. You may have adopted your parents’ value system or borrowed your sense of integrity from your peers. This is a common fallback position, as many of us don’t take time to look within ourselves and ask the important questions about what our own guiding principles should be.

Often, we are presented with decisions about our integrity the moment we come face-to-face with a situation that demands a particular response from us.

Rather than waiting for this moment to force our hands into a response that may not reflect our integrity, be proactive by determining your ethical and moral principles in advance. Then you will be ready to respond authentically when the occasion arises.

– Focus On Something ‘Bigger Than Oneself’
A big part of developing maturity is operating in the world with the spirit of compassion, kindness, love, and service. The less focused you are on your own problems, complaints, and challenges, the more inner peace and happiness you will experience in life.

So, find an ‘endeavor’ that allows you to focus less on yourself and more on serving, enlightening, helping, giving, and contributing in some way. Now, you do not have to save the world—just find something you feel passionate about that allows you to leave a legacy of some kind.

As you endeavor to improve your level of maturity, you ‘awaken’ more and more to the person you really are underneath the ego, life experiences, and old habits that have ‘clouded’ your perceptions and reactions to life.

Once you are fully ‘grown up’, your world will open up in ways you never expected.

– Find A Role Model
Your parents could have been emotionally immature and were not good role models for you growing up, but others around you could become a mentor to you as you improve your emotional maturity. Consider another loved one, a colleague, or a trusted friend to be your role model.

Watch as they handle challenging situations and how they respect their emotions. It could give you insight into better habits to form and inspire you to keep working to develop your maturity.

– Mature People Work On Being More Mature
We all revert to knee-jerk reactions and childish behaviors from time to time. Even those who are wise beyond their years or who are known to be patient and discerning slip up on occasion.

Some of us have areas in which acting maturely is particularly difficult. Certain people, situations, or challenges bring out the adolescent in us, and we say or do things we later regret.

So, as the above list showed, emotional maturity has several ‘dimensions’. It not only means having awareness and control over one’s own emotions, prejudices, biases, and privileges it also means showing empathy and compassion to the feelings and reactions of those around us. Achieving emotional maturity is no easy feat. It can mean addressing some parts of our self which we have previously chosen to ignore, admitting to previous mistakes, and being honest about our true thoughts and feelings. However, it also means being kind to yourself and letting go of the things you regret.

Growing in emotional maturity can have a profound effect on your own well-being, as well as having a positive effect on your relationships with others. Practicing mindfulness, learning from past experiences, and opening your mind to learning something new are key steps in the right direction in achieving emotional maturity.

Developing maturity is a lifetime endeavor. Once you reach adulthood, you should know what it means to be mature, and hopefully, you embrace the value of mature actions. But one will need to continue to practice maturity until it becomes a ‘guiding force’ in all they do.

‘BENEFITS’ OF BEING MATURE
The thing is, there are some of the benefits of being more mature, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Sabrina Romanoff:

– Better Relationships
Your relationships may start to improve as you become more mature. You will likely experience fewer arguments and deeper connections with the people around you.

– More Stability
With better decision-making skills comes more stability across the different domains of your life, including work, family, friendships, and romantic relationships.

– Less Conflict
The little things that used to set you off-tilt will be less likely to bother you. You will be steadier in your life and unfazed by things that truly don’t matter to you.

‘PITFALLS’ OF BEING IMMATURE
Then, on the other hand, Romanoff cites some potential ‘pitfalls’ of being ‘immature’:

– Giving Into Impulses
Immature people often have trouble controlling their impulses. For instance, they may want to do well in an exam but may not be able to resist the urge to play video games instead of studying. This can prevent them from achieving their goals.

– Missing The Bigger Picture
Immature people tend to get caught up in small insignificant details or problems that consume their energy. This leaves them drained and prevents them from seeing the big picture, which can hamper their ability to meet their goals.

– Avoiding Responsibility
Immature people may avoid responsibility, which can cause them to be dependent on others for far longer than they should be.

Putting in the work to learn how to improve your emotional maturity is tough. Being emotionally mature does not happen once you reach a certain age. It is something you need to work toward each day.

But, now that you have a better understanding of what maturity ‘requires’, you can learn to stop bottling up your feelings and fearing vulnerability. Maturity helps you communicate better with others, have healthier relationships, and express yourself clearly. Your upbringing might have made you feel like expressing emotions is a bad thing that leads to conflict, however, it is helpful to express them.

Moving forward, know that you should never be ashamed of how you feel. Your emotions are valid, and the more you mature, the greater your self-acceptance. This ‘journey’ will be tough at first, but it will get easier with time—and it IS worth the ‘investment’!

In his book “Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning,” James Fowler notes that “we all begin the pilgrimage of faith as infants.” However, as the Apostle Paul said, we are not intended to remain “infants in Christ” or even children for that matter.

In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” [ Ephesians 4:14-15 ]. Clearly, Paul’s desire is for the Church/believer to grow up into a ‘mature’ faith.

According to the Apostle Peter, believers are called to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” [ 2 Peter 3:18 ]. This means that as Christians, their responsibility is to continually mature in their faith. They must strive for a deeper understanding of the scriptures and actively practice what the Bible teaches us.

It is also important to note that spiritual growth is a gradual process of becoming more like Jesus and aligning oneself to His will. It requires dedication, perseverance, and faith. The steps one takes on their ‘journey’ is not always easy, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, they can make progress towards spiritual maturity.

Spiritual maturity aids in experiencing the ‘fullness’ of life. When one is mature, they have no shortage of life. The more life they have, the more mature they are.

However, life is all about “transformation,” a metabolic ‘change’ in life. Thus, transformation is not a matter of fullness, it is a matter of change. So then, ‘through’ transformation one ‘strives for’ maturity. We must not only have an outward change in appearance, but also an inward spiritual change in one’s ‘nature’.

The Apostle Paul discussed the matter of transformation: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind” [ Romans 12:2 ]. The Greek word translated “transformed” in this verse indicates ‘metabolic’ change. We do not need outward correction and alteration; rather, we need an inward change in nature and in life.

This metabolic change begins with ‘regeneration’. When one is ‘saved’, they were not only justified and their sins forgiven, but they were also ‘regenerated’. At regeneration a new life was put ‘into’ their spirit. From the time of their regeneration, this life has been transforming their natural life. Then, as this divine life changes one’s natural life, it imparts more and more of the divine life into their being. Therefore, transformation is the change of one’s ‘natural’ life.

So, when this change reaches the point of fullness, the time of maturity has come. The last stage of transformation is maturity. Maturity is not a matter of one’s being changed, it is a matter of having the divine life imparted to them again and again until they have the fullness of life.

Christian maturity also requires a radical reordering of one’s priorities, changing over from pleasing self to pleasing God and learning to obey God. The key to maturity is consistency, perseverance in doing those things we know will bring us closer to God. These practices are referred to as the spiritual “disciplines” and include things such as Bible reading/study, prayer, fellowship, service, and stewardship.

Now, no matter how hard we might work on those things, however, none of this is possible without the enabling of the Holy Spirit ‘within’ the believer. The Bible tells us that we are to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). The Greek word used here for “walk” actually means “to walk with a purpose in view.” Later in the same chapter, Paul tells us again that we’re to “walk by the Spirit.” Here, the word translated “walk” has the idea of taking things “step by step, one step at a time.” It is learning to walk under the instruction of another—the Holy Spirit. Being ‘filled’ with the Spirit means we walk under the Spirit’s control. Then, as the believer submits more and more to the Holy Spirit’s control, they will also see an increase in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). This is characteristic of spiritual maturity.

The good news is that when one becomes a Christian, they are ‘given’ ALL they need for spiritual maturity. The Apostle Peter tells us that “[God’s] divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” [ 2 Peter 1:3 ]. Now, God alone is a believer’s resource, and all growth comes by grace through Him, but we are responsible to make the ‘choice’ to obey. Peter again helps us in this area: “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” [ 2 Peter 1:5-8 ].

Being effective and fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus is the ‘essence’ of spiritual maturity.

The Apostle Paul then tells us that the central goal of his ministry was “to present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28-29). However, one cannot ‘get’ the maturity of a fully-developed character—expressing itself in consistent Christian living—quite so easily. It requires TIME and PATIENCE. It is developed only in the ‘school’ of DISCIPLESHIP, in which extensive ‘courses’ have been designed to produce the maturity that expresses itself in a believer’s character. The thing is, one discovers that there are many obstacles and hindrances on the way.

It is not easy today to devote oneself to any long-term goal, especially spiritual growth. Our world is fast-paced, consumer-oriented, image-focused, media-dominated, and have become accustomed to immediate responses. It does not encourage the slow disciplines that produce character. On the contrary, we are encouraged to become replicas of the ‘icons’ of our time, molded by the transient passions they create.

However, if one is going to be a mature believer, one must not allow themselves to be dominated by ‘hunger pangs’ for immediate gratification. In that sense, they must resist the pressures of the age to squeeze them into its ‘mold’.

The mature believer is one who has been ‘shaped’ by the Holy Spirit and has been ‘filled out’ in the character which portrays the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Mature believers possess the qualities which only Jesus can produce, because He alone exhibited them perfectly.

Jesus was the first one who’s life manifested perfect obedience, wholehearted service, a complete exhibition of the fruit of the Spirit, and maturity of character. Having accomplished that—being made “perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10), He now calls the believer to share in what He has done for them. They are to draw on His resources in order to imitate Him in the way He grew into a mature and complete ‘servant’ of God.

So, the two-fold reasons for the believer to press on to maturity are:

– They are bound to the ‘example’ of Jesus
– They are under the ‘lordship’ of Jesus

Jesus is both the “Author” of the believer’s faith, and the One who matures and perfects it (Hebrews 12:2). He died to bring them to maturity. He lives to accomplish that goal. It is the reason why He gave them the ministry of the Word of God (the Bible), which, when exercise faithfully, nourishes all the other spiritual gifts the believer is given.

So, if maturity was the great goal of the apostles’ ministry, then it ought to be the goal for every believer, too—in the deepest desire of their hearts.

Believer: Is maturity—sanctification—your deepest desire for yourself?

Now, the New Testament especially emphasizes the importance of growing into Christian maturity. A closer examination of its teachings, however, suggests that this emphasis is ‘double-edged’: A positive goal with dysfunction in disarray.

William Gouge, a member of the Westminster Assembly, put it like this:

“The duty here intended, is a serious, firm, and six settling of the mind upon that which we hear: a bowing and bending of the will to yield onto at: an applying of the heart to it, a placing of the affections upon it, and bringing the whole man into conformity thereunto.”

That is a comprehensive summary of the concentration that the believer’s life demands. The ability to focus one’s gaze, to fill one’s mind, and to devote one’s heart to Jesus is the basic ‘element’ in real Christian growth. The inability to do so is a sign of immaturity.

Now, some believers never ‘decide’ on spiritual progress. Spiritual focus and concentration seem to be beyond them. They seem to be dominated by their ‘feelings’ rather than by the ‘facts’ of the Gospel. Their powers of concentration on spiritual realities are underdeveloped, and they find it difficult to devote their attention to Jesus—and a ‘vicious cycle’ is set up. They cannot concentrate on the nourishment which will give them strength to increase their nourishment.

[ Note: Many of the following ‘sub-sections’ are my summarizations of a variety of aspects regarding maturity from Sinclair B. Ferguson’s book, “Maturity: Growing Up and Going On in the Christian Life.” ]

POOR ‘APPETITE’
The writer into the Hebrews said, “you need milk, not solid food… solid food is for the mature” (Hebrews 5:12-14). Infants cannot, and should not be expected to, digest solid foods. Milk and puréed food constitute their diet. Only slowly are they put on a diet of solids and eventually weaned from their liquid diet. Their digestive systems are not ready for a nutritious T-bone steak. What is suitable for the adult would be unsuitable for the child. So, it is in the realm of spiritual maturity, too.

Now, there are two periods of life when one returns to a liquid diet: when they are sick and unable to cope with salads, and when they are frail, perhaps at the end of their life when their digestive system cannot cope with turning solids into nourishment. However, sometimes believers behave like infants spiritually. They indulge in things that do not edify them. Their mistake is sometimes not necessarily what they spent their time doing, but in allowing it to become a staple ‘element’ in their lives. Anything that distracts one from God’s Word hands too dull and even spoil their appetite for deep spiritual teachings.

Let me be clear that there is nothing wrong with activities in which believers engage in. However, believers need to ask themselves if what they are doing ‘helps’ their Christian life (1 Corinthians 6:12), will it have a tendency to become an addiction (1 Corinthians 6:12), or will it be something to edify or build them up into a mature Christian (1 Corinthians 10:23).

DISCERNMENT ‘DEFICIT’
The rider to the Hebrews also seems to make a connection between one’s spiritual appetite and their powers of discernment. Spiritual discernment involves the ability to distinguish the good from the bad, the better from the best, the important from the insignificant, and the permanent from the transient (Hebrews 5:14).

If one doesn’t develop some measure of discernment as they grow from adolescence into adulthood, they are likely to make a ‘shipwreck’ of their lives.

So, growing in spiritual discernment is an essential element in spiritual maturity. One’s life is shaped in part by their ability to persevere in the important but unspectacular exercises that build Christian character—studying the Bible, fellowship with other believers, prayer, and serving others in the ordinariness of everyday life.

The language Hebrews 6:14 uses emphasizes the importance of ‘dogged’ discipline. The idea of having one’ “faculties trained” is an athletic metaphor. The idea of “practice” suggests the way training build up strength and fitness for a contest. One is equipped to cope with the critical events of life not by a decision they make in a moment of crisis, rather the decisions they made on such occasions are the ‘fruit’ of the habits of a lifetime. As the old adage says, by sowing a character one reaps a destiny (Matthew 13:1-58; Galatians 6:7-8). The ‘medals’ go to the one who stays in training.

So, are your spiritual ‘faculties’ well trained?

‘URGENCY’
So, why is all this so urgent? Well, one needs to look no further than the context of the Hebrews 6 exhortation to “go on to maturity”:

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity… And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”
[ Hebrews 6:11-12 ].

In the context of speaking about spiritual immaturity, the writer to the Hebrews proceeds to a discussion of apostasy. His concern is that if his readers persist in their immaturity, it may become evidence not of spiritual infancy but of false conversion.

Earlier, the author drew attention to the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, and their subsequent failure to enter the Promised Land because of their rebellion. They grumbled and complained like little children. The author’s concern is that what happened nationally to Israel can so easily happen to the individual today.

A sobering illustration of this is in the Gospels: the genuine saving Christian experience of the Apostle Peter compared to Judas. Even though the Apostle Peter was immature, he was nevertheless ‘anchored’ to Jesus. Judas, on the other hand, although he regretted his dastardly deed of turning Jesus over to the Roman soldiers, he showed no indication of ‘belonging’ to Jesus and all! Judas perhaps regretted that everything had fallen apart in his hands, whereas Peter went out and wept about the darkness of his failure to his Lord. Peter “looked to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” [ Hebrews 12:2 ] and Judas did not do so.

Believers need to reflect soberly on this, especially if they are presently spiritually immature in their faith.

‘ABIDING’ IN JESUS
So, how does one grow to maturity? Well, first off, God Himself is concerned about the believer’s progress toward maturity. They are just ‘children’. He does not give them the commandment without helping them achieve it.

Jesus spoke about “bearing fruit” would ‘prove’ that one is His disciple. He said that He was the “true vine” and that we are the ‘branches’ of that vine. Just as the branches draw their nourishment and life from the vine, so is a believer’s spiritual life resourced by their ‘union’ with Jesus as the source of their life.

If natural branches do not remain in the vine—that is, if they are not vitally a test so that it nourishes their life—then instead of growth there will be decay and death. It may not appear immediately but, in due time, the branch will fail to bear fruit. The vinedresser well then cut it off and burn it (John 15:6).

On the other hand, if a branch does draw nourishment from the vine, the vinedresser will still use his knife, but this time, he will ‘prune’ branch so it will become even more fruitful.

‘UNION’ WITH JESUS
The believers are “the branches” (John 15:5). The Greek word used here, “klema,” means a shoot, or a young twig. Perhaps, in this context, is helpful to think of it as a ‘graft’—a shoot which has been taken from another vine and grafted into a fruitful vine.

The Apostle Paul said, “For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His” [ Romans 6:5 ]. The phrase “united with” translates the Greek word “sumphutos,” which can also be translated “planted together.” The word is derived from a verb which means “to grow together,” “to be bound up with,” “to be closely related to,” “to be native to,” or even “congenital with.”

Paul is saying that a believer or is someone who “grows up with” or “has a congenital character” of union with Jesus. It describes who they are.

This is what is meant by the Apostle Paul to “be a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). One is “born again” with new defining ‘features’. For example, sin no longer has ‘dominion’ over them (Romans 6:14). Even though they have not yet been delivered from sin ‘presence’, they are no longer under its ‘authority’. So, since this is the believer’s new ‘identity’, they are called to express it in their lives.

[ FYI: For more details about the ‘new identity’ of the believer, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/new-identity-v220/ ]

So, Paul is saying that the believer is ‘grafted’ into a union with Jesus, so that all He has done for them becomes theirs, and this union with Jesus gives them a new ‘relationship’ with both sin and God the Father.

Understanding and appreciating this is a fundamental growth point, and one must also become their own ‘gardener’ of their souls by devoting time and effort to increasing their understanding of their union and fellowship with Jesus.

Everyone is tempted to take short cuts, but learning the great lessons of grace, like the cultivation of the best fruit, requires time, care, thought, and patience.

‘PRUNING’
A believer’s life involves ongoing ‘pruning’ by God, which is designed to produce in them a mature and well-rounded Christian character.

The metaphor of pruning is an apt one, for the aims of pruning differ according to the stage of development of a particular plant. In the early years of a plant life, the basic function of pruning is not to produce fruit immediately, but to prepare the plant for future fruit. Good pruning helps create the proper form and shape of the plant so it can both produce and support quality fruit in the future.

A parallel principle is at work in the believer’s life. In their earliest periods of spiritual life—just after they are “born again”—God’s purpose is to lay the ‘foundation’ on which He will build in the future.

If the believer is not patient at this time with the process, then their development will be stunted and their ‘fruit’ will be substandard. ‘Seed’ needs to take root in the soil and weeds need to be dealt with if lasting fruit is to be produced (Matthew 13:1-23).

The once impatient Apostle Peter eventually learned this from Jesus’ patient and progressive work in his life. (His first letter, 1 Peter, provides many illustrations of this new understanding.)

So, long-term ‘fruit’ for EVERY believer is God’s goal, and that requires pruning in order to produce strength and stability. The author of Hebrews, in what some call “The Letter of Maturity,” states: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” [ Hebrews 12:11 ]. The Greek word “paideia” was used here since it concerns “child training.”

Further pruning of a plant aims to cut back the growth in order to produce a balance between new growth in the production of fruit. The vinedresser is concerned for president production, but he is also concerned about the resources of the vine for more mature, richer quality fruit in the future. The skillful vinedresser distinguishes between an adequate pruning and over doing it. The vine severely pruned will produce leaf bearing shoots which invariably become fruitless stems.

So, if the vinedresser cuts too far from the bud, the stub will die and harbor disease. However, if he cuts too close to it, the bud so maybe damaged. The skill of the vinedresser knows exactly where pruning is required to produce strong, fruitful, lasting growth. The thing is, the believer’s heavenly Father is THE ‘Master’ vinedresser when concerned with their spiritual maturity.

‘RESPONSIBILITY’ TO GROW
A believer’s responsibility is to grow in grace. This is achieved, by ‘abiding’ in Christ.

Jesus commanded that the believer “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you” [ John 15:4 ]. He then explained what is involved in this mutual indwelling: That if the believer obeys His commandments, that will abide in His love (John 15:10), and if His words abide in them, then whatever they ask—in the will of God—it will be done for them.

Abiding in Christ, living in ‘union’ with Him, drawing all our spiritual resources from Him, involve allowing His word to abide in the believer—that is to fill their minds and affections and dominate their lives.

Jesus is talking about fellowship with Him that is marked by resolute, Spirit-enabled, obedience to God’s Word (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16)—a willing submission of the heart, soul, mind, and strength to Jesus (Matthew 12:30-31) and His revealed will.

‘ABSORB’ THE WORD
Jesus has spoken His Word to the believer so that His joy might be in them and their joy will be full (John 15:11).

Feeding one’s mind with the Word of God is essential if their hearts are to be filled with the joy of Jesus. Yet, despite this, they are sometimes too slow to read and meditate on the Scriptures, to seek to master them as far as they can, and in the process be ‘mastered’ by them.

The thing is, there is no substitute for a ‘dogged’ daily discipline of reading the Scriptures. Sometimes it is a ‘battle’ to find the time, and is sometimes even a harder battle to fight ‘sloth’. However, the believer needs to overcome the habit of reading Scripture only when they ‘feel like it’.

Now, in one sense, it is an ‘acquired taste’. Only when the believer learns to read and meditate on the Scriptures no matter what they feel like will they actually begin to ‘feel like’ reading it. The thing is, Scripture is ‘medicine’ for their sick souls!

So, if the label on the medicine bottle says “Take one daily,” are you going to take it when you feel like it? No, since if it is to do its work, it needs to be taken daily. That is the same thing about reading the Bible. It will help the believer with their ‘sickness’ and also help them become more ‘mature’ in their faith.

Now, along with a confused approach to reading God’s Word, the believer’s chief weakness in respect to letting the Word dwell in them is a failure to bow their wills in obedience to it. Too often their minds are the ‘slaves’ of their feelings. When that happens, their wills may soon be ‘captured’ by them, too.

When the believer lives on the basis of their feelings—and not being trained and disciplined by God’s Word—they grow spiritually weak. They then begin to confuse their feelings, desires, and aspirations with God’s will.

Growing a fruitful vine is not easy. If vines in their branches could speak, we would probably hear them say that all is not smooth sailing. Abiding in Jesus is NOT a form of psychological relaxation. It is NOT the Christian equivalent of transcendental meditation. It does NOT mean ‘emptying’ of the mind, but rather cleansing and ‘filling’ it with God’s Word, fixing one’s mind on it and allowing it to fill their affections. It is never a mindless activity. Its goal is not psychological release from personal tensions, but knowing and doing God’s will.

Jesus revealed a divine pattern for spiritual growth in John’s Gospel:

– It is rooted in one’s ‘union’ with Him
– It grows through the Father’s ‘pruning’
– It calls followers to ‘abide’ in Him
– It allows His Word to take up ‘residence’ in their lives

When these principles are allowed to work their way into a believer’s experience, they will discover the lasting enjoyment of increased spiritual maturity.

FULL ‘ASSURANCE’
An issue that often troubles new believers in their pilgrimage to maturity is the uncertainty of ‘assurance’. However, God HAS made it possible for His children to enjoy assurance, and wants very much for them to be sure of His love and support for them.

In life, maturity depends on a sense of understanding who we are, how we fit into the world, and knowing that we are loved and accepted. Without these basic ‘building blocks’, one is likely to be insecure.

Similarly, the characteristics of maturity for the believer comes through a growing confidence that God loves them, cares for them, that they belong to Him, and that He will never let them go. In fact, the promises of the Gospel would be empty of their power if the believer had no confidence in the God who makes them and whose character is expressed in them. The believer what end up doubting that God is their own heavenly Father—which Satan surely wants them to do. Satan is always seeking to undermine the believers of assurance of, trust in, and sense of God’s love for them and His generosity towards them. This is probably why there are so many biblical passages aimed at producing a quiet confidence in God, and many personal confessions of how they experienced assurance.

The thing is, it is possible to be a genuine believer and lack assurance because they have mistakenly believed that if a person is a ‘real’ believer then they will be absolutely sure that they are one, and not to be sure would then be a ‘sign’ that they are not a real believer.

However, to draw this conclusion is to confuse the promises of Scripture with one actual appropriation of them, since no believer fully appropriates every promise in the Scriptures. They are appropriated by different believers at different speeds and even two different degrees.

One’s salvation and their assurance of it are related to each other, but they are not identical. They overlap, they can never be separated, but they can and should be distinguished.

Faith is a ‘direct’ activity. By faith one looks beyond themselves to Jesus and says, “since I am a sinner, and you are able to save, I trust you to be my Savior.”

However, the assurance of salvation is a ‘reflex’ action of faith. It is a conviction the believer has about themselves. Assurance is their confidence that because they now trust in Jesus, He will save them. In this sense, assurance is their ‘reaction’ to the gift of salvation, and their reflection on their trust in Jesus.

So, while faith in assurance is related to each other, in faith, one is saying, “I trust Jesus as my Savior,” but in assurance one is saying, “I am sure that Jesus is my Savior.” In the first statement our faith is directed solely and wholly to Jesus, and in the second statement they are also saying something about how they see themselves. Faith alone justifies and assurance is the enjoyment of that justification.

This is why the Westminster Confession of Faith says that assurance does not “belong to the essence of faith” but that “a true believer may wait long in conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it.” It may be normal to enjoy assurance, but it is not fatal if one struggles to attain it.

[ FYI: For more details on ‘assurance’, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/knowing-assurance-v243/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/benefits-of-assurance-v244/ ]

So, to help believers with the ‘confidence’ of their salvation—to be assured of it—the Apostle Paul said:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”
[ Romans 8:31-39 ].

So, there is no separation, no condemnation, no accusations, and no opposition! Then, for YOU the ‘unbeliever’, after reading that fantastic ‘truth’, what is preventing you from putting your faith in Jesus for that kind of assurance?

‘MARKS’ OF ASSURANCE
The assurance of salvation typically is accompanied by four distinguishing features:

– Satisfaction with God’s way of salvation
– A new sense of security in Jesus that stimulates a new desire to serve Him
– One’s heart is filled with love for Jesus
– Boldness to live one’s life for Jesus

Assurance like this is surely what the new believer needs. So, look to the Godhead—God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—and pray to know more of them so that you will experience, in ever more profound ways, how much they want you to be their ‘children’, forever!

CLEAR ‘GUIDANCE’
Knowing God’s guidance and having the confidence to do His will, whatever the consequences, encourages the believer to stand firm in their faith.

So, if the believer is to grow into maturity and not be “children, tossed to and fro by the waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), then the believer needs to know how God leads His people.

Knowing that God WILL lead and guide the believer is one of the great stabilizing blessings of the Christian life. Jesus promised that those who follow Him would never walk in total darkness (John 8:12), and that stability leads to maturity.

So, how does God ‘guide’ the believer? Well, sometimes God guides by ‘impressions’, however, MOST of the time He leads the believer through the application of the precepts and principles of His Word—reading the Bible. That is why it is so important to be in God’s Word on a daily basis!

God’s Word is the believer’s ‘provision’. The teaching of Scripture needs to be imbibed in the believer’s spirit within the context of a life of obedience to, and fellowship with, God.

The Scriptures provide principles, examples, precepts, and provide basic ‘guidelines’ to enable the believer to apply general principles to specific situations. So, the growing believer therefore does not need to be dominated by subjective impulses. They need to view life through lenses crafted according to biblical ‘prescriptions’. The hallmark a growing more mature is an ability to know and do the will of God objectively.

The Swiss psychologist, Jean Piager, suggested that the fundamental difference between child and adult thought is that the child is dominated by basically egocentric needs and drives, and the mature adult, by contrast, has learned to live within the context of the external world. The thing is, there is a parallel in spiritual development.

A basic ‘mark’ of spiritual maturity is a healthy objectivity—seeing the world through biblical lenses, conforming our lives to God’s revealed will, and not being driven by inner needs or compulsions—being ‘captive’ to the Word of God. Failure to grow in this way often leads to confusion about God’s guidance.

Now, yes, there will be times of perplexity—trying to determine God’s will in a certain situation. However, when God does ‘inform’ the believer, they will be able to maturely, and in a God-honoring way, do what He says the way He wants it to be done.

English Puritan Presbyterian minister John Flavel said that to discover God’s will, one must govern themselves in their search by the following rules:

“(1) Get the true fear of God upon your hearts. Be really afraid of offending Him. God will not hide His mind from such a soul. ‘The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant’ (Psalm 25:14).

(2) Study the Word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less. The Word is a light to your feet (Psalm 119:105), that is, it has a discovering and directing usefulness as to all duties to be done and dangers to be avoided. It is the great oracle at which you are to inquire. Treasure up its rules in your hearts, and you will walk safely. ‘Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee’ (Psalm 119:11).

(3) Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practice. ‘If any man do his will he shall know of the doctrine’ (John 7:17). ‘A good understanding have all they that do his commandments (Psalm 111:10).

(4) Pray for illumination and direction in the way that you should go. Beg the Lord to guide you in straits and that He would not permit you to fall into sin. This was the holy practice of Ezra: ‘Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance’ (Ezra 8:21).

(5) And this being done, follow Providence so far as it agrees with the Word and no further.”

This also is the standpoint that King David described:

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act…

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him”
[ Psalm 37:3-5, 7a ].

OVERCOMING ‘TEMPTATION’
There are many ‘surprises’ on the way to spiritual maturity. One is the discovery that the Christian life involves the believer in more difficulties than they assumed, and more opposition than they expected to encounter.

The thing is, they may have been poorly prepared for this partly because of the enthusiasm of other believers who were keen to stress to them only the peace and joy of forgiveness and the wonderful new sense of purpose they would find in Jesus. Sadly, there are preachers and teachers who deliberately hide the biblical reality of trials, and give the impression that so long as one believes, success and material prosperity will be theirs.

Now, there are wonderful blessings given to the believer. Jesus promised them, and the Apostle Paul described many of them (Ephesians 1:3-14). However, Jesus also promised persecution (Mark 10:30), and that the blessings often comes in the context of ‘conflict’ with the world.

Tests, trials, and temptations abound in the believer’s life. So, if they are to grow to maturity, they must learn how to handle them.

[ FYI: For more details about ‘trials’, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/having-joy-through-trials-v198/ ]

So then, given our weaknesses, why would God ever lead us into temptation? Well, the reformer Martin Luther provided an answer: “Unus Christianus temptatus mille”—“One Christian who has been tempted is worth a thousand” (i.e. who have never been tempted).

God works in the believer’s life through temptation. The thing is, this was also true of Jesus when He was on this earth (Matthew 4:1-11). Satan ‘tested’ Jesus three times and, for Him, it was a ‘learning’ process.

So, for the believer in times of temptation, it can also be a learning and maturing process for them, too. That is why, although believers may experience the burden of various temptations, they can still rejoice because they know God has his own purposes in and through them (1 Peter 1:6).

Well, what might those purposes be? Certainly, the following two:

– God may lead us into temptation to show us our sin and to chasten us for it
– God may also lead us into temptation to make us more like Jesus

The thing is, God’s ultimate purpose in everything He does is for His ‘children’ is:

“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”
[ Romans 8:28-29a ].

Just as the vinedresser proves the branches of the vine that they may bear more fruit, so too does God lead the believer into temptation to expose and then purge away their sinfulness. He employs the ‘friction’ of temptation to remove their sinful characteristics, to polish their graces, and to mature their faith.

It is surely not accidental that one of the Bibles symbols for joy is wine that comes from pressed grapes, for it is often true that the sweetest graces emerge after the believer has felt themselves being ‘crushed’. Knowing this will sustain that believer in the pain of resisting temptations. Remember, that it was the Apostle Peter who wrote that God CAN deliver the believer out of temptation (as he experienced multiple times!)

SOVEREIGN ‘INTERVENTION’
Sometimes God may restrain the powers of darkness so that the believer will not be tempted beyond their strength (1 Corinthians 10:13). At other times, He may mercifully dissipate the believer’s sinful desires just when temptation is at its height. Then, He may even alter the circumstances such that the object of the temptation is totally removed. (Perhaps, in Heaven, the believer will find out all of the ways in which God protected and delivered them.)

Scottish minister Robert Murray M’Cheyne explained this better than I could:

“When this passing world is done,
when has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ on high
looking o’er life’s history,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe.”

The word “intervention” or “deliverance” has the basic meaning of drawing to oneself safety and security. In keeping with this, God normally delivers the believer from evil by bringing them within the sphere of His counsel. Scripture highlights that counsel in three principles:

– Being Armed (Ephesian 6:10-20)
– Being Watchful (Matthew 24:42-42; 2 Timothy 4:5; Mark 13:33)
– Being Prayerful (Matthew 26:41; Ephesians 6:18)

So then, what does the believer learn from all this? Well, they will not live in a temptation-free ‘zone’ and they may even be lead into temptation many, many times in their lives. However, God “will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” [ 1 Corinthians 10:13e ]. The believer advances in their maturity when they remain ‘standing’.

John Bunyan, the author of “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” pictured the experience of the protagonist in the allegory, Christian, as he made his way through a great ‘temptation’, the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”:

“About the midst of this valley I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it stood also hard by the wayside. Now, thought Christian, what shall I do? And ever and anon the flame and smoke would come out in such abundance, with sparks and hideous noises, (things that cared not for Christian’s sword, as did Apollyon before,) that he was forced to put up his sword, and betake himself to another weapon, called All-prayer, Eph. 6:18; so he cried, in my hearing, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Psa. 116:4. Thus he went on a great while, yet still the flames would be reaching towards him; also, he heard doleful voices, and rushings to and fro, so that sometimes he thought he should be torn in pieces, or trodden down like mire in the streets. This frightful sight was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by him for several miles together; and coming to a place where he thought he heard a company of fiends coming forward to meet him, he stopped, and began to muse what he had best to do. Sometimes he had half a thought to go back; then again, he thought he might be half-way through the valley. He remembered also, how he had already vanquished many a danger; and that the danger of going back might be much more than for to go forward. So he resolved to go on; yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer. But when they were come even almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, I will walk in the strength of the Lord God. So, they gave back, and came no farther.”

[ FYI: For more details about Christian’s journey through the “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” read about it in the summary I did of Bunyan’s book:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/leaving-a-legacy-v242/ ]

God has promised to hear the believer in their requests, and He will not turn a ‘deaf ear’ to their cries for help. The dependence that is thus produced in the believer’s heart is simply one further way which God brings them through temptations to maturity. After all, God makes everything work together for their good (Romans 8:28).

FIGHTING THE ‘ENEMY’
The life of a believer is a ‘battle’. The Apostle Paul wrote about this saying, “having done all, to stand firm” [ Ephesians 6:13c ].

Now, Paul’s words may underwhelm us. Is there not more to the Christian life than to manage to remain ‘standing’? Well, one would be naïve to think this way, for that the conflict is fierce and the ‘enemy’ (Satan) is strong! (Satan ‘hates’ what God loves—His ‘children’.)

So, how can the believer remain standing in this battle? Well, primarily, every believer has the Holy Spirit indwelling down as of their ‘Helper’. However, they also have conflict with Satan, the ‘Hinderer’.

The believer engages in conflict with the Devil in many contexts. So that’s why the Apostle Paul exposes him and informs the believer how to stand against his wiles.

The believer is not wrestling against flesh and blood, but “with the powers in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Now, it would be a huge mistake to blame Satan for everything that goes wrong in a believer’s life, especially if the fault is, in fact, theirs. However, the Apostle Paul wants the believer to remember that the mundane in their lives is not divorced from the larger spiritual context in which they live “in the heavenly places.”

So, the believer needs to be ‘on guard’ against Satan in the very context in which they want to be most comfortable and at ease—for this is where the battle is fought and either won or lost.

Awareness of Satan’s plans is an important part of the battle. The Apostle Paul says that “we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11). However, sadly, believers are often ‘ignorant’ of Satan’s ‘designs’. This is why Paul tells the believer, not once, but several times, that they need God’s armor (Ephesians 6:11, 13-14) in order for them to ‘stand’. The battle will be long and, at times, fierce, and the believer will need everything God provides to simply remain standing.

[ FYI: See Christian, the protagonist in “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” battle Apollyon (Satan) successfully:
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttvzi4ua1Oc ]

Sadly, sometimes believers lose touch with the Bible’s realism and do not grasp this. Those who are earnest in pressing on toward maturity soon learn that there are times when it is all they can do to hold their heads above water as they cry out to God like the disciples did to Jesus in the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35-41).

[ FYI: See Christian, the protagonist in “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” battle his doubts in his last ‘leg’ of getting to Heaven:
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_b9tHHBzbk ]

The believer cannot afford to under estimate the power and subtlety of Satan. Now, Scripture tells us that sometimes Satan tends to overreach himself but, the apostle Paul emphasizes that the powers are organized, superhuman, and immortally evil. That is why God provides spiritual ‘armor’ to protect the believer.

[ FYI: For more details about ‘spiritual warfare’ and God’s ‘armor’, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/ready-for-battle-v235/ ]

So, being a believer means being a ‘soldier’ in the heavenly realms, with Jesus. The two ‘kingdoms’ are in conflict with each other, and the battle is being fought out in a believer’s life. So, that is why the Apostle Paul urges the believer to get back to ‘basics’—which are the same principles that govern military warfare:

– Know your enemy
– Know your resources

When a believer is informed about these things, they will progress steadily toward maturity, and will remain ‘standing’!

COPING WITH ‘SUFFERING’
The Bible emphasizes the importance of steady spiritual growth. However, one should not imagine that this always takes place at the same pace any more than it does and the natural world.

The Bible’s use of horticultural and biological analogies can help us with this. It suggests that spiritual, like natural growth, is organic and not mechanical. Children have the seasons in their lives when they seem to ‘shoot up’ in their growth, whereas most of the time their growth is imperceptible. So it is with believers, too.

They may go through critical periods of growth, and their response two particular challenges will determine whether they progress or not. Suffering presents such a challenge.

English theologian John Owen said that “Affliction is like a knife, that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man.” Suffering is part and parcel of the believer’s life, and definitely affects the path to spiritual maturity.

For example, the Apostle Paul told the Philippians that they not only have the privilege of believing in Jesus but also of suffering for Him (Philippians 1:29). In Paul’s teaching, he emphasized “We must through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.” [ Acts 14:22b ].

The English word for “tribulation” is derived from the Latin word “tribulum,” which was for the threshing implement used to separate the wheat from the chaff. God uses tribulations to separate the spiritual ‘chaff’ in a believer’s life from the spiritual ‘wheat’.

However, the Greek word that Paul used was “thlipis,” which means “under heavy pressure.” So, anything that ‘presses down’ on the believer is tribulation.

The thing is, the believer needs to know that God works through tribulation—a point the Apostle Paul makes him more than one place in his letters (Romans 5:3; 8:17; 2 Corinthians 4:17). The believer must therefore be willing—like Moses—to choose suffering rather than the pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25). Fellowship with Jesus means sharing in His sufferings as well as in His triumphs (Philippians 3:10).

So, to be able to say, “It was good for me to be afflicted” is the mark of spiritual maturity. How can this be? Well, the Psalmist said in what is called “The Psalm of Maturity,” one must avoid the two errors of forgetfulness and fixation by reflecting on the hand of God in their suffering:

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.”

“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”

“I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”
[ Psalm 119: 67, 71, 75 ]

So, there are two quite different ways to respond to suffering. One is to do so in the spirit of ‘COMPLAINT’: “Lord, why is this happening to me rather than to others. It just doesn’t seem fair.” The other is in the spirit of ‘SUBMISSION’: “Lord, I yield my will to you in this. Will you please work out your good purposes in me through it?” This was the psalmist’s disposition. He was sure that God had His own purposes in the afflictions that the psalmist had experienced. He knew that those purposes were good in themselves, and that they would be good for him—as they will be for the believer today.

The thing is, the psalmist had learned a lesson: That the believer does not interpret events in their life by the wisdom of man but by the Word and wisdom of God. He had also learned to trust in God’s promises and to wait on God to disclose His purposes in a suffering.

The three lesson he learned were:

– Affliction brings our spiritual needs to the surface (Psalm 119:67)
– Affliction teaches us the ways of God (Psalm 119:71)
– Affliction shows us the faithfulness of God (Psalm 119:75)

This “Psalm of Maturity”—surely deliberately—contains no clue about the precise nature of the suffering it discusses. What it says then can therefore be ‘APPLIED’ TO ALL SUFFERING. In fact, the Hebrew word that is translated “affliction” is a general term for anything that brings us low, humbles us, or makes us feel small and inadequate. These words then are widely applicable to the experiences of all believers.

So then, how is the believer matured spiritually through suffering? Well, by coming, eventually, to see what the Apostle Paul saw: Even through dark experiences—indeed especially through them—one can learn to be ‘contented’ in Jesus.

Contentment grows the best where there are reasons to be discontented. Paul could boast of his weaknesses only because he had learned that in it Jesus’ power would be experienced. Indeed, he delighted in it, for when he was weak in himself, he was strong in Jesus. He discovered that in such trials, his greatest ambition was fulfilled—namely ‘fellowship’ with Jesus: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” [ Philippians 3:10-11 ].

Then, in his second letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells of a tremendous suffering he went through, and how he felt about it:

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong”
[ 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ].

Thus, under the wise and sovereign superintendence of God, Paul was ‘crucified’ in weakness. However, that weakness was God’s saving power, and the means by which Paul was made more mature.

Only when the believer gets to Heaven will they discover—like the Apostle Paul did—the mystery of their sufferings and how they were transformative in their lives. Even though the believer does not yet fully understand all of the details, they know that it is in fellowship with the “Great Sufferer” (Jesus) that their own experience of suffering will lead them to greater maturity and fruitfulness.

THE ‘COST’ OF MATURITY
The Bible teaches us that there is “no gain without pain.” The Apostle Paul believed that his sufferings had a divine purpose: “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” [ 2 Corinthians 1:5], and “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” [ Philippians 3:10-11 ].

Paul understood, very well, that he was forsaking all! He was a man who enjoyed great prominence among the Jewish elite, but forsook all to follow Jesus. Paul declared, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him” [ Philippians 3:7-9 ].

Paul also said that “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
[ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ]

All the so-called ‘losses’ and ‘costs’ are NOTHING COMPARED to the gains of having Jesus as your greatest ‘treasure’—and He told a parable to His disciples about this to emphasize it for them:

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it”
[ Matthew 13:44-46 ].

I can only imagine people coming up to the guy buying the field and saying, “What are you doing! You are out of your mind to sell everything you have for that worthless field.” He just smiles and says, “I’ve got a hunch,” because he knows that he has found something that is worth costing him EVERYTHING he has—and that is what Jesus was trying to say. He IS WORTH ANY ‘COST’ you need to expend to ‘possess’ Him!

[ FYI: For more details about the ‘costs’ of faith in Jesus, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/it-will-cost-you-v233/ ]

So yes, the believer must count the cost in order to be a disciple. The ‘COST’ IS TOTAL in ‘principle’ and may be total in actual ‘experience’. However, in the end, ‘having’ Jesus means PHENOMENAL GAIN. Just like the Apostle Paul said: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” [ Philippians 3:8 ].

‘EXERTION’ REQUIRED
Now, Christian service can be both painful and strenuous. However, notice the balance in what the Apostle Paul says: “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” [ Colossians 1:29 ]. Such service has its costs but it also brings with that wonderful blessings in the ‘fruit’ it bears.

This is but the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that no sacrifice is made for His sake in this life without receiving a “hundredfold blessing” in return in the world to come, eternal life (Matthew 19:29). Now, there is blessing in the here now, however, there are MANY MORE blessings that will remain ‘hidden’ until the hereafter.

[ FYI: For more details about what kinds of ‘rewards’ the believer will receive in Heaven, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/theres-no-place-like-home-v288/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/heaven-on-earth-v289/ ]

The thing is, knowledge of the glory that is to be revealed to the believer in Heaven makes all the ‘cuts’ and ‘bruises’ here on earth entirely worthwhile! This perspective is intended to encourage the believer to continually grow in their spiritual maturity.

‘DISCIPLINE’ REQUIRED
The term “discipline” carries a variety of meanings. To the child, it means being ‘compelled’ to do something undesirable and being punished if they rebel. This means compulsion, pain, authority, rules, and obedience to orders to them. However, to the believer, discipline means “discipleship”—following Jesus and denying oneself to what He wants them to do.

A ’disciplined’ character goes beyond the minimum demands of specific disciplines and ‘permeates’ their entire life.

In the general sense, self-discipline is the ability to regulate one’s conduct by principle and judgment rather than impulse, desire, high pressure, or social custom. It is basically the ability to ‘subordinate’ oneself to another—and when that another is Jesus, that will be the best ‘Source’ of instruction.

‘SUBORDINATING’ TO AUTHORITY
Another hallmark of the disciplined person is the ability to ‘assimilate’ imposed discipline gracefully. It is by no means easy to subordinate natural initiative and self-assertion to legitimate authority. However, it must be done if one expects maximum ‘happiness’ and usefulness, and if one desires to achieve a mature character.

Discipline is the ‘mark’ of maturity. Without it, the character of one will remain weak and infantile.

PRIORITIES
A truly disciplined character has the ability to subordinate the lesser to the greater. This involves the ability to reject, day-by-day, that great ‘list’ of possible activities which clamor for one’s precious ‘energy’ but would probably ‘hamper’ the doing of the most important things. All of us are confronted by a bewildering multiplicity of ‘claims’ upon out time, talent, money, and loyalties. The claims are not only legion, but loud and insistent. To attempt to satisfy even half of them would result in ‘frittering’ life away to nothingness. If life is to be fruitful and purposeful, one must heroically and decisively put the ‘knife’ to most of the possible activities which would clutter every single hour of their day!

So, whatever one’s goal may be, it can only be achieved by the ‘sacrifice’ of the lesser. This requires a disciple of the ‘highest ‘order’—putting first things first, and doing these no matter how much more pleasant and appealing the lesser things may be at the moment.

HOW TO BECOME ‘DISCIPLINED’
The undisciplined person is forever seeking ways to avoid the arduous ‘grind’ of substantial work and to arrive quickly at their goal by ‘short cuts’. They want the quick and easy way to knowledge, to be well informed. However, there IS NO quick and easy way. A willingness to undertake the labor involved in becoming disciplined in the first ‘step’ in achieving one’s desires.

A disciplined person seeks to avoid making unnecessary work for others. They also are concerned about the ‘aftermath’ of an event, not just a good showing at the time of the event.

One needs to tackle tasks promptly and energetically—doing first the things one would rather do last, and complete what is begun. Other duties may interrupt, but one needs to ‘force’ themselves back to the most important task at hand.

Tardiness is another bad habit that needs to be addressed and eliminated. The habit of being on time will never be acquired unless one is convinced that Christian courtesy ‘demands’ it. Then, one needs to plan ahead—so they are not ‘guessing’ where they need to be and exactly when, as well as allowing oneself a generous ‘margin’ of time before and event.

Many of life’s most important joy, privileges, and responsibilities have a time ‘tag’ on them. They belong to certain days, at the end of a span of years, or to a certain ‘level’ of maturity. Too many people are just spoiled ‘children’ who must have immediate satisfaction for all their urges. (The American marketing culture helped increase this desire.) Therefore, a disciplined person must learn to ‘respect’ life’s time tags.

Furthermore, the disciplined person needs to disciple their mind. The Bible’s injunction is: “Gird up the loins of your mind” or “prepare your minds for action.” One needs to organize any ‘loose ends’, draw into ‘service’ their wandering thoughts, and work to see things through to completion.

Now, the thing is, while one waits for major responsibilities to come to fruition—in God’s time—they can best prepare for that time by cultivating a ‘sense’ of responsibility. One with this sense is one who ‘feels’ responsible.

So, when anything which helps one avoid ‘softness’ and counteracts the enervating effects of prosperity, that is all to the god. When life does not ‘buffet’ one, they must buffet themselves. One must make sure there is enough of a ‘Spartan’ rigor built into themselves to always maintain the spirit and readiness of a true ‘soldier’.

It is imperative that one’s philosophy of discipleship embraces as axiomatic the principle that Christlikeness IS the ‘goal’ of life—not happiness! It must be self-denial and ‘cross-bearing’ whether happiness is always the immediate and apparent consequence or not.

For the Christian, life is ‘serious’, challenging, and demanding. It is NOT a ‘walk in the park’ or a glorified picnic, but a ‘battle’. So, without the spirit of earnestness and commitment, this passion for the cause of the Kingdom, one’s efforts to become a discipled person will be abortive and vain. However, with this spirit, one’s discipline will find its purpose and fulfillment ‘in’ Jesus—a passion for improvement for Jesus’ sake; a sense of stewardship toward life, for Jesus’ sake; a readiness for sacrifice and service, for Jesus’ sake; and an increasing capacity for steady application to the task at hand, for Jesus’ sake.

A ‘CALL’ TO DISCIPLESHIP
Discipleship is not a second ‘step’ in Christianity. From the very beginning of a believer’s “born again” experience, discipleship is involved in what it means to be a Christian.

So, this all starts with Jesus’ command, “Follow Me”—which included obedience, submission, commitment, and perseverance. The Apostle Paul said that the believer needs to “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” [ Philippians 2:12f-13 ].

All this is to say that discipleship is not simply a ‘door’ to be entered but a ‘process’ to be followed—and that the disciple proves the validity of their discipleship by following that path to the very end. King David wrote about this: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” [ Psalm 119:105 ], and “I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end” [ Psalm 119:112 ].

So, a ‘true’ disciple flows Jesus to the VERY ‘END’.

Aristocrat Madame Jeanne Guyon—who had a high standard of discipleship—wrote in her book, “Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ”:

“If you are thirsty, come to the living waters. Do not waste your precious time digging wells that have no water in them.
If you are starving and can find nothing to satisfy your hunger, then come. Come, and you will be filled.
You who are poor, come.
You who are afflicted, come.
You who are weighted down with your load of wretchedness and your load of pain, come. You will be comforted!
You who are sick and need a physician, come. Don’t hesitate because you have diseases. Come to your Lord and show him all your diseases, and they will be healed!
Come.”

That is the invitation of Jesus to every believer for discipleship. To be a believer is no light matter. It is a ‘call’ to a transform life and to perseverance through whatever troubles may arise. It may be the hardest thing anyone will ever do. Yet, ANYONE ‘CAN’ DO IT, with Jesus supplying the necessary strength throughout the process. In the end, it is the only thing that really matters.

So, are you—or will you—take this ‘path’, this ‘journey’?

Jesus has gone ahead of you. He is ‘looking back’ with a most compelling ‘gaze’ and saying, “Come, follow Me!”

RUNNING WITH ‘ENDURANCE’
The Apostle Paul then ‘links’ knowing the will of God with endurance (Greek: “hupomone”). He uses the verbal form of the word when he describes how a maturing believer needs to KEEP ‘GOING’.

Now, Paul is not alone in this. James makes explicit what is it implicit when he says: “Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” [ James 1:4 ]. Faith under trial produces perseverance (Romans 5:3), while perseverance, in turn, produces maturity.

The Apostle Peter agrees saying that one must “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge; and knowledge with self-control; and self-control with steadfastness [ 2 Peter 1:5-6 ].

The thing is, all of this is rooted and the teaching of Jesus: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” [ Matthew 10:22 ], and “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” [ Luke 9:62 ].

Clearly, perseverance is a ‘core feature’ of Christian living. Persevering is as important as an initiation, and continuing is as important as the beginning. The rider today Hebrews said that “You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised” [ Hebrew 10:36 ]. The implication is that true believers persevere.

The analogy of the Christian life as a race is a very suggestive one. Serious athletes need to train hard under the overseeing ‘eye’ of a coach. They cannot hope to stay in the race, far less win it, if they are carrying access weight. Some things simply have to go. So too is this the case in the believer’s ‘race’ of life—they must jettison “every weight, and sin which clings so closely” [ Hebrews 12:1b ].

Now, God disciplines those He loves—His ‘children’ (Hebrews 12:7). This is why the believer should not make light of difficulties one the one hand, or to lose heart on the other hand. Both responses show that the believer is not seeing things clearly and are certainly not seeing the whole ‘picture’.

The believer is ‘called’ to yield to the will of God, even when life is difficult and things seem to be going really, really wrong. Such a ‘fragile’ condition of a believer’s heart is a possible indication of the resentment they may feel.

The thing is, God WILL make everything work together for good for those who love and obey Him (Romans 8:28). So, when the believer sees things through the ‘lens’ crafted by God—with the Holy Spirit’s help—they will be able to respond in loving submission and benefit from God’s providence, as the beautiful opening words of the Heidelberg Catechism expresses:

“Question: “What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Answer: That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.”

The lesson in al this? Well, it’s simple really: The believer needs to saturate their minds and affections in God’s Word to be able to attain their spiritual maturity.

‘ENCOURAGEMENT’ TO ENDURE
The ‘race’ that the believer is to run is “set before [them]” in the sense that it has already been “marked out for [them]” (Hebrews 12:1). It lies before the believer, however, thankfully, the ‘track’ on which they are to run has already been marked out and prepared.

The Apostle Paul describes the blessings that lie ahead for the persevering believer:

“‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit”
[ 1 Corinthians 2:9-10a ].

In other words, the believer has been given an advanced ‘viewing’ of their final destiny—and God knows every ‘step’ between now and then.

He also knows His ‘children’, and when the going gets tough He will lead them in the way they need to go (John 10:27). He also knows what is coming next and prepares them for it. God has ‘promised’ that He will get them to the ‘finishing line’ (1 John 2:24-25).

A further encouragement lies in the fact that the race has been run by others: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” [ Hebrews 12:1-2 ].

Then, most importantly, the ‘race’ has already been run by Jesus. Now He wears the ‘victors crown’ at the right-hand of His Father. He has gone before the believer as their “archegos” (“pioneer”). He will then bring all those who are united to Him to the finishing line and beyond to victory.

So, the believer needs to keep this in view—better still, keep Jesus in view—so they will not grow weary or lose heart.

If the believer concentrates their attention on the problems they face instead of on Jesus, they will lose perspective. Therefore, they are not only to be ‘looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), but also learning to “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” [ Hebrews 12:3 ].

The word “consider” can have both weak and strong connotations: To ‘look at’ or to ‘make one’s calculation on this basis’. Both senses are implied here. Believers are to see their lives in the ‘light’ of Jesus, in all that He is and has done for them, and all that it means for them to ‘belong’ to Him.

So, if God was willing to send His only Son to earth, to watch over His life, and plan His death on the Cross to pardon the believer’s sins, they can be ABSOLUTELY ‘CERTAIN’ that He will not allow anything to interfere with His purpose to keep them going and to bring them ‘home’ to Heaven to be with Him, forever. He WILL PROVIDE ‘EVERYTHING’ THEY NEED!

[ FYI: For more details about going ‘home’ to Heaven, view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/theres-no-place-like-home-v288/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/home-at-last-v290/ ]

So, God pursues His purposes through all of a believer’s experiences, whether easy or difficult, happy or sad, because He wants their lives to yield ‘fruit’ and that they become more like His Son, Jesus.

When the believer realizes that they are being chastised, they need to look forward to when there will be a harvest of blessing from His ‘ploughing’ of their hearts. If they persevere, one day ALL will be made clear—and what a day that will be!!!

‘DEVELOPING’ MATURELY
There is often a critical stage end the believer’s spiritual life when they begin to grow from spiritual infancy to the beginnings of maturity. It is kind of like a weaned child.

A child who has been accustomed to a milk diet now comes to the stage where they must be ‘weaned’ from it and introduced to a diet of solids. That can be quite a ‘crisis’—especially for parents of their first child!

The same is true for a new believer’s spiritual development. They will not grow strong and healthy on ‘milk’ alone. They need to learn to digest spiritual ‘meat’. (A milk diet is for infants, or for the sick are week or elderly.) “For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” [ Hebrews 5:13-14 ].

This ‘transition’ may prove to be quite a crisis for some believers. They are being weaned from what they want for themselves to what God knows what is best for them. Even though they do not know what’s best, they insist that what they have had in the past—what they are used to—it the best for them. They do not want to learn how to chew on the ‘solids’, and that is when God, sometimes, needs to ‘forcibly’ wean them from their comfortable ‘bottle’.

‘PATHWAY’ TO MATURITY
So, are there patterns that need to be developed in a believer’s life that will help them to grow? Well, yes, and King David answered this in a Psalm that sounds kind of like a ‘personal testimony’:

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me”
[ Psalm 131:1 ].

King David is saying that he is no longer resisting the will of God or prefers his own self-sufficiency. He has learned that he is not wiser, nor does he know better than God.

Now, ambitions are not wrong in themselves. However, what David is saying here is that sometimes one’s ambitions should be consistent with the ‘destiny’ that God has ‘called’ them to. (King David’s life provides a powerful illustration of this.)

To replace one’s ambitions and be content with God’s will is an important element in spiritual maturity. Again, Robert Murray M’Cheyne said it well: “It has always been my name, and it is my prayer, two have no plans with regard to myself.” The Apostle Paul said that his ambition was to “know Christ” (Philippians 3:10).

This then is maturity in action: To know, whatever ambitions the believer has, that they can only look at them if they can look at Jesus simultaneously. If they take their eyes off of Him in order to see their own ambitions, that is the moment when they should realize that their ambitions are misplaced. The ‘eyes’ that are tempted to drift away from Jesus must be brought back to focus upon Him.

Jesus warns that the believer can be diverted not only by “the deceitfulness of riches,” but by “the cares of the world” and “the desires for other things,” which can all choke the good ‘seed’ that has been sown in their heart (Mark 4:19). No matter the believer’s ‘lot’, it is essential that they guard their preoccupations if they want to continue to progress to maturity.

Few things are more adverse to a steady growth immaturity then a preoccupation with problems they cannot solve, difficulties that seem to exacerbate the trials of life, or sorrows that can find no compensation in this world. This is when the believer needs to bring every thought captive to Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5)!

So then, this is the ‘path’ to spiritual maturity: To lay aside one’s own ambitions; lay aside one’s own wisdom; lay aside one’s own self-assurance; and make Jesus their ambition, wisdom, and assurance!

The Irish missionary to India, Amy Carmichael—who suffered much and also bore MUCH eternal fruit there—penned this prayer:

“And shall I pray Thee change Thy will my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But no, Lord, no, that shall never be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.

I pray Thee hush the hurrying eager longing
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire.
See in my quiet places wishes thronging,
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.

And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure.
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Well-beloved’s leisure,
At last, at last, even as a weaned child.”

Now THAT ‘IS’ spiritual maturity!!!

So, when one says that a person is “very mature” or that person is “immature,” what is the objective ‘standard’ one is using to arrive at such an assessment? Well, the only truly objective standard is Jesus, although our knowledge of Him is imperfect because we are fallible and limited.

The Apostle Paul uses this term “mature”—or, as it is sometimes translated in the Scriptures, “perfect”—in both a relative and an absolute sense. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect” [ Philippians 3:12 ].

Later in the same passage, Paul says, “Let those of us who are mature (or perfect) be thus minded” (Philippians. 3:15). This is obviously the relative use of the term.

The Apostle John then gives us a helpful way to ‘gauge’ various levels of maturity. “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one” [ 1 John 2:12 ].

Finally, the young men are characterized as having overcome the evil one, as having reached a stage of maturity where there is an understanding and a practice of the way to resist temptation. As the writer of Hebrews puts it, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil” [ Hebrews 5:14 ]. The kind of person who is overcoming the wicked one is becoming a mature believer.

This passage in John’s letter illuminates the process of growth, and that maturity does not happen all at once.

Returning to Paul, he emphasizes what John said by stating that “We are to grow up in every way… into Christ” [ Ephesians 4:15 ]. Again, growth is God’s method. It is a process, and it does not happen overnight. It is a matter that requires time.

This is a crucially important principle to understand. Many believers who are greatly disturbed when, having become Christians, they do not find themselves suddenly and remarkably transformed into “angelic” creatures. They still find much of the old life very much present. The old attitudes are still ‘tugging’ and even controlling their behavior. They do not know what to make of this and many are tempted to believe that it is a sign they are not true Christians at all. However, if their faith is ‘in’ Jesus, then they are believers, period. But they just need to learn that there is a process of growth which must follow and it REQUIRES ‘TIME’ for growth to occur.

‘HOW’ DOES ONE GROW?
So then, ‘how’ does one grow to maturity in their faith? Well, one must make sure that the ‘factors’ that enhance and encourage spiritual growth are present. The Apostle Paul said one needs to increase in “the unity of the faith” and “the knowledge of the Son of God.” These, he says, will lead to mature manhood, “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians. 4:13). New believers grow when they exert themselves to understand the Scriptures with the help of the teachers and leaders within the body of Christ.

However, this must also be accompanied by an increase in the knowledge of the Son of God. This refers to experience, to a growing ‘encounter’ with Jesus Himself, so that we come to ‘know’ Him more and more.

This encounter occurs when the knowledge of the faith (hearing) is put into practice (doing). Hearing and doing go hand in hand. You cannot know Jesus until you ‘follow’ Him.

So, growth is a matter of knowledge plus obedience plus time. We are all ‘IN PROGRESS’.

Some years ago, a button could be seen on the lapels of many believers. The button read:

PBPGINTWMY

When you asked that person, “What do those letters stand for?” they would reply, “Please Be Patient, God Is Not Through With Me Yet.” SO true!

Now, this is a great truth. It is not a statement of an unwillingness to change, but of a recognition that change takes time—but it is taking place. The ‘proper’ attitude for a healthy believer is an ‘EAGERNESS’ TO GROW and MATURE.

Every believer should then ask themselves “Am I on the way? Is there progress? Am I growing in the right direction?”

NO LONGER ‘CHILDREN’
The Apostle Paul gives us two practical means by which we may measure our growth toward full maturity. One is negative and the other is positive. He puts it negatively first: “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles” [ Ephesians. 4:14 ].

If you wish to know whether you are growing or not, DO NOT measure yourself by comparing yourself with someone else. That will tell you nothing. Instead, ask yourself, “Am I moving away from childish attitudes? Am I forsaking infantile behavior? Am I still governed by childish reactions and outbursts?” That is the first way to measure your degree of maturity.

Now, the Scriptures often exhort us to be “childlike,” but never to be childish. These are two very different things. Childlikeness is that refreshing simplicity of faith that believes God and acts without questioning. But childishness is described here by the apostle as instability and naivete.

Immaturity and vacillation can be seen in the realm of the actions of a believer. The childish believer manifests themselves by unfaithfulness and undependability. Unreliability can easily he forgiven in new believers, but when it is manifested by those who have been believers for many years it is much harder to bear. With experience and maturity in the believer’s life comes visible evidence, as described by the Apostle Paul—and that evidence includes faithfulness: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians. 5:22-23).

[ For more details about the fruit of the Spirit, view the “Fruits Of The Beatitudes” website I created:
https://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/ ]

A second ‘mark’ of childishness is to be undiscerning and naive. Young believers are often caught by “the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles” (Ephesians. 4:14). This is an apt description of the many cultists, religious racketeers, charlatans, false prophets and teachers, and manipulative religious leaders who abound in our day. They ‘trap’ many immature believers—including many spiritually immature believers who are ‘chronologically “mature—with their teachings that sound so right and enticing.

‘RELUCTANCE’ TO GROWTH
A third mark of childishness is an unwillingness to move on to lay hold of the life and power of God which results in righteous behavior. Such a person clings instead to the initial phase of life as a baby believer. The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God’s word” [ Hebrews 5:12 ] (There, it seems to me, is a measuring mark of maturity: Every mature Christian ought to be able to teach to some degree, whether or not they have a special gift of teaching.)

This is because of the limited understanding of the Word attained by new believers or immature believers. He described this as milk: “You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child” [ Hebrews 5:12c-13 ].

The writer to the Hebrews then goes on to say, in that verse we have already examined, “But solid food”—that is, the “word of righteousness”—“is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil” [ Hebrews 5:14 ].

Now, later in Hebrews 6, the writer goes on to say “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrines of Christ.” These are doctrines with which a new believer is still immature—and understandably so.

The writer of Hebrews goes on to list other elementary issues of the faith: “Faith toward God, with instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” [ Hebrews 6:1c-2 ]. Now all these things are initial stages, relating to the realm of children growing and learning the truth. It is a terrible thing for those who have been believers for many years to be still involved too heavily, on an emotional level, with these ‘elementary’ doctrines. They are like cases of arrested development, like children with a tragic glandular disorder that prevents them from growing.

God wants the believer to leave these things and go on to maturity—that is, to the word of righteousness which is the ‘solid food’ that ought to occupy the thoughts of the spiritually mature. The point is, a mature—or maturing—believer ought to be increasingly concerned with manifesting the ‘character’ of Jesus through obedience to the Word of God—becoming MORE ‘CHRISTLIKE’.

So, now the question arises: What about you? How much have you grown? Are you moving away from these childish attributes of instability and overconfidence? Are you growing in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God?

GROWTH COMES IN ‘STAGES’
Growth does not always occur at a constant speed. The Scriptures indicate that it is in discernible ‘stages’.

One enters the Christian life as a spiritual ‘baby’ and may grow quite rapidly at first. Then, for quite a while they may resist the great principles which make for Christian ‘development’. When they resists change, growth slows down. However, more often than not, God will bring one to the place where He ‘encourages’ them (suffering? heartache?) to accept the principles and give themselves to understanding them. Then they experience a new ‘surge’ of growth after that. [ Some ‘stages’ were outlined by the Apostle John: “little children,” then “young men,” and finally “fathers” (1 John 2:12-14) ]

As long as one lives in a state of denial about themselves, they are susceptible to the lies of the enemy (Satan). Only by honestly facing their failures for what they are can they be freed to enjoy the warmth and enrichment of God’s fatherly love, and to grow to become more like Jesus.

One’s progress in maturity can be measured by the degree to which they accept the truth about themselves. That truth will be both shocking and healing. An attitude of maturity is that one is committed to growth and change, and no longer feel condemned and ashamed simply because one is not yet perfect. That is an ‘attitude’ of maturity.

So, is there anything we can do to ‘spur’ oneself on to greater maturity? Well, yes, one can accelerate their maturity by DEVELOPING their ‘spirituality’. The more one’s spirit is attuned to God and obedient to the Holy Spirit, the better prepared they are to grow and mature. Maturity comes by a constant endeavor to live spiritually and obediently.

The Apostle Paul said this very plainly: “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages of our glorification” [ 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 ].

So, note that Paul says, first, that there are two kinds of wisdom: (1) wisdom of this age and (2) a secret and hidden wisdom of God. He says that the rulers of this age—that is, the wise and important leaders of the world around us—do not understand this secret wisdom of God. They do not understand the processes of the Kingdom of God and the ways people react to one another within the Kingdom of God. “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” [ 1 Corinthians. 2:8 ].

THE ’MIND OF CHRIST’
Now, there is a second kind of wisdom, a wisdom not of this age, but a wisdom given by the Holy Spirit—the secret and hidden wisdom of God. Paul then quotes from Isaiah 64:4, saying, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him, God has revealed to us through the Spirit” [ 1 Corinthians. 2:9-10 ].

Paul goes on to say what this wisdom is: “For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what parson knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” [ 1 Corinthians. 2:10-11 ].

This is ‘true’ wisdom—God’s thoughts. Paul continues: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world”—which is involved with the wisdom of the world—“but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit” [ 1 Corinthians 2:12b-13 ]. These spiritual truths are the secret truths which prepare the beleiver for ‘glorification’ (in Heaven). There is no way we can understand these secret truths apart from the Spirit of God within us, who teaches us these things.

Paul concludes the passage, saying, “‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” [ 1 Corinthians. 2:16 ]. The spiritual person is one who has learned by the Spirit to think and view life as Jesus does.

This is the difference between natural thinking and spiritual thinking. Spiritual thinking marks the mature believer, while unspiritual thinking marks the immature Christian. The immature or unspiritual Christian is still a Christian but they are given to ‘natural’ thinking—the thinking and “wisdom” of this DYING ‘AGE’.

Paul continues, “Warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ” [ Colossians 1:28 ]. Maturity comes as one grows in understanding of how to live by His life in us. Paul adds, “For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me” [ Colossians 1:29 ]. That is, Paul’s own maturity comes from the Holy Spirit’s work within him, reproducing His life in the life of Paul.

‘KNIT’ TOGETHER
One must always keep in mind that they are ‘members’ of the body of Christ. In the closing lines of Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul puts the issue of maturity into perspective, showing us that maturity is not a purely individual matter. It is a process that takes place within a ‘network’ of relationships, within the context of “the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly” [ Ephesians. 4:16 ]—the Church.

Paul here says that one of the factors that encourages growth in maturity is to allow other believers to minister to you. The parts of the ‘body’ are designed to meet one another’s needs—they are joined and knit together. Paul actually coins a word to express the mutual ministry of members of the body to each other. The word for “joined” is made up of three Greek words: One is the root from which we get our English word “harmony”; another is the word “with”; and the third is the word for “choosing.”

The richly complex idea Paul conveys to us by this one compound word is this: God’s design for the Church is that Christians should relate to one another honestly yet lovingly. As they carry out this mutual “truthing-in-love” ministry, the result will be that choices and decisions will be made with harmony throughout the Church. The end result of that Church harmony will be that the Church will be a witness to the world, and that clear witness will attract people, increase the numbers of the body, and strengthen the body spiritually.

Wow, all of this tremendous meaning is embodied in that one three-part word! (The Greek language is very ‘exact’). Of course, this concept is easier said than done! It takes a Spirit-led blend of courage and compassion to speak the truth in love. It takes a willingness to accept others, forgive others, forbear with others, and compromising on secondary issues so that our primary issues our unity, our love, and our witness—may never be compromised.

So, other people in the body of Christ are God’s chosen instruments to grow the believer to maturity.

‘STEPS’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Before we look at the steps to spiritual growth, one must understand the obstacles, barriers, or ‘hindrances’ to spiritual growth.

‘HINDRANCES’ TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
So, what are the things that get ‘in the way’ of one’s spiritual growth? Well, here are a few considerations:

– Sin
When one gives themselves over to any kind of sinful behavior, it breaks their ‘connection’ with God, making it difficult for them to grow spiritually.

The solution to this is ‘repentance’. The Bible tells us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” [ 1 John 1:9 ].

– Lack Of Commitment
The believer is called by God to a devoted and dedicated disciple, yet too often, they put other priorities before Him.

Jesus said that “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” [ Luke 9:23-24 ].

– Pride
Proverbs says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” [ Proverbs 16:18 ].

One must put aside their own pride in order to learn how to be humble before God.

– An Unrepentant Heart
An unrepentant heart can be very detrimental to our spiritual growth and keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land” [ 2 Chronicles 7:14 ].

– Disobedience
Disobedience is another hindrance to spiritual growth. In Romans we are told: “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires” [ Romans 6:16 ].

One must be willing to submit themselves to God if they want to experience true spiritual growth.

– Self-reliance
Many people have difficulty trusting in God when it comes to matters of life or spiritual guidance, instead relying on their own understanding or the counsel of others rather than seeking divine direction.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” [ Proverbs 3:5-6 ].

– Unforgiveness
The inability to forgive can be a major block to spiritual growth. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” [ Matthew 6:14-15 ].

One must learn to forgive others if they are going to grow spiritually.

– Selfishness
Another hindrance that keeps us from growing spiritually is selfishness or focusing too much on our own needs or desires rather than God’s.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” [ Philippians 2:3-4 ].

– Idolatry
Putting anything before God is idolatry and can be a huge hindrance to one’s spiritual growth.

We are warned in the Bible that “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” [ Exodus 20:3-5 ].

– Worldliness
Finally, worldliness can be a major obstacle to one’s spiritual growth.

Jesus said that “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” [ John 17:15-16 ].

One must remember to put aside worldly influences and focus on our faith in order to grow spiritually.

‘TWELVE-STEP’ PROGRAM
So now, the following are twelve ‘steps’ to spiritual growth:

– Pray for Guidance
The Bible encourages us to commit ourselves to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3 and Psalm 37:4-5). One way one can do this is to pray and express their commitment and request God’s guidance in terms of spiritual growth.

Prayer is a powerful ‘tool’ and allows believers to turn to God with their doubts, fears, and worries. When praying, it is essential, to be honest, patient, and willing to receive whatever guidance God provides.

– Read Your Bible
Another important step towards spiritual growth is reading one’s Bible regularly. This is how they grow in faith (Romans 10:17) and subsequently spiritual maturity.

Reading the Bible helps one understand who God is and how they can become more like Him. This can be done through meditation and prayer to gain God’s wisdom and perspective about the world around them.

– Listen To Teaching
Listening to teaching from pastors and other Christian leaders is also an important step in growing spiritually. Hearing sound biblical teaching from trained professionals helps one understand how they should think, act, and live their lives according to God’s will.

– Practice What You Learn
Another step towards spiritual growth is practicing the things one learns from Scripture (James 1:22-25). It is not enough to just read and listen; it is crucial to put into action what they are learning. This can be done by using the Scriptures as a ‘guide’ in their everyday life.

As one applies God’s Word to their situations, they will start to understand how God wants them to think, act, and live out His truth in their lives.

– Spend Time With Believers
Spending time with other believers is a great way to grow spiritually (Hebrews 10:24-25). Having others who love and encourage one provides the strength they need to stay on the right path. It also helps them learn from their walk with Jesus and gives them an opportunity for accountability.

– Serve Others In Jesus’ Name
One of the steps towards spiritual growth is serving others in Jesus’ name (Matthew 25:35-45; Galatians 6:10). Serving those in need helps one become more like Jesus by showing compassion, kindness, and mercy. As they place their focus on helping others rather than themselves, God can use that service to shape their faith further and draw them closer to Him.

In addition to that, spiritual maturity comes from the realization that one is an ‘ambassador’ for Jesus! They are the ‘hands and feet’ of Jesus in this world and they can commit their gifts to serve others in the name of Jesus.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” [ 1 Peter 4:10 ].

– Rely On The Holy Spirit
It is essential that one rely on the Holy Spirit as they continue on their spiritual journey (John 14:16; Romans 8:11). Without the Holy Spirit, they can easily become overwhelmed with their own power and limitations. But when they allow the Holy Spirit to lead them, He will give them guidance and strength in times of difficulty. He will also help them stay focused on God’s will during times of temptation or despair.

One must also remember the vital role the Holy Spirit plays in their spiritual growth. They are ‘filled’ with the Spirit when they accept Jesus as their Savior (Acts 2:38), and His power then enables them to grow spiritually throughout their lives. The Holy Spirit will then help them understand God’s Word, discern between good and bad teachings, resist temptation, and live out their faith daily. One can be assured that He will also be their source of strength in times of weakness and confusion.

– Focus On Your Relationship With God
Another important step on one’s spiritual ‘journey’ is to focus on your relationship with God. This includes spending time in prayer, reading the Bible, and worshiping Him. As one learns more about God’s character and work in their life, their faith will grow stronger.

One of the most beautiful displays of relationship are the Psalms. They show that one can be authentic and vulnerable when conversing with God, and have a true relationship with God.

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” [ Psalm 73:25-26 ].

– Develop a Heart of Gratitude
Having an attitude of thanksgiving helps remind us that no matter what situation we are faced with, we can always be thankful for something. This not only helps us stay focused on the positive aspects of our lives but also allows us to show appreciation for all that God has done for us (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

– Practice Spiritual Disciplines and Grow In The Fruits of the Spirit
Practicing spiritual ‘disciplines’ is another important step towards spiritual growth (Colossians 2:6-7). These disciplines, such as fasting, prayer, and Bible study, help us become more aware of the presence of God in our lives. As we devote ourselves to studying His word and spending time consciously seeking Him out, He will begin to reveal Himself to us in new ways and draw us closer to Him.

Then, one must ensure that they grow in the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). These include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As one strives to live out these qualities in their lives, they will become more like Jesus and experience true spiritual growth.

[ FYI: Visit a website I created, “Fruits Of The Beatitudes,” for more details about the “fruit of the Spirit”:
https://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/ ]

– Be Willing To Make Changes
As one grows spiritually, it is sometimes necessary to make changes that are outside of their ‘comfort zone’. This means being willing to take steps towards becoming more like Christ even if it does not come naturally or easily.

Remember, when one is ‘in’ Christ, they become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). It takes courage and commitment to step outside your comfort zone, but the rewards for doing so far outweigh the effort required.

– Do Not Compare Yourself To Others
Lastly, it is important not to compare your spiritual growth to others (Galatians 6:4-5). Yep, no two people’s spiritual growth will look alike! Everyone’s journey of faith is unique, and it should be celebrated. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on the steps you can take in order to deepen your relationship with God and grow spiritually.

The following are ‘signs’ of emotional ‘IMMATURITY’:

– Incapable Of Expressing Emotions
Do you avoid being in contact with your feelings at all costs? You might be emotionally immature if it’s difficult to be vulnerable enough to express your feelings or admit to negative experiences.

– Blames Others
Something’s gone wrong, and your first instinct is to blame others. It’s an automatic thought not to hold yourself accountable for your actions, even when you know it’s your fault. That’s a sign of immaturity.

– Does Not Ask For Help
It might indicate immaturity if you do not use your communication skills to ask for help even when you need it the most. You are too afraid of seeming insecure or weak, so you refrain from asking a coworker for guidance or acknowledging that you are burnt out at work.

– Does Not Respond Well To Stress
You had a stressful day, and everyone knows it. If you become easily upset with others, it’s likely because you keep repressing emotions. Studies have found that repressing emotions leads to stress-related reactions like anxiety, poor sleep hygiene, and migraines.

‘CAUSES’ FOR IMMATURITY
So now, spiritually speaking, what are the root causes for immature Christian living? Well, ‘APATHY’ is one of the primary spiritual maturity ‘killers’.

The believer is expected—even ‘called’—to live a mature Christian life. Maturity is something we must strive to attain. If it is expected from believers in Scripture, it is possible. Ignorance for any reason is a ‘slayer’ of maturity and something one must resist with ALL ONE’S ‘MIGHT’.

‘Childish’ living turns people off more than anything else. It is high time that the believer acts their age and put off childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Believers also must have ‘glorification’ in their ‘sights’ (in Heaven) and make maturity a high-value ‘target’ here on earth. Maturity is not for a select few but is the ‘GOAL’ for ALL believers.

So, every believer must ‘exchange’ apathy, laziness, and ignorance for a zeal for spiritual maturity, an insatiable appetite for the Word, the necessary discipline to consistently walk in the Spirit, and a passion for modeling maturity for the next generation.

– God Is Ultimately ‘Responsible’ For All Spiritual Growth
There is a dangerous tendency within this sophisticated, technological culture to attribute spiritual “success stories” to clever human strategies, wise choices, or determined hard work. Without downplaying the importance of human responsibility in spiritual growth, God’s role must always be central.

This principle shines forth clearly in Isaiah 61:11, where the prophet Isaiah compares God’s role in dealing with His people to the role of garden soil in causing seeds to grow. God plays the role of a seasoned farmer carefully preparing the soil and maintaining the garden with the vision to see each seed grow into maturity.

This principle is also clearly illustrated by the Apostle Paul when he saw the early church members focusing too much on the role of human leaders. He reminded them that God is the Gardener who causes the growth—as it should be with today’s believer’s attitude toward growth—always giving ‘tribute’ for their spiritual growth to God’s grace and power.

The believer is saved by grace and God is ultimately responsible for the growth process in their lives from beginning to end. He chose them before the world was created to make them a part of His ‘garden’ where they could grow into the holy likeness of His Son, Jesus (Ephesians 1:4). His plan was not to only save them—as important as that transformational experience is—but to continue to nurture them into His Son’s likeness. His role as the Gardener is not finished when the seed takes root. Rather, His role in their spiritual development has just begun.

The Holy Spirit then becomes a supernatural ‘catalyst’ throughout the believer’s life. He first brings them into a personal relationship with Jesus, and then works on molding them into Jesus’ likeness.

“He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” [ Philippians 1:6 ]. God is ultimately responsible for all spiritual growth in the believer’s life.

– Effort, Diligence, And ‘Discipline’ Are Absolutely Necessary For Growth
If God is responsible for the believer’s growth, can they simply bask in the glory of His grace and wait for Him—and the Holy Spirit—to finish the work needed to be done in them? Well, no. In fact, Scripture seems to suggest that their diligence is ‘essential’ to the spiritual growth process.

The Apostle Peter said that God is both the source and dynamo for godly living (2 Peter 1:1-11). Additionally, the believer is challenged to “make every effort” to build on what God has given them. God’s provision for their growth becomes the reason why they should diligently work toward Christlike qualities. While God supplies the resources and enablement for our growth, they must supply the effort.

The Apostle Paul also emphasizes this principle in both his personal lifestyle and teachings. He often uses the example of a soldier or athlete to illustrate the amount of discipline and hard work required to be successful. “In a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?” [ 1 Corinthians 9:24 ]. He then goes on to challenge his readers to run the Christian race in such a way as to get the prize. This demands strict training, much like the focus of today’s Olympic games.

Concluding with an example from his own life, Paul says that he “beats” (meaning “to conquer”) his body to keep it submissive to God’s will for his life. His training plan is not sporadic, like a man “beating the air,” but it is intentional and deliberate. So, in order to grow into a mature believer, one must be a part of a diligent ‘training plan’ for growth (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

This close relationship between God’s provision for the believer’s growth and their active involvement in the process is clear in what Paul said to the Philippians: “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” [ Philippians 2:12-13 ]. The mystery of this principle may be hard to grasp but the implication is clear. If believers are to grow toward maturity in Jesus, they must demonstrate their ‘passion’ to grow by obedient action!

– Spiritual Growth ‘Potential’ May Not Be Easy To See At First
As one evaluates their lives, they must be careful not to underestimate what God can do in and through them. Rather than compare themselves to spiritual ‘giants’ in the Bible, they would be wiser to acknowledge where those people began their walk with God.

When Samuel was looking for God’s choice to replace Saul as king of Israel, he was tempted to choose David’s older brother, Eliab. However, God clearly rebuked Samuel for his lack of spiritual discernment: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” [ 1 Samuel 16:7 ]. Who could have guessed that a ‘lowly’ shepherd boy would become the most famous king in the history of Israel?

The thing is, God is not confined only to the brightest and the best. Rather, He chooses people who have a ‘heart’ to follow Him, regardless of their natural abilities or talents (1 Corinthians 1:28-30).

In His parable of the weeds, Jesus tells the story of a man who sowed good seed in a field. While he was sleeping, an enemy planted bad seed in with the good seed. When the different seeds began to mature, both good and bad plants were apparent. His servants asked him if they should get rid of the bad plants and the farmer responded: “No, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them into bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn” [ Matthew 13:29-30 ]. In the early stage of a believer’s spiritual growth, it may be difficult to see evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. In fact, it may be difficult to see a lot of difference between a new believer and someone living for the world. Some unbelievers are ‘nicer’ than believers! However, time will bring out the true quality of the heart.

Jesus emphasizes this principle again in His next parable about the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32). God enjoys making something great out of something small. Who would ever imagine that a tiny mustard seed would produce a gigantic tree? From a human perspective, the small things in this world are rarely important. In God’s ‘eyes’, however, they can develop into great harvests. One must never underestimate what God can do in their lives or in the lives of others, because He sees tremendous growth potential in every believer who has a ‘heart’ for Him.

– Spiritual Growth Depends On An Intimate ‘Relationship’ With Jesus Christ
Protestant Christianity has always taught that a relationship with Jesus is absolutely necessary for salvation, and the relationship must continue beyond this ‘initiation’. Salvation is only the first ‘step’ in a long JOURNEY of intimacy with Jesus. As important as a marriage ceremony is to the marriage relationship, intimacy in marriage goes much deeper than either the vows or the honeymoon.

Jesus gives us a clear illustration of the link between growth and a close relationship with Him in the parable of the Vines and the Branches (John 15:1-17). Here Jesus describes Himself as the Vine and the believers as the branches. The principle repeated over and over again is that the only way to grow and bear fruit in one’s life is to stay closely ‘attached’ to the Vine. The term for staying closely attached is translated among versions as “remain,” “abide” or “dwell.’ These words clearly describe Jesus throughout life, as an ongoing relationship of intimate ‘communion’ and fellowship.

In this passage, Jesus describes at least five benefits of staying closely connected. The first benefit is fruitfulness in one’s life. In Galatians, Paul lists out the fruitfulness that associated with the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). These are exhibited primarily through a believer’s character and its outflow into the lives of others. Evidence of this fruit is directly related to the believer’s goal of maturity in Jesus. So, as a believer matures, increasingly more ‘fruit’ should be exhibited in their life.

The second benefit is as the believer “Remain[s] in Me, and I will remain in you” [ John 15:4 ]. As the believer stays close to Jesus, He promises to stay close to them. What a promise! In a day when relationships are becoming less and less secure, Jesus gives believers a way to enjoy ABSOLUTE ‘SECURITY’.

The third benefit of maintaining an intimate relationship with Jesus is answered prayer: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” [ John 15:7 ]. The best way to explain this benefit is to recall your relationship with a close friend. The closer you two were to each other, the more sensitive you both were to each other’s needs. So, as the believer gets closer to the Jesus—through the Holy Spirit’s intercession—the more their thoughts and desires become His, and the more His desires will be accomplished through them.

The fourth benefit of walking in a close and intimate relationship with Jesus is what He terms “joy” (John 15:11). More than simple happiness—which is based on ‘circumstances’—the joy that Jesus describes relates to a supernatural, inner peace than brings emotional satisfaction even in the midst of the most distressing circumstances. It reflects a deep satisfaction based on a believer’s assurance of the presence of God in their life.

The fifth benefit of staying close to Jesus and obeying His Word is friendship with Jesus. As He said: “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” [ John 15:14-15 ]. With this level of friendship with Jesus, He enables His disciples to discern God’s Word with more clarity and insight. The former ‘sting’ of legalism and false guilt is replaced with a sense of freedom and partnership. ‘Friends’ of Jesus enjoy all the rich blessings of intimacy with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

– Growth Is Primarily An ‘Inside-out’ Process
Spiritual growth relates more to the condition of a person’s ‘heart’ on the inside than to what a person encounters from the outside. Biblical content, experience, and relationships help the believer grow only as they interact and respond from the heart under the ‘influence’ of the Holy Spirit. Principles of growth are learned only as the believer wrestles to integrate them into the ‘core’ of their being.

Once again, one of Jesus’ parables provides insight. In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus explains the dynamics of spiritual growth using the familiar garden analogy (Mark 4:1-20), identifying the ‘soil’ as the most significant factor in spiritual formation. Four different types of soil are represented in the text: (1) hard soil on the path, (2) rocky, shallow soil, (3) weedy soil, (4) good soil. The different soils represent the different conditions of human hearts related to their receptivity to the gospel message (or the “seed?).

Jesus’ main purpose in telling this parable to the disciples is to explain the dynamics of how and why spiritual growth occurs differently among people. How growth occurs—or whether or not it occurs at all—depends to a great degree on the condition of the heart. When one’s heart is soft and receptive to spiritual things, the ability to understand and assimilate the Word is heightened. Spiritual growth begins in the ‘heart’ and moves to outward expressions of growth.

– Spiritual Growth Relates To Every ‘Aspect’ Of One’s Life
What begins inside the person eventually affects every aspect of life: family, friendships, leisure, business, etc. God’s desire is that every believer love Him with their whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30-31). Spiritual growth, seen in this light, is a process in which a person willingly allows the Holy Spirit to increasingly ‘control’ more of their life.

Spiritual growth also relates to all aspects of personal development. Once again, Jesus provides us with a perfect example of this process: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” [ Luke 2:52 ]. Although this simple description of Jesus’ growth process is not meant to include every category of human development, it does suggest that growth is ‘multi-dimensional’. The believer can conclude it involves the intellectual, physical, spiritual, and relational categories as named by today’s social ‘psychologists’. Spiritual growth and maturity express themselves in both belief and action.

John the Baptist challenged people not only to “repent” (Matthew 3:2), but also to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). The challenge here is to change one’s heart and belief system as well as one’s behavior—one’s whole being. Jesus reiterates the multidimensional nature of commitment to God when addressing a Jewish lawyer (Matthew 22:34-40). A simple commitment grows into an ever-broadening stream of fullness of the Holy Spirit that transforms the believer, by God’s grace, into greater Christlikeness.

Paul calls this transformation process the “renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1,2). He states that it begins with offering our bodies to Jesus as “living sacrifices,” refusing to follow the pagan lifestyle of the world. Regardless of how philosophers and theologians subdivide the nature of persons (body, mind, and/or soul), Scripture clearly teaches that ‘growing in Christ’ involves every aspect of one’s personhood and life.

– Growth Happens Most Naturally Within A Close ‘Social’ Context
It is no surprise that close knit families are nurturing ‘nests’ for strong, growing believers. Characterized by love, Christianity is learned primarily within the ‘laboratory’ of human relationships. A family provides the most natural environment for children to learn to love and honor God.

God’s plan has always been for parents to model, teach, and train their children within the intimacy of the home relationship. Moses instructed the leaders of each family unit in ancient Israel to first model their faith in front of their children, then to teach or impress God’s commandments on them, talking about them informally throughout daily activities, and, finally to post reminders throughout the house of God’s laws (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). The home combined both formal and nonformal teaching and was designed to be the richest educational environment for members to naturally learn to worship, love, and obey God.

An examination of both history and contemporary experience reveals even Christian parents fail to live up to their biblical responsibilities. When children grow up in an atmosphere of emotional warmth and encouragement—with appropriate ‘boundaries’—they are more apt to respond to the teachings of Jesus as it was modeled by their parents. When children do not have the privilege of growing up in such a home, a compelling need to find this warmth and love in other places will develop. Such needs often lead to ‘unwholesome’ fulfillments.

God provides the context of the multigenerational family of God as our opportunity to learn, grow, and develop into Christlikeness. Healthy local churches also provide a ‘community’ where people of all ages, walks of life, ethnicity, and vocations learn together to love God and other persons. This principle of diversity is clearly demonstrated by the dynamics of the first church in Jerusalem, as the quality of their community influenced the people in the surrounding areas (Acts 2:42-47).

One of the primary reasons for the growth of the early church was the sense of community its members enjoyed. The early church realized the only way they could fulfill the Great Commission and infiltrate a pagan world was by being unified as the family of God. Fellowship and community were strategic factors in the growth of the early church. The term “fellowship” from the Greek word “koinonia” was used to express the common partnership between fellow believers because of their close relationship with Jesus.

The Apostle Paul explained the dynamics of the body of Christ—the Church—in helping people to grow (Ephesians 4:11-16). As leaders in the church trained people to serve and minister to one another, individuals in the fellowship are built up in unity and knowledge of Jesus. When members of the body of Christ lovingly interact with one another, people become more Christlike.

– Significant Growth Occurs Within The Context Of ‘Challenges’
Simple reflection on the history of Christianity shows that ‘persecution’ has always made the Church stronger. Some social science research has attempted to explain why this is so.

Learning theorists point out that the only way some living organisms actually grow—or change—is by encountering an obstacle big enough to make them rethink the way they previously dealt with those things. When faced with such challenges, the organism experiences initial frustration and discouragement. Yet, through a process of trial and error and evaluating options, the organism will eventually either overcome the obstacle or be controlled by the obstacle. Based on the assumption that all living organisms learn in similar ways, it is easy to apply this principle to people.

Now, there is ample evidence in Scripture that point to the principle that the believer often grows most through difficult times. The Apostle Paul first commends the faith of those in the Church, and then tells us what was taking place in their community that precipitated their growth: “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials that you are enduring” [ 2 Thessalonians 1:3 ]. Throughout Church history, persecution and suffering have only served to make the church stronger and more resilient.

Suffering is presented as a necessary, and even normal, part of the believer’s life. The Apostle Paul gives a clear theological rational for the reality of suffering (Romans 8:18-27), and develops our understanding by stating “It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him” [ Philippians 1:29 ].

While it is definitely true that suffering may be a part of the ‘cost’ of following Jesus, it may be helpful if we were to discover some positive reasons for suffering. A significant clue comes from the writer to the Hebrews. Here the author explains one of the purposes of suffering in Jesus’ life: As both fully God and fully man, learned in the same way that we learn. He learned to obey His Father, the text says, through His suffering. After a life of perfect obedience, in the midst of severe suffering, He became the source of salvation for those who would follow in His footsteps (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Now, the believer cannot expect to learn any easier than did Jesus. Suffering, then, is to be seen as an ‘opportunity’ to learn obedience. The tests of suffering give them the chance to strengthen their faith in the Word of God rather than trust in their feelings. Suffering becomes an ‘instrument’ of pruning in their growth process—to help them grow more Christlike.

Paul makes the connection of inevitable suffering and becoming more Christlike very clear” “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead” [ Philippians 3:10-11].

James then emphasized Paul’s teaching: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him” [ James 1:12 ].

Intimacy with Jesus is closely connected with both the experience of the power of the Holy Spirit and the experience of suffering. Suffering can be appreciated as a valuable part of the gift of salvation only if the believer understands how it helps us learn, grow, and develop more into ‘Christlikeness’.

Specifically, “acting maturely” primarily includes (not exhaustive):

– Accepting responsibility for your actions
– Being sensitive and considerate towards others
– Recognizing, understanding, and managing your emotions and those of others
– Having the ability to change and adapt to circumstances

Unfortunately, turning 25 years of age does not guarantee a person will automatically become a mature person. I’ve got to believe that you have witnessed many 40-somethings—or even 60-somethings—who behave like ‘children’. (Maybe you have someone like this in your life right now!)

Now, we all have ‘pockets’ of immature responses and behaviors that can be triggered in certain situations or within our close relationships. So, it is valuable for all of us to be honest with ourselves about our own immature behaviors and work on learning how to be more mature.

The thing is, improving maturity can help with the following:

– Increase one’s level of self-awareness, so you better understand your emotions
– Helps one regulate their emotions and express them appropriately
– Helps one learn from their mistakes, so they do not repeat them
– Helps one recognize what is good and bad for them
– Helps one achieve more success in school and their career
– Allow one to be more empathetic and compassionate to others
– Sharpen their social skills through improved communication
– Help one create appropriate boundaries with others
– Boost one’s self-confidence, as you feel more comfortable in your own skin

So, I’m thinking that it should be everyone’s aim to continue to cultivate and grow more mature, which usually aids one in being more successful, confident, and happier in life.

‘INDICATORS’ OF MATURITY
Professor of Law, Jonathan Todres suggests that there are five ‘indicators’ for maturity:

– Political Participation
If a person is able to cogently participate in political debate then they are considered mature (and therefore should be allowed to vote).

– Independent Economic Power
A mature person should be able to work to earn a living, so long as they’re not prohibited by factors outside of their control such as a disability.

– Responsibility And Accountability
A mature person should be responsible. As a result, they should also be able to be held responsible for their actions in court.

– Bodily Integrity
A mature person should be able to care for their own body, and also have the right to control their own body.

– Family Rights
A mature person should be able to care for their family, and therefore have the right to start a family if they so desire.

Todres then gives some ‘examples’ of maturity in everyday life:

– Controlling your urges
– Having clear priorities in life
– Accepting your faults and failings
– Being trustworthy with valuable things
– Using risk assessment effectively
– Being able to think ethically
– Diffusing rather than escalating conflicts
– Respect for others
– Tolerance of difference
– Taking the high road
– Knowing when to back down for your own good
– Accepting loss gracefully
– Being a graceful winner
– Being pragmatic to gradually move toward your goals
– Accepting some things are out of your control
– Understanding you can’t know everything
– Being able to acknowledge when you’re wrong
– Developing humility
– Being self-reliant
– Developing your own morals rather than following your parents blindly
– Using past experiences to inform present action
– Overcoming the egotism of childhood
– Listening to others who you disagree with respectfully
– Exercising patience with others
– Delayed gratification

Maturity is one of the most sought-after virtues for many people. Apart from the mere acquisition of experience that is inevitable as we advance in age, maturity is the result of an integrative process in which we learn from our experiences. This process takes place from the day we are born.

In reality, the concept of maturity is pretty ambiguous, relative, and vague. For that reason, it is not entirely clear whether the predominant element of maturity is emotional—that is to say, if maturity is a special way of experiencing the things that happen to us, or if, on the contrary, maturity has more cognitive characteristics, ones relating to our thoughts and thinking.

Merriam-Webster tends toward the latter option, linking maturity to judgment and decision-making. According to that line of thinking, mature people account for their abilities, does not get involved in unnecessary trouble, and are capable of reaching logical conclusions.

Nevertheless, a deeper definition of maturity would require finding the intersection between its different characteristics like wisdom, knowledge, level-headedness, and intelligence. What is clear is that maturity is an indistinct mixture with mental and emotional aspects.

It is certain that people’s levels of maturity depend on many factors: their level of education, the things that have happened to them throughout their lives, and how they process their experiences. The conclusions that we reach have an undeniable impact on how one proceeds forward.

Whatever the case may be, you can take heart in knowing that complete maturity doesn’t exist. No one is—or ever will be—100% “mature,” just like no one is 100% brave, intelligent, or likable. In fact, everyone is immature in some way; we all have some ‘growing up’ to do.

One’s immaturity sometimes makes them feel guilty, and they often try to counteract it however they can; it has to do with their vulnerability, with the more childlike parts of themselves, the places where they are needier and more irresponsible. Their immature parts feed themselves on the things that they have not managed to overcome or that they have not learned to tolerate, and sometimes, their immaturity makes them behave in suboptimal ways.

– Take Responsibility For Their Actions
They admit their errors without trying to cover them up

– React With Equanimity
They are even-keeled and fair. Even when they experience aversive scenarios, they aren’t dominated by fear, and they don’t panic. They have the ability to control their emotions without distorting them.

– Put Into Practice What They Learn
Maturity has to do with intelligence, and intelligence is, among other things, the capacity to learn from experience. Thus, mature people have an awareness of their own lives that they use to make informed decisions. They don’t just complain; they tend to be optimistic.

– Know Their Limits And Take Reasonable Risks
They innovate without forcing anything. They don’t bite off more than they can chew; they are daring but prudent.

– Take Into Account Their Influence Over Others
They don’t cheat. Additionally, mature people know how to listen. They aren’t self-centered, they consider other people. They are conscious that they can learn from others, and they realize that they are a part of a broader world.

– Resilient In The Face Of Difficult Situations
In fact, they know how to harness the positive potential of negative experiences to strengthen themselves.

– Know How To Manage Their Lives In A Self-Sufficient Manner
They know how to ask for help without appearing helpless. They don’t position themselves as victims, but rather as people who know how to collaborate mutually with others.

– Do Not Use Emotional ‘Blackmail’
When they need to express their needs and request that other people take on responsibilities, their communicative style is marked by assertiveness. They are capable of conveying their authority without being overly forceful.

– Know How To Enjoy Themselves, And They Make The Effort To Do So
They put aside time for pleasure, and they find sufficient space in their lives for entertainment.

– Fulfill Their Responsibilities And Obligations
They don’t jeopardize their job security and other sources of stability in their lives without powerful rationale for doing so. They are formal, dignified, and confident; they know how to care for themselves.

– Keep Long-Term Commitments
One key signal of maturity is the ability to delay gratification. Part of this means a student is able to keep commitments even when they’re no longer new, novel, or they don’t feel like it.

– Process Flattery Or Criticism Properly
As people mature, sooner or later they understand that nothing is as good as it seems and nothing is as bad as it seems. Mature people can receive compliments or criticism without letting it ruin them or give them a distorted view of themselves. They are secure in their identity.

– Possesses A Spirit Of Humility
Dr. Tim Elmore, founder of the “Growing Leaders” organization, said that “Mature people aren’t consumed with drawing attention, and they know they don’t know everything.” Humility parallels maturity. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Mature people aren’t consumed with drawing attention to themselves, and they accept the fact that they don’t know everything. They see how others have contributed to their success.

– Decisions Are Based On Character, Not Feelings
Mature people live by values. They have principles that guide their decisions and are able to progress beyond merely reacting to life’s options. They live proactively. Although they recognize their emotions as important, their character is master over their emotions.

– Expresses Gratitude Consistently
I have found that the more I mature, the more grateful I am for both big and little things in my life. Immature children presume they deserve everything good that happens to them. Mature people see the big picture and realize how good they have it—here in the U.S.—compared to most of the world’s population.

– Knows How To Prioritize Others Before Themselves
It has been said, “A mature person is one whose agenda revolves around others, not self.” Certainly, this can be taken to an extreme, but the ability to get past one’s own desires and consider the needs of others is a powerful mark of maturity.

– Seeks Wisdom Before Acting
Mature people are teachable. They do not presume they have all the answers. The wiser they get, in fact, the more they realize they need more wisdom. They are not ashamed of seeking counsel from more experienced people, like dependable friends. Only the wise seek wisdom.

Maturity is the ‘JOURNEY’ of self-development that leads to a more productive and fulfilling life.

Just as a baby needs to do certain things to grow physically, so believers in Jesus also need certain kinds of ‘activities’ to grow spiritually.

So then, how can one move toward maturity? Well, the following are some ‘steps’ to help one do so:

– Desire
The first step toward maturity is ‘WANTING’ it. This virtue—a basic desire—sits at the ‘core’ of who one is and what one becomes.

Sadly, some people seem to like being spiritual ‘babies’. They do not want to grow up since it is easy to be a ‘baby’—since there are no ‘responsibilities’. Others feed them, clothe them, and change their ‘diaper’.

But, being a baby is not the goal of life. We are born babies but are expected to ‘grow up’ to be productive and useful. Likewise, a born-again believer should want to become mature, actively serving God and people.

So, one must ‘DESIRE’ to turn from sin and go to work in God’s ‘vineyard’. Then one will bring forth the ‘fruits’ of service and good works. This will then lead them to grow and become more mature. Otherwise, they have not accomplished their purpose for becoming ‘children’ of God—serving God and serving people.

Now, just like children, people ‘grow’ whether they want to or not. They gain life experience, they acquire relationships, and they develop an educational ‘portfolio’. However, there is a difference between ‘haphazardly’ developing and ‘intentionally’ maturing.

Maturity, at its most ‘granular’ levels, requires desire. When a person ‘wakes up’ to their own human potential, to a sense of ‘responsibility’, they are awakened to ‘crossroads’ where the path to maturity begins.

– Commitment
The thing is, desire alone is not enough. One must maintain a desire to grow to maturity. Some believers, who once wanted to grow, may lose that desire. They may start off ‘on fire’ for Jesus, but then lose their zeal. They develop a spirit of indifference or negligence.

Others develop a certain ‘comfortable’ level of maturity and then ‘stagnate’. They are satisfied, thinking no more growth is needed.

Even the Apostle Paul, as mature as he was, did not consider himself to have achieved perfection (maturity) such that he could cease striving to improve. He forgot past achievements (and failures) and pressed on to greater accomplishments (Philippians 3:12-14).

The thing is, believers should never reach the point where they thing they are so mature that they cannot fall: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” [ 1 Corinthians 10:12 ].

One of the main reasons Christians do not grow is that they do not see the ‘NEED’ for growing. They tend to get ‘lazy’ to serve to the full extent of their ability.

Without a concrete set of roles and commitments, even a healthy desire for maturity can become just a compost pile of good intentions. There is a reason why would-be soldiers enlist, and would-be graduates enroll, and would-be couples get engaged. Commitment—holding specific roles and responsibilities—strengthens us by making us shoulder the real weights of life.

We mature when we hold concrete roles and responsibilities, because we are yoked to commitments that require us to be faithful even (especially) when the task gets heavy and the going gets tough.

So, believer’ do you have that burning desire to accomplish more for the Lord? Have you set specific goals of work you want to accomplish for God, improvements to make, new levels to reach?

– Nourishment
One needs spiritual ‘food’ from God’s Word like a child need physical food. A child cannot grow physically without proper food. Good parents are concerned about proper nutrition since they know that they want their children to eat what is good for them.

The thing is, most children WANT nourishment and they cry for food. Likewise, spiritually, believers cannot grow without ‘feeding’ on God’s Word (1 Peter 2:2). In addition to that, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” [ Matthew 4:4 ].

The Bereans (noble-minded believer who ‘intensely’ examined the Old Testament Scriptures) were able to determine whether truth was taught because they searched the Scriptures DAILY. The believer needs to do the same for their continued nourishment.

People need physical food regularly, and get very upset without it. However, some believers are content to go for days at a time without ‘feeding’ on God’s Word (Psalm 119:47,48,95-99; Joshua 1:8).

So, as a believer, are you making good use of all of the opportunities you are afforded to provide for your spiritual nourishment? (I never ceased to be amazed when the church provides a spiritual feast, and members choose to do other things.) How often do you miss you regular meals provided for your physical nutrition?

Well, to find out, consider taking this following quick ‘test’ to check your spiritual nourishment:

– How much time did you spend this week watching TV?

– How much time watching sports or entertainment, or reading the paper, magazines, etc.?

– How much time did you spend on some hobby or outside interest, that may not be ‘immoral’ but is not ‘necessary’?

– How many hours did you spend studying your Bible?

– How many services of the church did you attend? How many did you miss that you could have attended?

– Which do you nourish the best: Your spirit or your body? Are you feeding your mind on God’s Word or the world’s pleasures?

– Faithfulness
Signing up is one thing but ‘showing’ up is another. There are too many people who want to move up but don’t want to show up. They want the ‘platform’ without the persistence. They want favor without faithfulness. But the main part of maturity (and influence) is simply showing up when we said we would and doing what we know we should. The majority of maturity is ‘faithfulness’.

One cannot lead if they are not around. They can’t serve if they don’t go. They can’t help if they are not there. So, if you want to mature, make wise commitments and then follow through on those commitments. Sign up, then ‘SHOW UP’.

– Humility
Even though it is vital to wake up, sign up, and show up, one must also learn to ‘shut up’. As one moves through adolescence into young adulthood, they are sometimes tempted to think and act like they know far more than they do. Why? Well, they are becoming conscious of the world and themselves, putting some ideological pieces together for the first time, and they are naïvely simplistic about life. So, they start speaking up and speaking out.

However, open mouths often have closed minds and their opinion-sharing can easily outrace their lesson-learning. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” [ Proverbs 18:2 ].

Rather than sharing, humbly seek to learn. Those who are truly maturing know that maturity takes time, so they know how to shut up and learn. “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance” [ Proverbs 1:5 ].

Evangelist D.L. Moody summarized this well when he said: “I’ve had more trouble with myself than any other man I’ve ever met.”

– Courage
Closing our mouths and opening our ears is a vital discipline to develop—and we should do so out of humility rather than fear, and patience rather than indifference.

Now, it is not wrong to want, or have, influence. It is not wrong to step up and speak up—to be a courageous servant leader for the good of others. In fact, it is one of the most important responsibilities every human being bears. Even when we are young, we have an obligation to step up and exert godly influence in any number of situations: leading a group, voicing the truth, defending the oppressed, standing for what is right, contributing with our ‘gifts’.

Not only can we add value to any situation by stepping up, but we also grow. Leading others teaches you how to lead. Teaching something is the best way to learn. Using your gifts is the best way to ‘hone’ them.

So, if you want to mature, you must also learn to step up and speak up and lead out in appropriate ways in appropriate settings for appropriate purposes. No one matures much without exercising a regular dose of courage.

– Resilience
Boxer Mike Tyson defined resilience well when he said, “Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the mouth.” If you want to grow, you will have to face the challenges that growth entails. Maturing and marathoning have this in common: It is going to be a process, it is going to be hard, and it is going to hurt. You will have to hit walls and push through them. You will have to get knocked down and get back up. If you never get knocked down—if you never fail, or suffer, or wilt under the pressure, then you are probably not trying anything that requires the stoutest forms of maturity.

The only way to learn how to get back up is to get knocked down, just like the only way to learn how to climb out of a pit is to tumble into one. There is no such thing as maturity without resilience, so there’s no way to become mature without developing some real-time resilience along the way.

– Discernment
Despite being close to Jesus, Peter knew that a man can have a heart that is not right even when he thinks it is. He experienced this himself when he denied knowing Jesus after vehemently declaring that he would never deny his Lord. This event developed discernment that he would use in Samaria when he called Simon the Sorcerer to repentance from bitterness and sin in Acts 8:9-25. Hebrews 4:12 speaks of God’s ability to discern our intentions and motives. At times we think we are sincere, but find ourselves failing to live what we say we believe. Our hearts easily deceive us and spiritual growth demonstrates an ability to discern our motives.

– Growth in Repentance
Peter demonstrated spiritual growth when, immediately after he denied Jesus, he wept in quick repentance. Later on (in Acts 10) Peter was given a ‘vision’ about what God said was clean. He argued with God, but quickly repented and willingly went with the Gentiles. God made it clear that he knows the hearts of man. Man can attempt to make himself clean on the outside, but it’s the heart that matters; therefore, if the heart is dirty, then so is the body. Peter learned that repentance ‘cleans’ one’s ‘heart’.

– Growth in Obedience
Talkers talk and they tend to ask questions before they obey. The Apostle Peter was definitely the sort of person to do this, but he showed immense spiritual growth, especially when he was in prison (Acts 12: 1-18). His heart was so arrested by the power of Jesus that, when an angel came to release him, he did exactly as he was told. It was not until after the angel left him that he realized what he thought was a vision, was, in fact, reality. Because of his unquestioning, unwavering obedience, he found himself released from a prison. Peter learned to obey God first rather than his impulses.

– Exercise and Practice
Exercise and practice are essential to ‘physical’ development. Athletes and musicians know they must exercise and practice to improve. Developing skills requires continual repetition: playing a song, throwing pitches, shooting baskets, or hitting 15 million golf balls (as Gary Player has done).

It is said that “Practice makes perfect,” (or at least it promotes ‘tremendous’ improvement). Well, spiritually, one must ‘exercise’ themselves toward godliness—in the proper way: “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” [ Hebrews 5:14 ]. Then one must ‘practice’ consistently: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly” [ 1 Timothy 4:7 ].

Growth requires exercise and practice for proper nourishment and maturity.

– It Takes Time And Patience
By definition, growth requires TIME. It is progress and development as time passes. So, do not expect to reach your goal overnight—just as children do not become full-grown instantaneously.

At birth, they are so small you can hold them in a little basket. Soon they are outgrowing new clothes every month. Eventually, they can wear their parents’ clothes (or even larger.) All this to say, it just takes time—for some, a LOT of time!

Likewise, spiritually, one should not expect maturity overnight. “To become perfect and mature (entire), lacking nothing, we must have patience. “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” [ James 1:4 ].

Some new-born believers are ‘on fire’ for Jesus and want to know everything and do everything right away. However, they may not be willing to take the TIME to DEVELOP their abilities. Remember, people who are mature today did not get that way overnight. It took MANY YEARS of study and practice.

How often does a child fall while learning to walk? They fall again and again, gathering some bumps and bruises. They spill their milk and fall off their bikes, but get right back up to try again. “Fall down seven times, get up eight” [ Japanese proverb ].

In the same way, new believers need not become discouraged by their mistakes and/or rebukes. Just like little children—who make many mistakes and often need to be told they are wrong—they will also experience some ‘bumps and bruises’ along the way to spiritual maturity.

Parents are continually correcting, instructing, and punishing, till we almost feel sorry for the kids. Growing up is tough! However, if kids are going to become mature, they have to keep going in spite of mistakes and rebukes. Then someday, they will look back on their own childish mistakes and just smile.

Likewise, new believers will make many mistakes and must often be told they are wrong. Some of the greatest Bible characters committed terrible errors and had to be rebuked.

– Moses made excuses when God called him to lead Israel out of bondage
– David committed adultery with Bathsheba and was rebuked by Nathan
– Peter denied Jesus three times
– Paul persecuted Christians before his conversion
– Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection
– All the apostles forsook Jesus when He was arrested and crucified

Yet, all of these are remembered as some of God’s greatest servants!

Now, great servants are not people who live without ever sinning, but people who learn from their mistakes and go on to try to serve God faithfully—over and over again. Judas betrayed Jesus and is remembered as a traitor. Peter denied Jesus three times and is remembered as a great apostle. What is the difference? Judas, after betraying Jesus, hung himself. Peter, after denying Jesus, repented and went to work preaching the gospel.

A person is ‘destroyed’, not simply because they err, but because they become stubborn when they are rebuked and then will not repent. What is needed is repentance and patience to learn to do right. “Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy” [ Proverbs 29:1 ].

– Growing Up
The process of growing into mature people is invigorating, but it is also challenging. We often find ourselves aiming for a charcoal outline of our future selves that can seem distant and underdeveloped.

But while maturity is not simple, it is also not complicated. Basic maturity follows this basic path: desire, commitment, faithfulness, humility, courage, and resilience. So, if you want to grow up, then start by waking up, signing up, showing up, shutting up, stepping up, and then getting up when you trip or tumble or get knocked down.

A story is told of a little boy who fell out of bed. Asked what happened, he said, “I guess I just stayed too close to the getting’-in place.” That is exactly why many people fall away from God after their ‘conversion’—they stay too close to the “getting’-in” place and do not grow to maturity.

It is no shame to be a baby, if you were born a few months ago. But if a person has been a ‘child’ of God for several years and has not grown, they have a problem.

The thing is, everyone CAN grow and mature as a believe, if they simply apply the Bible’s principles of growth.

This story reminds us that there is no instant greatness. Growth DOES TAKE ‘TIME’. However, as I just said, one must ‘DESIRE’ to grow to maturity.

So, what are you doing today to grow up and mature?

Throughout the commercial, both adults and children are singing lyrics about themselves wishing that they could play basketball just like Jordan—and being shown trying their hardest to do so:

“Sometimes I dream
That he is me.
You’ve got to see that’s how I dream to be.
I dream I move,
I dream I groove,
Like Mike
If I could Be Like Mike.
Like Mike, Oh, if I could Be Like Mike.

Be Like Mike, Be Like Mike.

Again I try,
Just need to fly.
For just one day if I could
Be that way.
I dream I move,
I dream I groove,
Like Mike
If I could Be Like Mike.
I wanna be, I wanna be like Mike.

Oh, if I could Be Like Mike.”

The commercial ends with “The Shot,” and Jordan smiling with a cup of Gatorade, with the slogan “Be like Mike. Drink Gatorade.”

[ VIDEO: Gatorade’s original “Be Like Mike” commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3FE489LUQ ]

Now, when Gatorade released the commercial, Jordan had become such a household name that his renown was felt nationally. Most people already wanted to be like Mike, the commercial just gave voice to this sentiment.

So then, spiritually, the quest for the believer to “Be Like Christ”—or attain Christlikeness—is the ‘GOAL’ for their spiritual MATURITY.

“If you think about what Paul says in Romans 8:29, that the whole goal of His predestination is that we should be conformed to the image of His Son.”

UNBELIEVER, PLEASE, DO THIS RIGHT NOW! Procrastination will lead you nowhere and since YOU are wholly ‘RESPONSIBLE’ for your own FUTURE, procrastination is probably hindering you from acting on what is the MOST ‘IMPORTANT’ thing a person needs to do ‘BEFORE’ THEY DIE: REPENT of their sins and BECOME a ‘child’ of God—which ‘guarantees’ them a place in Heaven… FOREVER!

[ FYI: For more details about procrastination and some ‘tactics’ on how to stop it, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-sense-of-urgency-v269/ ]

[ Excerpts by: Brian Tallman; Abayomi Omoogun; Megan Clendenon; Eric S. Jannazzo, Ph.D.; Loriann Oberlin; Trevor Throness; Elizabeth Stalcup; Sinclair B. Ferguson; Filipe Bastos; Tino Mahunde; Rohit Ghosh; Rafael San Román Rodríguez; Tony Evans; Dr. Tim Elmore; Modern Therapy; Sherrie Campbell; Kiran Athar; Chris Drew; Venkat Subramanian; Barrie Davenport; Erin Eatough; Sanjana Gupta; Got Questions; Ray C. Stedman; Living Stream Ministry; Heather Chesiyna; Dan Dumas; Jessica Van Roekel; Eric Sanford; David A. Gundersen; David E. Pratte ]

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‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple.

In the parable, we read of a Pharisee and tax collector who pray in the Jerusalem Temple. The Pharisee thanks God that he is more righteous than others, giving evidence to prove it such as that he fasted twice a week (Luke 18:10-12). He far exceeded the demands of the law, which requires fasting only on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).

Reformed theologian John Calvin states in his commentary that the Pharisee’s problem does not lie in a rejection of the necessity of grace for salvation. His thanksgiving to God implicitly recognizes that his good works come from grace and are given to him by God—otherwise, there would be no need to thank God for his righteousness. The issue, Calvin argues, is that the Pharisee trusts in the merit of his works for salvation. It is not enough to confess that our good works come from God Himself, but we must also recognize that as good as these works may be, they are never perfect on this side of glory and cannot merit heaven. “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” [ Isaiah 64:6 ].

Now, many first-century Jews regarded the Pharisees as paragons of true righteousness and tax collectors as terrible sinners. Thus, they were no doubt shocked when Jesus said that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went away from the temple justified—that is, declared righteous. He was justified because he did not trust in his own works, even works given to him by God. The tax collector forsook his own righteousness, admitting his sin and humbly asking for mercy. Instead, he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ to God (Luke 18:13-14).

John Calvin writes, “Though a man may ascribe to God the praise of works, yet if he imagines the righteousness of those works to be the cause of his salvation, or rests upon it, he is condemned for wicked arrogance.” God gives His people good works to do, but our salvation is not based on those works. It is based only on Christ and His righteousness, which we receive by grace alone through faith in Jesus alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” [ Ephesians 2:8-10 ].

So, if you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus. [ See Psalm 51 ].

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, you will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ FYI: This is a great sermon on the “Call to Repentance” by John MacArthur from his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-22/the-call-to-repentance (Transcript: http://www.spiritedesign.com/TheCallToRepentance-JohnMacArthur(Jul-27-2019).pdf) ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

<<< RESOURCES >>>

“Grow Up!: How Taking Responsibility Can Make You A Happy Adult”
By: Frank Pittman

Combining his authority as a psychiatrist and family therapist with the irreverent wit that made Psychology Today call him “America’s funniest psychiatrist,” Dr. Frank Pittman reveals the secrets to finding true happiness in adult life, without even looking for it!

In a culture that glorifies the carefree pleasures of youth, we are often preoccupied with the search for happiness and complain when the reality of adult responsibility pulls us farther and farther away from our adolescent hopes and expectation. But with remarkable wit and irreverence, Dr. Frank Pittman reassures us that all adults can, indeed, achieve happiness. His solution for this modern malaise is refreshingly simple: Grow up. Stop confusing happiness with self-indulgence and learn to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

Dr. Pittman cleverly blends his professional wisdom with cultural parallels, weaving references to film, literature and other modern-day icons with his own experiences and case studies. With a clear sense of optimism and enthusiasm, he illustrates the rewards that accompany the transition into adulthood. He takes on gender role, marriage, parenting, divorce, and depression and reveals some of his secrets of living happily.

Revealing that the true essence of happiness stems from personal honor and integrity, Dr. Pittman urges adults to reconsider their roles in their families and society, because “knowing that we have the power to increase the level of happiness in the world may be the ultimate secret of happiness.”

“Maturity”
By: Sinclair B. Ferguson

What are the most important lessons the New Testament has to teach us about being a Christian?

Sinclair Ferguson shows that a deep-seated concern of the writers of the New Testament was to see Christians grow to spiritual maturity and if that was the concern of the first believers, then it should be our concern too.

In clear and logical chapters that are rooted in the reality of the Christian life, the author, who has had long experience in pastoral ministry and seminary teaching, seeks to show what Christian maturity is, and how it is to be obtained.

It was the apostle Paul’s desire to present those to whom he ministered ‘mature in Christ’ for such a maturity would lead to stable, servant-hearted Christians, and healthy, fruit-bearing churches.

All those who desire to live useful, mature, and consistent Christian lives will gain much wisdom from reading and reflecting upon the contents of this book.

“Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity”
By: Gary C. Newton

A strategy for growing toward Christlikeness must be based on the actual ways that people grow and develop into maturity in Christ. Through identifying and understanding how we grow spiritually, this course will help you become more intentional in Bible study, prayer, lifestyle choices, evangelism, and spiritual gifts. Gary C. Newton, 96 pages, paper, ISBN 1-910566-45-3 Table of Contents Introduction The Dynamics of Spiritual Growth Becoming a Disciple of Jesus Christ The Church’s Role in Making Disciples Feasting on the Word Developing Intimacy With God Establishing and Reaching Others for Christ Fruitfulness and Reaching Others for Christ Discovering and Using Our Spiritual Gifts Teaching Others Leading Others Mentoring Others Being a Lifelong Learner

“Christ’s Call to Discipleship”
By: James Montgomery Boice

Boice describes what it means to live a life of true discipleship-recognizing Christ’s dominion not only as Savior but also as Lord. Popular radio speaker, author, and pastor James Montgomery Boice describes what it means to live a life of true discipleship-recognizing Christ’s dominion not only as Savior but also as Lord. Dr. Boice explores the meaning, path, cost, and rewards of being a true disciple.

“Be Complete (Colossians): Become the Whole Person God Intends You to Be”
By: Warren W. Wiersbe

We live in an age when everyone is trying to live richer, fuller lives. We’re told to buy this, try that, eat those, and say no to the rest, as if that’s all we need to do to make our lives complete.

Two thousand years ago, the church at Colossae faced similar challenges. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter outlining the only way we can live complete lives: Christ. What can we learn today from this ancient church?

Called by many scholars the “most profound letter Paul ever wrote,” Colossians warrants a careful, faithful study. In this short, but exciting letter, Paul makes the case for the supremacy of Christ in all things. Best selling author and teacher Warren Wiersbe calls your attention to Paul’s essential thoughts on living a complete life—Christ alone—in this easy-to-use commentary on Colossians.

“Called to Christian Joy and Maturity: Forming Missionary Disciples”
By: Gordon C. DeMarais and Daniel J. Keating

More than ever, Christians must be grounded in their identity and purpose to reach a hurting world. This groundbreaking book brings together the latest best practices for how to be (and help others become) mature, balanced, and joyful Christians today. Evangelism experts Gordy DeMarais and Daniel Keating lay out thoughtful actions for effectively bringing Christ to the world. A must-read for every follower of Jesus.

“Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know”
By: Wayne Grudem and Elliot Grudem

Not every Christian should go to seminary, but there are certain teachings of the Bible that every Christian must know. Theology is important because what we believe affects how we live. Whether you’re a relatively new believer in Jesus or a mature Christian looking for a better understanding of basics of the faith, Christian Beliefs is for you.

This readable guide to twenty basic Christian beliefs is a condensation of Wayne Grudem’s award-winning book Systematic Theology, prized by pastors and teachers everywhere. He and his son, Elliot, have boiled down the essentials of Christian theology for the layperson and made them both clear and applicable to life. You will learn about the Bible, the characteristics of God, what it means that we are created in the image of God, what God has done for us in Christ, the purpose of the church, and much more. Each chapter includes questions for personal review or group discussion.

“These truly are twenty basic beliefs that every Christian should know. Wayne Grudem is a master teacher with the ability to explain profound truths in simple language. He is a man of deep conviction and theological passion–and those who read this book will be both educated and encouraged in the faith.”

–R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

Based on Systematic Theology, this summary will certainly help beginners with Christ to get the hang of their faith.”

–J. I. Packer, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia

As Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology contracts into a compact book, I do not lose my enthusiasm for the truth he loves and the clarity of his words.”

–John Piper, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

“Christian Maturity”
By: E. Stanley Jones

The key thought of this book will be found in two passages. “Now in putting everything in subjection to man, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus” (Heb. 2:8-9). Note: “not yet…everything… in subjection to him,” but “we see Jesus.” Here is the pledge and the power that everything will be in subjection to the one who, instead of looking at his failures, his sins, his immaturities, looks at Jesus—the answer to our sins and immaturities and the pledge of our maturity. The other passage is this: “You have come to fullness of life in him” (Col. 2:10). These two passages are the basis of Christian maturity: here we see man, given the possibility of subjecting everything under his control, but not yet arriving at his full destiny, but we see Jesus as the pledge of that arriving, and that man will “come to fullness of life in him.”People can usually squeeze out of my books the substance of them in about two years, hence the two-year spacing of my books. One year is spent in immersing myself in the subject and another year in writing. But if my books can be exhausted in about two years, I have the consolation that I am introducing my readers to the Inexhaustible! If you ask my definition of maturity, I give you not a verbal but a vital definition: Jesus! He is Incarnate Maturity. – E. Stanley Jones

“Final Steps in Christian Maturity”
By: Jeanne Guyon

The best way to describe this books is to say that it is Volume II of Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ.

We had not expected to ever see a book by Jeanne Guyon that would rival her monumental Christian classic, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ. . . yet that is exactly what this book does!

What is the story behind this truly remarkable book?
The King of France ordered Jeanne Guyon to appear before Archbishop Bossuet for interrogation. This would be a fateful event for her, for the results of that interrogation would decide whether or not she would be imprisoned.
Jeanne Guyon made the decision to present to Bossuet a clear statement – and defense – of her teachings. The result was a massive three-volume work entitled Justifications.

This work was later printed in French, probably appearing in only one printing. Justifications has never appeared in English, and has been virtually forgotten. Final Steps in Christian Maturity is a careful selection of some of the very best material found in that original three-volume work. Here, then, is some of the finest literature ever penned on the deeper Christian life.

“On Becoming a Mature Christian: How to Experience Consistent Victory in the Christian Life”
By: Damian Chambers

This book outlines the principles involved with the process of spiritual growth from babyhood to maturity in Christ. The book explores spiritual growth as it impacts the three dimensions of the Christian life–1) character (love); 2) faith and 3) understanding (doctrine). It explains the process of growth and how we grow. It closes by explaining what hinders some Christians from becoming mature.

“Sit, Walk, Stand: The Process of Christian Maturity”
By: Watchman Nee

An inspiring look at Ephesians, opening our eyes to the process of Christian living and maturity in three words: sit – our position with Christ, walk – our life in the world, and stand – our attitude toward the enemy. New study guide included.

“10 Basic Steps Toward Christian Maturity”
By: Bill Bright

This study series designed to provide you with a sure foundation for your faith, and to help you share your faith joyfully with others. The product of many years of extensive development, testing and revision.

“Spiritual Maturity: Principles of Spiritual Growth for Every Believer”
By: J. Oswald Sanders

“This book invites the reader to experience the title. It is not just a ‘how-to’ volume, but a ‘be’ volume.” So write the editors of this rich resource on the spiritual life.

Spiritual maturity is not a level of growth Christians achieve, but the passion to press on in Christ. In these chapters, J. Oswald Sanders explores the primary source of continual growth. In three parts, structured around the persons of the Trinity, Sanders explores matters like:

How we should view God
Why our weakness is God’s strength
What it means that Christ prays for us
How to live like an heir of the King
The role of the Spirit in a Christian’s life
Spiritual Maturity provides clear direction for those desiring to grow strong spiritually. Complete with scriptural principles for spiritual development and study questions at the end of the text, this classic handbook is a timeless treasure.

Includes a “For Reflections” section, making it an ideal resource for both individual and group study.

“Success and the Christian: The Cost of Spiritual Maturity”
By: A. W. Tozer

Success and the Christian is a compilation of A.W. Tozer sermons on the subject matter of spiritual maturity—both its cost and criteria for the believer.

The overall purpose of this collection is to “promote the personal heart religion”‘ among God’s people, something Tozer consistently emphasized.

Knowing God deeply and intimately brings purpose and meaning to life and should be the Christian’s highest goal. So what holds us back from authentic spiritual success? A.W. Tozer contends that it is the excess baggage that most Christians carry that prevents them from going further with God.

In this insightful and prophetic book, Tozer shows how we can recognize and clear away the stumbling blocks that keep us from a dynamic relationship with our Savior.

“The Path to Spiritual Growth and Maturity: Solutions to Growing a Deeper Faith”
By: Dr J.A. Harris

The Path to Spiritual Growth and Maturity is designed to help you reach your God-given potential. The book has 18 short chapters that are easy to read. The subjects include, quiet time with God, full surrender, discernment, prayer, study, fasting, forgiveness, overcoming sin and desiring God. The book highlights the Spiritual Disciplines as a path to Spiritual Formation. In short, the book is designed to help you grow in your daily walk as you seek to become transformed into the image of Christ.

“A Model of Christian Maturity: An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 10-13”
By: D. A. Carson

Bible scholar D. A. Carson unpacks 2 Corinthians 10-13, Paul’s call for us to embrace discipline and obedience, as well as his thoughts on the nature of spiritual boasting and false leadership in the church. Through Paul we explore the struggles, opportunities, and intentions of a Christian under fire, journeying with him as he seeks to guide the Corinthian church and speak to us as well.

“Growing in Christ: Laying the Foundations for Christian Maturity”
By: Gary E Gilley

While salvation is wholly a work of the Lord, requiring only faith and not our personal efforts, such is not true of sanctification, or spiritual growth. Rather, both God and the believer play vital, sometimes overlapping roles, in our progress toward maturity. Maturity is the result of human response to the enablement of God. It is initiated by God and requires a radical dependence upon the grace and power of the Spirit as we work out our salvation. This manual is designed to aid the children of God in the process of working out their salvation through the power and energy that God supplies. By the Lord’s grace, may it accomplish this purpose in your life.

“Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life”
By: Donald S. Whitney

Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
View Kindle Edition
Over 600,000 copies sold!

We aren’t meant to wait for holiness―we’re meant to pursue it. God commands Christians to actively “be holy,” but what does that look like in daily life? Rather than overwhelming legalism or loose boundaries, Don Whitney encourages us to find a practical middle ground through biblical habits.

Don Whitney’s convicting insight on spiritual disciplines will challenge you to grow in new ways as a Christian. Now updated and revised, this edition offers practical suggestions for cultivating spiritual growth, diving into practices such as:

– Absorbing Scripture
– Prayer
– Worship
– Evangelism
– Serving
– Fasting
– Silence and solitude
– Journaling
– And more

Regardless of where you are in your Christian walk, this anniversary edition provides refreshing and profound encouragement for your spirit.

“Don Whitney’s spiritual feet are blessedly cemented in the wisdom of the Bible. This is as beneficial as it is solid. If you want to be really real with your God, this book provides practical help.” ―J. I. Packer, author and theologian

“The Cost of Discipleship”
By: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

One of the most important theologians of the twentieth century illuminates the relationship between ourselves and the teachings of Jesus
What can the call to discipleship, the adherence to the word of Jesus, mean today to the businessman, the soldier, the laborer, or the aristocrat? What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us today? Drawing on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer answers these timeless questions by providing a seminal reading of the dichotomy between “cheap grace” and “costly grace.” “Cheap grace,” Bonhoeffer wrote, “is the grace we bestow on ourselves…grace without discipleship….Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the girl which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know….It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”

The Cost of Discipleship is a compelling statement of the demands of sacrifice and ethical consistency from a man whose life and thought were exemplary articulations of a new type of leadership inspired by the Gospel, and imbued with the spirit of Christian humanism and a creative sense of civic duty.

“The Disciplined Life: The Mark of Christian Maturity”
By: Richard S. Taylor

In this modern classic, the author speals to the urgent need for discipline in today’s culture. Without mincing words, Richard Taylor deals with the areas of living that hamper Christians from reaching their full potential- overeacting, moodiness, erratic emotuons, tardiness, lack of submission, weak priorities, and more. He then lays out a clear plan for how to become a disciplined person, starting with developing a personal philosophy of discipleship. Author Richard Foster calls The Disciplined Life “A sharp, staccato plea for disciplined living in an age of self-indulgence.”

“Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to Do with You”
By: John MacArthur

You don’t have to be perfect to do God’s work. Look no further than the twelve disciples, whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Join bestselling author John MacArthur in Twelve Ordinary Men as he draws principles from Christ’s careful, hands-on training of the original disciples for today’s modern disciple, you!

Jesus chose ordinary men–fishermen, tax collectors, political zealots–and turned their weakness into strength, producing greatness from people who were otherwise unremarkable. The twelve disciples weren’t the stained-glass saints we imagine. On the contrary, they were truly human, all too prone to mistakes, misstatements, wrong attitudes, lapses of faith, and bitter failure. Simply put, they were flawed people, just like us. But under Jesus’ teaching and touch, they became a force that forever changed the world.

MacArthur takes you into the inner circle of the disciples–their selection, their training, their personalities, and their incredible impact. As MacArthur took a closer look at the lives of the twelve disciples, he found himself asking difficult questions along the way, including:

Why did Jesus pick each of the twelve disciples?
How did Jesus teach them everything he could in just eighteen short months?
Can the lessons that Jesus taught the disciples can still influence our faith today?

In Twelve Ordinary Men, you’ll learn that disciples are living proof that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. As you get to know the men who walked with Jesus, you’ll see that if he can accomplish his purposes through them, he can do the same through you.

“What Every Christian Ought to Know Day by Day: Essential Truths for Growing Your Faith”
By: Adrian Rogers

The internationally revered teaching of the late Adrian Rogers lives on in this day-by-day adaptation of his acclaimed final book, What Every Christian Ought to Know. Just as plants need essentials to grow—light, water and fertile soil—so do Christians who want to develop strong spiritual roots and bear good fruit.

For new and struggling yet seasoned believers alike, this daily devotional reader divides into twelve month-long sections the following indispensable themes:

The Bible Is the Word of God; The Assurance of Salvation; Eternal Security; What Happens When a Christian Sins; How to Handle Temptation; Believer’s Baptism; How to Discern the Will of God; Faith and How to Have It; How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit; How to Discover Your Spiritual Gift; How to Pray with Power; How to Understand the Bible.

“THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: The Measure of Christian Maturity”
By: Andy Ripley

In II Corinthians 13:5 we are told to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In Lamentations 3:40 we are told to examine our ways and test them, and to return to doing things the Lord’s way. In I Corinthians 11:28 we are to examine ourselves before we partake of communion, to see if we are right with God. In Hebrews 12:15 we are to see to it that no one among us falls short of the grace that God has given us. Galatians 6:4 tells each of us to test his own actions. The writer of Psalm 139:23-24 implores the Lord to search his heart and find out if there is any wicked way in him that needs to be addressed and repented of. These and many other passages of scripture urge us towards self-examination and self-judgement. The Bible provides a few measuring sticks by which we can estimate our growth and progress in spiritual things. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter five is one of those measuring sticks. Using these nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, we can get an accurate estimate of our spiritual growth and see if we are at least heading in the right direction and maturing in God.

“Totally Saved: Understanding, Experiencing, and Enjoying the Greatness of Your Salvation”
By: Tony Evans

“I have written Totally Saved in an attempt to explain the doctrine of salvation in words that I hope my readers can easily grasp and apply, while not losing any of the strength and depth that is part of this great biblical teaching.” — Tony Evans

There are few teachings more glorious than the truth that God has delivered us from His wrath and has given us the guarantee of heaven in the salvation He has provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our salvation is beyond human description, and yet God has given us the means to describe and understand it to the degree that we’re able.

By the time you have completed this book, you will have either made sure about your relationship with Christ or will have experienced a fresh awakening to the exciting truth that you are totally saved.

“The Pilgrim’s Progress”
By: John Bunyan

The most readable version of Pilgrim’s Progress available!
Reading The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan can be a bit challenging even for the best of readers. Not so with this new, easy-to-read version that translates the original archaic language into simple conversational English allowing readers of all ages to easily navigate the most popular Christian allegory of all time.

The story chronicles the epic adventure of a man named Christian who leaves his home in the City of Destruction and begins a life-long quest to the Celestial City. Set against the backdrop of a hazardous journey, this powerful drama unfolds as Christian’s adventures lead him into fascinating lands and encounters with interesting people who either help or hinder his progress along a narrow way. With a gallery of memorable characters and visits to colorful places, Bunyan’s allegorical narrative describes one man’s extraordinary adventure on his journey to faith.

Without losing any faithfulness to the original text, now you can read Bunyan’s timeless classic and reimagine this famous quest that has challenged and encouraged believers for centuries.

“Basic Christianity”
by John Stott

World-renowned preacher John Stott in this book clearly defines both the fundamental claims of Christianity and the proper out-workings of those basic beliefs in the daily lives of believers. Stott’s Basic Christianity is a sound, sensible guide for anyone seeking an intellectually satisfying presentation of the Christian faith.

Named one of the Top 100 Books of the Millennium by World magazine and listed among Christianity Today’s Top 100 Books of the 20th Century, Basic Christianity has informed the faith of countless readers worldwide.

“A Little Book on the Christian Life”
By: John Calvin

For centuries, Christians of all ages have turned to John Calvin’s A Little Book on the Christian Life to help them on their journey as they follow Christ. This book is one of the great classics of the Christian faith, calling believers to pursue holiness and endure suffering as they rest in Christ alone.

In this new translation from the Latin, Drs. Aaron Denlinger and Burk Parsons capture Calvin’s biblical faithfulness, theological integrity, and pastor’s heart. This is a book for every Christian to pick up, read, and apply.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

SPECIAL ‘GENERAL’ RESOURCE

“ApologetiX Songbook”
(An interactive PDF)

It features the lyrics to every song on every CD and every “download” from 1993-2020

Special features:

indexed by title, original song, original artist, subject, and Bible verse
each song’s page has icons showing what albums it appears on
each song’s page has a commentary from lyricist J. Jackson
each album’s page includes liner notes and track listing
print any pages you like or use for slides in church
photos from ApologetiX’s debut concert in 1992
discography of out-of-print cassettes
downloadable in PDF format

New features in this edition:

all song commentaries from J. Jackson updated and expanded
also indexed by year when original song spoofed was a hit
J.’s original handwritten rough lyrics to 40 ApX classics
scads of photos from ApX 25th-anniversary concerts
list of 40 ApX parodies most likely to be redone
over 200 new parodies and journal entries
list of the first ApX concerts in each state
six new full-length feature articles
DVD discography and synopses
never-before-seen rare photos
lyrics for over 700 parodies
over 1000 pages!

Interactive features:

click on any page number in indexes or TOC to go to that page
click on any album icon to go to its liner notes and track listings
click on any song title on an album page to go to that song

Note: This e-book is a download-only and doesn’t include sheet music.

The songbook is available for a donation of $50 or more. After we receive your donation, we’ll send you a follow-up email with the link.

Get the Songbook for a donation:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#songbook

Songbook Demo Video: https://rumble.com/vfazhl-apologetix-songbook-2020-demo.html

“THE SEARCH FOR MEANING” WEBSITE

This site presents discussions on the 12 most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith.

The 12 discussions are accessed by the “tabs” at the bottom of the page. The tabs are numbered 1-12. Roll your mouse over them and you will see the question displayed at the right. Click on the number to select that question.

Within each question (i.e. tabs 1-12), there are subtopics (or dialogues) to select that appear as smaller tabs underneath the numbered tabs. Roll your mouse over them and the title of these topics is also displayed to the right. Click on the open rectangle to select that dialogue.

For each question (1-12), a link to related resources and an optional flowchart is provided. To access this material, click on the respective words, “Related Resources” or “Options Flowchart.”

To play a more detailed discussion of the subject, between two people, select the desired dialogue and click on “Play Audio Dialogue.”

In the upper right-hand corner of the page, there is an icon that looks like binoculars looking at a question mark. Click on this icon to return to the homepage.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Related Resources” page, there is an icon that looks like some books. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the resources for all of the questions. There also are additional “appendices” for most of the questions.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Flowchart” page, there is an icon that looks like an Org chart. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the flowcharts.

http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q1_d1_1of10.html

[ Content by: Bill Kraftson and Lamar Smith; Website by Mark Besh ]

“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEBSITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about what it really means to “believe,” visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q10_d1_1of10.html ].

<<< ARTICLES >>>

“How to Test Your Emotional Maturity”

Knowing how emotionally mature someone is can be the most important thing to know about them; but this knowledge may take (painful) years to acquire. This is why we’ve devised a very quick and very reliable test that can – in a few minutes – help us to ascertain our own and other people’s level of emotional maturity. It all has to do with how one responds to vulnerability.

[ The School of Life ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz7zxh9Bfow

“How To Develop Emotional Maturity – 3 Simple Steps”

Do you want to know how to develop emotional maturity? In this video, we will be discussing three simple steps that can help you grow emotionally. We will also be talking about the benefits of having emotional maturity and how it can help improve your life overall.

[ Mindowl ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upv1sKfzZoo

“10 Tips to be more Mature and Responsible”

10 Tips to be more Mature and Responsible // Maturity and responsibility are not measured by age – they are built by experience. It is not when we start speaking big things, but rather when we start understanding small things. You may not be able to control the situation, but you can always control your attitude and how you deal with it, that’s when maturity and being responsible occur.

You might have friends who have been nagging you to act in a more mature and responsible manner but you still don’t know how. Well, worry no more because I will give you tips and advice here on how to be more mature and responsible.

[ Think Wider ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-ZL0opl2Q

“What Is Maturity? – How & Why To Develop Maturity”
(The following is a summary of a YouTube video by Leo Gura by “Eightify” (Rational Expression, Inc.):

Maturity is not solely determined by age, but rather by taking responsibility, making sacrifices, facing truth, and pursuing personal growth, leading to a more fulfilling and successful life.

00:00 Maturity is not solely determined by age, but rather by taking responsibility, being proactive, and consciously choosing to do the right thing, as well as understanding that working for what you value builds character and makes life meaningful.

13:41 Maturity is about facing life’s challenges with grace, sacrificing for higher values, and making long-term commitments, such as prioritizing the needs of others, dealing with difficult situations, and seeking genuine value in relationships.

28:36 Maturity involves facing truth, valuing honesty, understanding others, and being willing to compromise, while immaturity is characterized by avoiding truth, living in fantasies, and being inflexible. [ more…]

ARTICLE: https://eightify.app/summary/personal-development-and-self-improvement/developing-maturity-taking-responsibility-making-sacrifices-and-pursuing-personal-growth

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXTO0FtsYXs&t=17s

“Gatorade | “The Way To Be Great”

Greatness isn’t about what you’ve done… it’s about what you do next.

[ This uses some clips from the original “Be Like Mike” commercial, aired in August 1981. ]

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vziy24Y6IKI

ORIGINAL AD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3FE489LUQ

“Mature in Christ”

One of the greatest joys of pastoral ministry is preaching the Word of God to the people of God every Lord’s Day, morning and evening. However, it is also one of the greatest challenges of pastoral ministry. The challenge is not only in the enjoyable and arduous task of sermon preparation, nor is it merely in the spiritual, emotional, and physiological strain of preaching. The challenge also comes in expositing and carefully applying the Word of God to the entire congregation—to mature believers and to new believers, to believers who are weak in the faith and to believers who are strong in the faith; to people of various races, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds; and to adults and to children. I am certain that I will find it a challenge to preach to the entirety of our congregation as long as the Lord sustains me in pastoral ministry. Thankfully, I have had the wonderful opportunity to be mentored by one of the most articulate communicators of our day, Dr. R.C. Sproul. His example of preaching to the entirety of the congregation is one that many faithful pastors have sought to follow.

It is our unwavering belief that the Holy Spirit can regenerate the hearts not only of adults, but of children as well.

Striving to communicate to everyone in the congregation is no easy task, and from beginning to end, we who preach are resting in the Holy Spirit to take the Word of God and instill it within and apply it to the hearts of His people. And it is our unwavering belief that the Holy Spirit can regenerate the hearts not only of adults, but of children as well. Thus, we strive to communicate to both young and old. In our congregation, that means that the older must always strive to be patient with the younger, and the younger must always strive to honor the older. For this is one of the ways that our children grow in maturity. We certainly want kids to be kids, but we don’t want them to remain kids. We want them to grow up to be young men and women who are mature in Christ and mature in all spheres of life.

Paul said to young Timothy, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). Even the youngest believers can attain and model emotional and spiritual maturity, for maturity is not a matter of age. Some of the youngest among us are the most mature and some of the oldest are the least mature. Young and old alike, God calls all His people to grow into “mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13), and this not so people will exalt us but so they will exalt our risen and returning Savior, as we strive to live as mature believers, looking to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

[ Burk Parsons]

“AN INVITATION TO GROW – GROWING TO MATURITY”

2nd October 2015 Steve McClure Comments 0 Comment
Yesterday we continued our series at Southampton Student NAVS with our second session entitled “An Invitation to Grow – Growing to Maturity”.

This week we thought about the ‘growth metaphor’ and thought how there are examples of growth in the people, animals and plants all around us. Likewise in the spiritual realm we also grow as we get to know Jesus better. This is growth from the inside out, not mere conformity to a particular pattern of behaviour but transformation from the ‘inside out’ in our identity, priorities, motivations, hopes and so on. Essentially when we are talking about spiritual growth we are talking about the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 3:18, Rom 8:28-29).

Conditions for Growth: The state of our hearts – Gardeners must consider the ‘conditions’ that affect the growth of their plants and in the same way we too must consider the conditions that will help or hinder us growing in our faith and bearing fruit. The parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15) is primary about the condition of our hearts when we come into contact with the Word of God. In the parable God Jesus says the seed represents the Word of God and the Soil represents our hearts. The farmer sows the seed but depending on where it falls there are very different results. It is not therefore so much the parable of the sower but the parable of the soils! Our hearts therefore are constantly like these different types of soil – the question is which is it and what steps can we take (with God’s help) to ensure that our hearts are like the good soil. [ more…]

ARTICLE: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2015/10/02/an-invitation-to-grow-growing-to-maturity/

“What does it mean to be a mature Christian?”

What are the characteristics of a mature Christian? From one of our live events, Sinclair Ferguson, Derek Thomas, and Burk Parsons address the important subject of Christian maturity.

[ Sinclair Ferguson ]

ANSWER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YrnPkxupLE

“How Do We Become Spiritually Mature?”

We don’t want to remain spiritual children, perpetually stuck in infancy. We don’t want to be weak, vulnerable, and immature. Nor do we want to be ignorant about God’s truth, because we want to fully glorify Him for everything He has done. We want to appreciate Him in all His fullness, knowing and loving Him thoroughly. If that’s the goal, then how do we get there? How do we respond to the Word in a way that drives that progress?

I see three definitive steps in the biblical pattern of sanctification. The first is cognition. John 17:17 gives our Lord’s prayer: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” We have to understand what the Bible says and what it means if it is going to produce growth in us. Sanctification begins with spiritually renewing the mind, that is, changing how we think. We need “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). There is no premium on ignorance or naivete in sanctification. The discipline of putting the truth constantly at the forefront of our minds is crucial.

If we lack spiritual maturity, we must read everything we can that faithfully and accurately explains the Word of God to us. We must study the Bible and memorize it; we must read commentaries from biblical scholars, listen to sermons from faithful expositors, and read the biographies of godly saints whose lives display the kind of maturity we want to see in our own lives. We must soak our minds in the Scriptures, fueling the Spirit’s sanctifying work.

That seems like an obvious first step, but it’s one that many believers fail to take. They can’t fathom why they keep succumbing to the same temptations and why their love for the Lord has cooled and their interest in His church has plateaued. They fail to understand that the absence of biblical knowledge retards spiritual thinking and slows spiritual growth.

Don’t confuse childlike faith with childish thinking. Legalism won’t lead us to holiness and spiritual maturity. Mysticism and sacramentalism won’t get us there, either. Pragmatism will likely lead us in the wrong direction, and it invites us to pursue quick fixes and worldly wisdom instead of grounding us in the truth of God’s Word. The only activity that catalyzes the ongoing sanctifying process is taking in the truth of Scripture. Cognition—knowing and understanding the truth—is the first step in pursuing spiritual growth through the Word of God.

After cognition comes conviction. As we learn the truth of Scripture, we must begin to develop beliefs into convictions. Our lives are controlled by our convictions. As the truth of God’s Word begins to occupy our minds and shape our thoughts, it will produce principles that we desire not to violate. This is what sanctification is about—being inwardly compelled to obedience.

The Apostle Paul suffered many things during his ministry—imprisonment, severe beatings, shipwrecks, and a constant stream of unfounded accusations from false teachers.

In 2 Corinthians 4, he describes the difficulties of his life: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (vv. 8–9). In verse 11, he continues, “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake.” Every day, he understood that any one of the several plots against him could come to fruition. At any moment, he could be dead. Everywhere he went, he offended people. He was constantly being thrown out of synagogues and into prison. He lived in a perpetual cycle of opposition and oppression.

What made him keep going in spite of all the hardship he faced? In verse 13, he quotes the Psalms, saying, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” That is conviction. Paul might as well say: “What else do you want me to do? There is no alternative for me. This is my conviction from the Word of God.”

That conviction shaped Paul’s life and ministry. Earlier in 2 Corinthians, he testified, “For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you” (1:12). Paul was true to the wisdom of God, and his conscience did not accuse him, regardless of the accusations against him. In Acts 23:1, he says, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day,” and in Acts 24:16, “I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.” Paul’s firm convictions, rooted in Scripture, helped him live a righteous life, with nothing to be ashamed of.

John Bunyan, the great Puritan preacher and author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, remained in jail for twelve years, but it wasn’t the prison bars that held him there. He could have walked free if he would simply promise to stop preaching. Facing that option, Bunyan wrote, “If nothing will do, unless I make of my conscience a continual butchery and slaughter-shop, unless putting out my own eyes I commit me to the blind to lead me, I have determined, the Almighty God being my help and shield, yet to suffer, if frail life might continue so long, even till the moss shall grow on mine eyebrows rather than thus to violate my faith and principles.”1 That is conviction. When we read the Bible, we are learning the Word of God in order to develop convictions that will rule our lives and hold our consciences captive, activating them when we start to violate God’s righteous standard. Biblical truth establishes cognition in the mind and develops restraint in the conscience.

The third feature is affection. The love of God’s truth is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, and particularly in the Psalms. Psalm 119 is an exhaustive account of the psalmist’s love for the truth and his delight in the law. We’ve already looked at Psalm 19, where David says that God’s Word is “more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb” (v. 10). Or look at Psalm 1, which describes the great blessing for the one whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2). As we expose ourselves to the Word, we begin to understand what it says. It begins to form our convictions, and then it becomes our sincere affection.

How strong should that affection be? Peter put it this way: “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). Spiritual growth comes when we know the Word, when it shapes our convictions, and when we learn to long for the sustenance it alone can provide.

Psalm 42:1 says, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.” The psalmist is not referring to the way some people read the Bible as a curiosity or as ancient literature. He’s not talking about perusing the Bible for intellectual stimulation or gathering ammunition to win an argument. This is studying Scripture eagerly and earnestly, hungry to extract all of the nourishment we so desperately need out of the Word.

The Word of God is our spiritual sustenance. May we have the same solitary longing for it that a baby has for milk—because by it, we are conformed to the image of Christ, who sanctified Himself for us. The Word reveals Christ to us, and the Word transforms us into His likeness. We are reminded of what our Savior repeated three times in the upper room—that He would send us the Holy Spirit. We know that sanctification is a divine work through the Word by the Spirit of truth. So, we must plead with the Spirit that He would mold and shape us into the image of Christ, through the truth, from one level of glory to the next. As the Apostle Paul explains, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).

[ John MacArthur ]

“Christian Maturity”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: September 2005

1 John 2:12–14

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:12–13a).

One of the reasons that John wrote his first epistle was to give assurance to his original audience in light of the doubts created when false teachers claiming to know the truth left the community. The primary way he does this is to give tests by which professing Christians can test themselves to see whether their faith is genuine. Two of these tests, personal holiness and love of other believers, have been our primary focus for the past two weeks.

However, in offering assurance to his audience, John does not only give them tests by which they themselves can “measure” their salvation, he also gives them assurance by telling them that they are genuine Christians. As their faithful pastor, John was well equipped to impart assurance because he personally knew these individuals and saw evidence for the authenticity of their profession.

In today’s passage, John comforts his audience by reminding them that they in fact are genuine Christians. In 1 John 2:12–14, we read John’s words of assurance that the sins of his audience are forgiven, that they have known the Father, and that they have overcome the evil one. His words and the tests for assurance were designed to encourage them to see their authentic Christianity.

Though John addresses three different groups (little children, fathers, and young men) in this passage, it is probably best to see him addressing every one in his audience, enumerating the qualities that all mature believers should have by way of allusion to different stages of life. Like young children, mature believers should know their Father and remember basic Christian truths such as the forgiveness of sins. Mature Christians, like young men, should exhibit strength — in this case, spiritual strength, which enables them to overcome the evil one. This strength, verse 14 tells us, comes because the Word of God dwells in them. Finally, just as older people have a special knowledge of the faithfulness of God because they have seen Him work over the course of their entire lives, so too should mature Christians be confident in the One who has been with them from the beginning of their faith.

CORAM DEO Living before the face of God

The qualities mentioned in today’s passage are qualities for which all Christians should strive, and each of them contributes to the believer’s assurance. As we engage in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, worship, stewardship, service, and fellowship we will grow confident of our forgiveness, become firm in the knowledge of God, and grow strong enough to overcome the evil one. Seek out friends who will help you grow in these ways.

[ Tabletalk Magazine Editor ]

“A Call to Maturity”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: March 2013

“To what shall I compare this generation?” So spoke a man in His early thirties about the generation in which He lived. It was occasioned by an expression of doubt by another individual about the same age—one of the finest of that generation, a man specially prepared for a unique posture of service to that generation.

This incident is recorded in Matthew 11. John the Baptist, imprisoned because of his rebuke of Herod Antipas’ adulterous marriage, had begun to entertain uncertainties as to whether Jesus was the promised Messiah after all. In messianic compassion, Jesus responded to John’s inquiries not with a rebuke but with a reminder that His works demonstrated the validity of His messianic office. Then, to those who stood by, hearing the exchange between Jesus and John’s disciples, Jesus asked, “[T]o what shall I compare this generation?” (v. 16). His answer was to point out that the people were like fickle children who could not agree on whether to sing a happy song or a sad song while at play. The people of that generation were critical of John’s austerity and Jesus’ accessibility.

Many of us have asked, “To what shall I compare this generation?” This question is especially asked by the “older generation” (like myself ) about the younger, ubiquitous, vocal generation with which we live. They are a generation like no other. They have been described as confident, affluent, diverse, well-educated, passionate, socially connected, and inseparably attached to a host of cuttingedge electronic devices. They make up nearly half of today’s workforce. To the older generation, much of that is intimidating. We long for the good old days before the technology explosion, when life was slower and less complicated. Things seemed more innocent then. “What are we to do?” we ask. The better question is, “What is the biblical thing to do?”

Above all, we must recognize that God has sovereignly placed us in this precise time and with this specific younger generation. God made no mistake in allowing us to witness these things in our lifetimes and to remain for a while among them.

We also should look for indications from the example of Jesus that could assist us in knowing our role in influencing this generation. He lived among His generation as One who perfectly kept the law of God from the heart. No one could rightly accuse Him of sin. In addition, He had compassion on the people. He was the perfect lover of their souls. The rich young ruler came to Jesus with an apparent desire to inherit eternal life, but as he conversed with Jesus, he told Him that he had kept the commandments from his youth. This avowed law-keeper was in fact a law-breaker. Jesus knew that perfectly, for He knew what was in man (John 2:25). However, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark 10:21). As the perfect lover of that man’s troubled soul, Jesus prescribed the solution: “Release your grip on what is holding your soul captive, and attach yourself to Me.” With sadness, the youth walked away from Jesus, and we can be sure that it was with sadness that Jesus watched him go.

The Scriptures make it clear that the older generation has a God-given responsibility to seek to influence the younger generation in the direction of godliness and spiritual maturity. The psalmist wrote: “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come” (71:17, 18). In Titus 2:2–3, the older men and women in the churches in Crete are exhorted to be examples of spiritual maturity that will set the right tone for their instruction to the younger to live in such a manner “that the word of God may not be reviled” (v. 5).

How are we, the older generation of Christians, living in the early part of the twenty-first century, to influence this younger generation to not forsake the old paths, the spiritual legacy that was handed down to us?

First and foremost, our lives must clearly demonstrate our genuine attachment to Christ as our Savior and Lord. No one (especially our youth) should doubt our relationship to Christ. The fruit that results from our being savingly joined to Christ must be clearly evident. Inseparably linked to this must be a clear demonstration of progress and growth in our walk with the Savior. When Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin because the Sadducees were aggravated at their proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection, they boldly declared that Jesus was the only way of salvation. How did their hearers, who had presided over the condemnation and execution of Jesus, respond? They noted their boldness, seeing that these men were not rabbinically trained. Most importantly, “they recognized that [the apostles] had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Likewise, the genuineness of our walk with Jesus should be evident to all.

Formal instruction in home, church, and school, and the mentoring programs that many churches offer, provide potentially effective opportunities for influencing the younger generation. However, there are some general steps that will prove beneficial in less-formal settings:

Love them genuinely and patiently. The younger generation needs to know that the older generation is not estranged from them. The church is a body made up of many members, young and old—all valuable to the functioning of the whole. In Ephesians 4, Paul describes the saints as growing from spiritual immaturity “to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (v. 13). This process is accomplished “when each part is working properly, mak[ing] the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (v. 16). If we are to have an impact on the young, we must love them, and they must know that we do. “Love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22). Do not be hesitant to tell them that you love them (corporately and individually). To love them genuinely and patiently is to love them as God loves us.
Share with them what is most important for you. They should see your passionate love for God’s Word. It instructs you, guides you, encourages you, and convicts you. It is a vital component of every day of your life. “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12, NKJV). Share specific passages that have gripped your life recently. Also, convey to them that prayer is another essential that the Christian must not live without. Pray with them and for them. Paul’s testimony of Epaphras was that he was “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12). Urge them to fight on tirelessly in their battle with sin. They must flee youthful passions (2 Tim. 2:22) that wage war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). Furthermore, challenge them to see God at work in all events, including the details of their lives. Encourage them to be constantly thanking God for this and giving all glory to Him. Are these elements the most important things in your life?
Invest in them. Buy them books that have made a spiritual impact on your life, and offer to study these books with them. Offer to take them to Ligonier conferences and other Christian gatherings. The investments we make in their spiritual lives will pay everlasting dividends. “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Eccl. 11:1).

So, “to what shall I compare this generation?” Surely it is a generation like no other. But it is also a generation that needs to know Christ’s redeeming love, and needs to shine as lights in the world in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation (Phil. 2:15)—just as we of the older generation needed to do back in our day (and now). May God help us to be examples and loving instructors to them, and may they do likewise to the generation that follows them.

[ Robert W. Carver ]

“Growing in Maturity”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: October 2016

One thing most children have in common is a desire to grow up. They look forward to being big and experiencing life from the perspective of someone who has advanced beyond childhood. Whether that involves going to school or getting a driver’s license, the privileges and opportunities that attend maturity lead children to aspire to growth.

Adults expect children to grow as well. When they fail to develop and mature, it is abnormal and therefore cause for concern.

Scripture encourages such desires and expectations for believers. Peter writes, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). He commands us to desire that which will enable our spiritual growth (“milk of the word”; NASB) so that by it we mature into the salvation that is ours in Christ. Similarly, you can hear the frustration of unfulfilled expectations in the words of the author of Hebrews as he gently rebukes his readers for their ongoing spiritual immaturity:

About this 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 need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. (Heb. 5:11–12)

Because the Hebrews have not grown as they should have, they are not in a position to receive further instruction that would otherwise benefit them.

However, the author of Hebrews does not let his readers off the hook because of their spiritual immaturity; rather, he points out their culpability and exhorts them to grow. The main reason he finds it difficult to explain the implications of Christ’s high priesthood (about which he has been writing in 4:14–5:10) is due not to the subject matter but rather to their own “dullness of hearing.” The word translated “dullness” means lazy or negligent, and it indicates that the condition is self-inflicted. The Hebrews have developed a reluctance to listen to the Word of God.

The letter’s recipients, however, are not merely blamed for their spiritually immature condition—they are challenged to leave it behind and to “go on to maturity” (6:1) by building on the foundation that has long been laid in their lives through repentance and faith. Like the Hebrews, every Christian, regardless of age, experience, or circumstance, bears this responsibility to grow spiritually.

The Shape of Spiritual Maturity

The word translated “maturity” in Hebrews 6:1 belongs to a family of words that are translated elsewhere as “complete” or “perfect.” It carries the idea of wholeness or full development. To “go on to maturity,” then, involves growing into a complete, fully developed disciple of Christ. It means to become increasingly like Christ in our thinking, moral character, and devotion to God.

Ephesians 4:13–15 describes spiritual maturity as being built up

to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

Mature Christians are those whose lives are marked by such stability that they are not easily led astray by teachings and practices that are contrary to the Word of God. On the contrary, mature believers are “growing up in every way” into Christ.

The How of Spiritual Maturity

Growth naturally follows birth in one’s spiritual life, just as it does in one’s physical life. That it is normal, however, does not mean that it is automatic. God has provided specific instruments to lead His people to spiritual maturity. The Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes this provision:

Unto this catholic visible Church Christ has given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and does, by His own presence and Spirit, according to His promise, make them effectual thereunto. (WCF 25.3)

Ordinary means of grace have been provided by God for both the “gathering” (conversion) and “perfecting” (maturing) of His people. The means that God has provided for creating faith in His people are the same means by which He intends for them to grow in faith. When Scripture encourages believers to advance in the Christian life, it never has in mind that we can outgrow our need of these ordinary means. Rather, as we continue to employ these means faithfully, we are empowered to grow deeper and stronger in our relationship with Christ.

The Word

Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Scripture is God’s Word written, and apart from it we cannot have a saving knowledge of God or grow in our relationship with Him. The Apostle Paul says God gave us the Scriptures to profit us through teaching, reproving, correcting, and training in righteousness so “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). To grow in maturity, a Christian must grow in his understanding of and submission to Scripture.

A casual acquaintance with the Bible will not suffice, as Jesus makes clear in the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount when He contrasts a house built on a rock that withstands the storms with one built on sand that is destroyed by them. The latter represents the person who merely hears the Word of Christ without submissively complying with it. His life lacks stability. The former is like the wise man who not only hears the teachings of Jesus but “does them.” His life will be characterized by a maturity that stands firm through the trials of life. God has designed His Word to shape us through reading and hearing (Rom. 10:17; Rev. 1:3), through meditation and memorization (Josh. 1:8; Pss. 1:1–3; 119:11), and especially through faithful preaching (2 Tim. 4:1–5).

Prayer

Through prayer, we have access to the very throne room of God as we approach Him in and through Jesus Christ. We are commanded to pray (1 Thess. 5:17), told that some things simply do not happen without prayer (Mark 9:29), and instructed regarding how to pray (Matt. 6:5–13; Luke 11:1– 4). Through prayer, we develop intimacy with God as we pour out our hearts to Him with reassurances that through Christ our High Priest, He sympathizes with us and will provide help and mercy in our times of need (Heb. 4:14–16).

Prayer helps strengthen our faith not only when we see the Lord fulfilling His Word as we pray but also when we are not granted good things that we ask of Him. It was through the Lord’s refusal to grant Paul’s request that the Apostle learned to trust in the sufficiency of God’s grace that displays God’s power in our weakness. As a result, Paul matured to the point of being able to say, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:8–10).

The Sacraments

The sacraments also have been provided to strengthen the faith of God’s people. Baptism signifies our fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection as well as our union with Him through forgiveness of sin (Rom. 6:1–11). The Lord’s Supper is designed to strengthen our faith as believers look through the elements to the reality that they represent. Through faith, they “spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death” (Second London Baptist Confession 30.7).

Submitting to these prescribed ordinances causes faith to be strengthened through obedience and keeps the person and work of Jesus regularly before Christians.

Church

It takes a church to raise a Christian, and believers who think they are sufficient in themselves to maintain spiritual health and growth without submitting to a church are dangerously naive. Christ has given gifts to the church—including pastor-teachers—”to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11–12). There is a corporate dimension to spiritual growth that highlights our interdependence as brothers and sisters who are following Christ together. God has designed individual Christians to function as members of one another in a local body of believers (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12–31). If your goal is spiritual maturity, you simply cannot neglect being united to a well-ordered, biblically faithful church.

Press On

As an experienced Apostle, Paul writes that his goal is to know Christ

and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. . . . Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:10–14)

These are the words of a mature believer who is bent on continuing to grow. So, he fittingly adds this exhortation to his testimony: “Let those of us who are mature think this way” (v. 15a).

[ Tom Ascol ]

“Misconceptions of Maturity”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: November 2016

She was walking up the street on a Saturday morning in a small town in the mountains of Virginia. She was thirteen years old, but she was wearing a tighttting dress more appropriate for a woman of thirty. The color of her handbag matched her high heels. She was not a child playing dressup. She was a teen trying to appear older, saying, “Look at me; I am a beautiful and seductive nineteen-year-old.” That scene took place fify years ago, but I recall that sad image whenever I see anyone with a false understanding of what it means to be mature.

The Bible teaches that man is born with a nature to rebel against God and His reign. This sin nature permeates every part of our being. There is no part of our thinking or doing that can escape its influence. Thus, we are prone to define our lives from infancy by standards that are alien to God and His Word. Many of us spend years, even decades, shaping our lives by sinful paradigms. For instance, how does one grow into mature personhood? All too often, it is the worldly culture around us that sets our standards in the march to maturity. In high school, we may learn that it is “grown up” to have sex. In college, we may learn that it is “grown up” to be an erudite, well-read intellectual. In our early vocational careers, we may learn that to be mature in this world we must have success, power, and money.

Think through those different stages of imagined maturity that we have just considered. How many of our friends were really “grown up” in their high school sexual exploits? How many of our classmates really matured simply according to the number of books they read? The modern university has matured into intellectual snobbery that looks upon “the trades” as work done by illiterate peons. But the truly “mature” in success, power, and money led us into the financial disaster of the Great Recession.

That is the fallen world into which Jesus came, calling mankind to a different manhood—a different maturity. Jesus said we must start by dying to our self-centered ways of thinking and living. He said we must be supernaturally reborn as the Holy Spirit changes the very core of our being. Jesus, the second Adam, is the true picture of mature personhood. Read the Gospels. In His life, we see true maturity. He is the model the Holy Spirit uses to mold us. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are true radicals in this fallen world. They literally turn the way of the world upside down in calling men and women to godly maturity.

All too often, it is the worldly culture around us that sets our standards in the march to maturity.
Read the following verses. As you do so, have this one thought in your mind: The Holy Spirit is cutting away our worldly image of what it means to be mature people and is remaking and re-clothing us to look like Jesus.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. . . . In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge a er the image of its creator. . . . Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. . . . And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:3–17)

I love that picture. Just as we change clothes, in the power of the Spirit we are to take off our former way of living and put on the new life that we learn from Christ. It is through this daily taking off and putting on that we move toward maturity.

This is a serious matter. When we follow Christ and become a part of His church, we have the tendency to simply baptize our worldly paradigms and idiosyncrasies and name them “Christian.” James and John had followed Jesus for some time. They were two members of the triad that formed the core leadership of His disciples. But, in the name of faithfulness, they brought their ego-driven, CEO attitudes to the table when they asked Jesus if they could be His two “main men” when He came into His kingdom. Their idea of being mature was to be the most powerful men in His realm.

The turf wars that exist between staff members of a large church can be very much like the vying cliques of junior high school. There is the senior minister of a large church who is so controlling that he is unable to work with the elders appointed by the Holy Spirit to assist him in leading the congregation. He can be very much like a six-year-old throwing a tantrum if he doesn’t get his way.

We are seduced into thinking that the position itself is synonymous with maturity. We think that attaining the rank of elder, deacon, minister, or theologian is what makes us mature. That is a worldly paradigm that we have brought into the church and baptized in an attempt to make it holy. It is not holy. Satan has wrought havoc in the church using the immaturity of ministers, elders, deacons, and theologians who had no idea of how spiritually infantile they were.

Sometimes, the church has told us that certain spiritual gifts are a shortcut to Christian growth and maturity. Others in the church have said that if we become intellectually adept in a certain theology, we will be mature. Maturity does not come with attaining a certain position, a particular spiritual gift, or a theological expertise. Our model of maturity is Jesus, and the maker of our maturity is the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, the hammer and chisel used by the Spirit are quite painful. We see Jesus’ maturity in every aspect of His life—in the mundane and the sublime, when facing the constant pressure of the crowds and when facing Satan alone, while boldly claiming His deity before the Sanhedrin and while remaining silent before Herod, when entering Jerusalem as the Messiah to the hymns of the crowd, or when dying on the cross to the jeers of evil men. Thus, Jesus models maturity in every possible situation we may encounter. And the Holy Spirit will be there in each situation with the hammer and chisel of His Word, conforming us to the image of Christ.

The Holy Spirit will be in every situation we encounter with the hammer and chisel of His Word conforming us to the image of Christ.

Amy Carmichael (1896–1951) was a missionary to India. She wrote:
“Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors, we feel almost despondent. I feel that I shall never be like that. But they won step by step by little bits of wills, little denials of self, and little inward victories by faithfulness in very little things. They became what they are. No one sees these little hidden steps. They only see the accomplishment, but even so, those small steps were taken. There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity that is the work of the moment.”

She was saying that our journey as followers of Christ through this fallen world is not easy.

Our maturity is indeed a battle. We not only struggle with the pressure from the world to conform in thinking and action to the culture, but we also are in a daily conflict with the remnant of a sin nature that resides deep within us. Like the sirens of the Odyssey, those false paradigms seductively call to us from the powerful cultural forces which surround us and from the base desires that still live in our own souls.

John said, “We know that when [Jesus] appears we will be like him” (1 John 3:2). What a great day that will be. We will take on the maturity of Jesus. Even if our neighbors currently perceive us to be mature, there is a huge chasm between what we look like now and what we will look like when Christ returns. There will be a cataclysmic change in our individual lives. I cannot imagine living with no sin in my heart. Whatever maturity we know in the present will pale in comparison. But, for now, there remains the need to repent every day. And that is part of our maturing process. Self-righteousness will make no progress toward maturity. We show our children and others a clear path toward maturity as they watch us admit our failures and confess our sins. It is ironic—confessing our ongoing immaturity in itself is a sign of maturity.

[ John P. Sartelle Sr. ]

“Mature in Christ”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: November 2016

The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:28, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” This verse presents us with a summary statement of the Apostle Paul’s ministry, as it tells us of both the means he employed and the goal for which he toiled. The means was the ministry of God’s Word, described in detail for us in the book of Acts. Paul typically began by going into the synagogue, where he reasoned with people from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead (Acts 17:2–3; 18:4). When people responded in faith and repentance, Paul continued his ministry by reasoning with them from the Scriptures (18:11; 19:9–10). In Ephesus, he was able to continue this ministry for three years, and in that time he was able to declare to them the whole counsel of God (20:27, 31). At the end of Acts, we find Paul doing the same thing in Rome (28:23–31), just as Jesus was doing at the end of Luke in Jerusalem (Luke 24:44–49). It is this same ministry of teaching the Holy Scriptures that must be continued in the church today (1 Tim. 4:13–16; 2 Tim. 3:14–17, 4:1–5). It is by such teaching that we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3).

The goal of Paul’s comprehensive teaching of the Holy Scriptures was to present everyone “mature in Christ.” The word translated here as “mature” is the Greek word teleios. It is derived from telos, a word that means the goal, purpose, or end for which something exists or is performed. The one who is “teleios in Christ” is the one who, in union with Christ, has reached his or her telos, the end for which he or she has been made. It is God who determines our goal or purpose, for He is our creator. God’s purpose toward His elect has been revealed in Romans 8:29: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” So, we can see that “mature in Christ” is just another way of saying “conformed to the image of Christ.” This is the end for which believers have been made. We can reach this goal only in union with Christ, as branches united to the vine (John 15:1–11).

The journey toward maturity in Christ begins with receiving Christ, and we make progress from that point in the same manner as we began: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Col. 2:6–7). It is by “walking with Christ” that we may grow and mature in Him, becoming more and more like Him.

The journey toward maturity in Christ begins with receiving Christ, and progress from that point is made in the same manner as we began.

This image of “walking with Christ” provides us with a helpful way of surveying the whole Bible’s teaching about maturity in Christ. After the fall of Adam, sin and death entered the human race (Rom. 5:12). By the recurrent phrase “and he died,” the genealogy of Genesis 5 shows the reign of death that ensued among Adam’s descendants. But one man stands out from that pattern. Enoch “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). The book of Hebrews makes clear that Enoch did not see death, for he was commended as having pleased God (Heb. 11:5). This phrase “walked with God” receives further elaboration in the life of Noah. He “was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9). Here we see that “walking with God” includes not only enjoying favor with God and being admitted to fellowship with Him, but also obedience to God, of walking in His ways.

Abraham was called to such faith and obedience: “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly” (Gen. 17:1b–2). God’s covenant with Abraham required not only that he walk in obedience to God, but that he teach such obedience to his descendants: “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him” (18:19).

God’s covenant with Abraham came to fuller expression in the days of Moses. He likewise called the people to walk with God: “You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess” (Deut. 5:33). When Joshua renewed this covenant with Israel, he also called them to walk with God:

Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Josh. 22:5)

From Joshua’s words it is plain that the kind of “walking with God” in view is not mere rule keeping and outward conformity. It is a matter of the heart also—“to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” But if it is more than just rule keeping, we must also remember that it is not without rule keeping. Following the words of the great Shema in Deuteronomy 6, which call us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and might (v. 4–5), we find these forceful words:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (vv. 6–9)

In harmony with the teaching of the law, the prophets who came after Moses called Israel to walk with God in such obedience. So we find in Jeremiah: “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you’” (Jer. 7:23). We find it also in the oft-quoted words of Micah: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Further examples could be cited (for example, Ezek. 11:19–20; Hos. 14:9; Zech. 3:7).

Being mature in Christ is being conformed to His image, and therefore it is walking as He walked.

As in the Law and the Prophets, so also in the Psalms:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1:1–2)

In the book of Proverbs, wisdom cries out to us:

Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight. . . . The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Prov. 9:6–10)

The New Testament continues this emphasis on the necessity of walking with God. It is especially prominent in Paul. The Apostle teaches that Abraham is not only the father of the circumcised but of those “who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised” (Rom. 4:12). Paul commands us to “walk by the Spirt” so that we “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). He is emphatic that we are not saved on the basis of our walk, on the obedience we give, but he also insists that those who are saved by grace through faith “have been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). Formerly, we were darkness, but now we are children of the light; we must walk as children of the light (5:8). We are to walk in a manner fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10).

The Apostle John joins his voice to Paul’s. He says that we cannot have fellowship with God and walk in darkness (1 John 1:6). For the one who abides in Christ must walk in the same manner in which He walked (2:6). Doing so is walking in love. “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it” (2 John 1:6). It has ever been this way.

Being mature in Christ is being conformed to His image, and therefore it is walking as He walked. As we have received Christ, so let us walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as we have been taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Col. 2:6–7).

[ Mark E. Ross ]

“Going on to Maturity”
TABLETALK MAGAZINE: April 2004

Hebrews 6:1

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God” (Heb. 6:1).

Over the past few days we have seen how the author of the epistle to the Hebrews had to deal with a congregation that was stalled with regard to its spiritual growth. Many of them should have been mature enough to teach, but because they had made themselves hard of heart, they were still infants in Christ (Heb. 5:11–12). These “infants” were unskilled in the handling of the Word, not able to discern good from evil (5:13–14).

Having expressed his dismay at the immature state of the readers, the author of Hebrews now begins admonishing them to grow up. The first way he does this is to encourage them to “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity” (6:1a). Two things should be noted about this part of the verse. First of all, the author does not approach his audience as one who lords his maturity over the babes in Christ. Rather, he invites the immature to journey together with him into maturity in Christ. This is an important point for us to remember. We should encourage immature believers to journey with us and not lord our knowledge of doctrine over them.

Secondly, by not lording his maturity over the audience, the author creates a sense of community. It is not that it is the author who is carrying his audience forward into maturity. Rather, it is implied that both the author and the audience are carried forward into maturity by God. God — especially as the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit — is thus implicitly portrayed as the agent of spiritual growth. This is important because of the warning against apostasy the author gives. Though the author knows some might fall away, he is also confident that some will not fall away completely (6:9). The author knows that the Holy Spirit truly has regenerated some, if not all, of the audience, and he knows that those who have been truly regenerated will never fall away finally. Rather, those who have been regenerated will persevere.

Finally, going on to maturity means leaving the elementary doctrine of Christ (6:1). This does not mean we abandon the basic truths of Christianity, for indeed all Gospel truth is built on these fundamental principles. Rather, it means “not laying again a foundation of repentance,” which includes “repentance from dead works and faith toward God,” as well as other doctrines that we will examine as we study the following verses.

CORAM DEO Living before the face of God

Oftentimes, those who possess advanced knowledge of the Christian faith look down upon those who are still babes in Christ. However, this was neither the attitude of Christ nor the attitude of the New Testament writers. Ask the Lord to give you humility when you deal with those who are less mature in the faith.

[ Tabletalk Magazine Editor ]

“Moving Toward Maturity”

[ Ron Hart ]

SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh85wEuk5WI&t=734s

“What Spiritual Growth Looks Like”

Real spiritual maturity means we are being transformed into the image of Christ.

[ Tony Evans ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6gLKN3WpA

“Presenting Everyone Mature in Christ — Part One”

God gives pastors a vital role to play in His transformation of mere followers into committed believers. But what does this role involve? What do pastors actually do? Writing to the Colossians, the apostle Paul provided a succinct, simple answer: “Him we proclaim.” Such a task may seem straightforward. As Alistair Begg notes, though, proclaiming Christ—not ourselves or our treasured doctrinal positions—means warning people about the dangers of sin and teaching and preaching to all with wisdom and attention to their varied needs. (Colossians 1:28-29)

[ Alistair Begg ]

SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAv6C92kCkQ

“CHRISTIAN GROWTH AND THE PROCESS OF MATURITY”

Why is it taking me so long to grow as a Christian? I’ve been a believer for a while, and I have to confess that my lack of spiritual progress has really got me down. When I was born again, I thought life was going to be beautiful from that moment forward, but several years later I’m still not the person I want to be. I don’t feel God’s presence the way I did at first. I know in my heart that fear and selfishness are holding me back from loving other people as well as I should. What’s wrong with me? Am I truly saved or not?

There are no short or simple answers to your question. Part of the solution lies in realizing that salvation isn’t a matter of instantaneous perfection. Instead, it’s a question of your relationship with God.

Like all relationships, this one is a process. It ebbs and flows. It includes periods of growth and advancement as well as times of discouragement and disaffection. That doesn’t mean that the Lord is inconsistent. It simply reflects our own inconstancy. We’re human, and our faith experiences many stops and starts.

This relationship is more like a journey than anything else. It has its ups and downs and plenty of seemingly impossible uphill grades. But if Christ has set us upon the road, we can be sure that He will guide us to the final destination. Like Paul, we can be confident “that He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

To put it another way, salvation is not static. The new birth in Christ is only the beginning of a long adventure. You don’t simply accept Jesus into your heart and then proceed at once to the heavenly realm. Instead, salvation is like a doorway. It opens into a corridor called sanctification. Crossing this corridor requires patience and endurance. This is an idea that many Christians fail to grasp.

The main difficulty lies in the time factor. The New Testament teaches that Christians in this present world are actually living in between two ages: the Old Age, which is characterized by sin, corruption, and death; and the New Age of redemption, resurrection, and eternal life. For the time being, we have to deal with the conflicting implications of both realities. Until Christ returns to renew the entire creation, we continue to live in fallen bodies in a fallen world (see Romans 8:18-30).

In this condition, we experience the sanctifying effects of the Holy Spirit working in our lives as an ongoing, incremental process. Paul describes it this way: “We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Ultimately, we’re not looking for perfection in this world. Instead, our hope is based on God’s promise that when we see Christ face to face, we shall be made like Him (1 John 3:2).

How do you know for sure that you are moving forward along this path? The apostle John provides the answer: “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13). This thought is expanded in Galatians 5:22-23, where we are told that the fruit of the Spirit’s indwelling is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

We know how easy it is to become discouraged. Believe it or not, many Christians wrestle with similar feelings every day. But if you can see signs that this fruit is growing in your life – however slowly, gradually, and incrementally – and if you have an honest and earnest desire to see even more of it, then you can have confidence that you’re making the right kind of progress. The very fact that you’ve gone to the trouble of raising the question indicates that your heart is in the right place.

If you need additional help understanding these concepts, or if you’d simply like to talk them over at greater length, call our staff counselors.

[ Focus on the Family ]

“12 Keys to Spiritual Maturity”

[ First Presbyterian Church ]

SERMON SERIES: https://fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermon-series/12-keys-to-spiritual-maturity/

“LEARNING FROM LIFE (LIFE OF JOSEPH)”

PART 1: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2020/12/02/learning-from-life-life-of-joseph-1/
PART 2: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2020/12/12/growing-in-maturity-life-of-joseph-2/
PART 3: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2020/12/20/finishing-well-life-of-joseph-3/
PART 4: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2021/03/07/finishing-well-life-of-joseph-4/
PART 5: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2016/03/10/life-of-joseph-hope-in-a-sovereign-god/
PART 6: https://www.the-mcclures.co.uk/2021/01/18/showing-resilience-life-of-joseph-6/

[ Faith, Hope & Love Rediscovered ]

“STUDY 1: THE PATHWAY TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY”

It is generally accepted that the writer of this letter was James, a brother of the Lord Jesus, known to the early Church as James the Just. He, with others in his family, were opponents of Christ, as we learn from Mark 3:21 and John 7:1-10. His conversion came about after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). Later he believed, and became bishop, or leader, of the Jerusalem church. His letter was written to the whole church, for the reference to ”the twelve tribes” in verse 1 is a symbolic description. This letter is therefore for us today!

James opens his letter with the theme of spiritual maturity (verse 4), where we read that God’s purpose for His children is “that (they) may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. Surely we all want to become spiritually mature. We do not want to remain immature with all the marks of spiritual infancy about us; look up Matthew 5:48, where the word ’perfect’ = ’mature’. What, then, is the process by which we may reach this goal? What is the pathway to maturity? The answer is in James 1:1-4, and in verse 12.

We must begin by entering God’s family by placing our faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord.
Notice the word “brothers” in verse 2. This implies a new and wonderful relationship. It means being a child of God and a member of His family. No-one can grow up into Christ and become mature who has not first been born into His family. There must be birth before growth; so before 2 Peter 3:18 can take place there must be the experience of John 1:11-14.
We must recognise our family relationships and responsibilities.
James addressed his letter to “my brothers” (verse 2). Not only was James himself a child of God, but he wrote to other children of God who were, of course, his brothers and sisters in God’s family. See this truth emphasised in Ephesians 3:14-15. All Christians, everywhere, are my brothers and sisters. What a privilege this is! – but what a responsibility it places upon us also! To become spiritually mature we must recognise our family relationships and enjoy fellowship with those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We must seek the grace of humility.
The opening words of verse 1 read – “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ2. He could have said: ‘James, brother of our Lord…’; or ’James, Bishop of Jerusalem…’; but having emphasised our Lord’s deity (note the words “of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”) he chose to introduce himself as “a servant”. What humility! It is submission God-ward, (James 4:7 and 10); and man-ward (Ephesians 4:2 and Philippians 2:3-8). How we need to obey the injunction in 1 Peter 5:5-6!
We must take our place as a slave.
When James calls himself “a servant of God” he means that he is His slave. This implies absolute obedience. A slave knows no law but the word of his master. He has no rights of his own. His master literally owns him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:18-19). To be a slave also implies utter loyalty – pledged to his master. His own profit, and even his comforts, do not matter. What a privilege to be a slave of the Lord Jesus!
We must expect our faith to be tested, and must submit to the Lord in all His dealings with us.

James takes this up in verses 2, 3, 4 and 12. What do we learn here about trials and testings, about God’s dealings with us with a view to our ultimate spiritual maturity?

(1) We must expect trials and even welcome them (verse 2). This does not mean that we shall like them, but we shall rejoice because of the purpose behind them. Look up and compare Matthew 5:10-12; John 16:33; Philippians 1:29; Hebrews 12:6-11; 1 Peter 4:12.

(2) Trials often come suddenly (verse 2, KJV) – we “fall” into them. How true to life this is!

(3) Trials and testings are varied (verse 2) – there are different kinds of testings. They may be physical, they may touch our affections, they may have to do with the loss of possessions. Think of Job, or Paul, or those we read about in Hebrews 11. What varied trials God’s servants experienced!

(4) When trials come it is our faith which is tested (verse 3). Faith is the principle of our new life. We are believers – “The righteous will live by faith” – compare Luke 22:31-33 with 1 Peter 1:7, and read the whole of Hebrews 11 to see how faith is tested!

(5) We have great assurance, because we know God is working out His purpose for us and in us with a view to our maturity. Notice in verse 3 the words “know” and ”develops”, and compare Romans 8:28; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6.

(6) The testing may be long and arduous. Verse 4 means, ‘Let the process go on until the work is complete’. The length of the process is seen in the first part of verse 4; the result of the process is in the last part of the verse.

(7) When faith’s testing is completed we shall be blessed (verse 12).
The lesson that we must learn from this study is that in all God’s dealings with us we are not to view the process only (James 1:2-3), but we are to see the finished product (James 1:4). Look up Jude 24.

[ Francis Dixon ]

“5 Signs of Maturity in Christ”

I’ve written a lot this year about spiritual growth and spiritual maturity. The Bible makes it clear that we can grow in our faith and in holiness. It is not a linear path, where we are continually helpless and have no part to play. God tells us we can make steps forward towards him, and is always calling us closer, deeper into His ways.

In fact, growing closer to the Lord is the most important thing in your life.
More important than reaching your dreams or even fulfilling your calling. Everything you do in life flows from everything you are in Christ.

The Bible clearly distinguishes between those who are spiritually mature and immature. The Bible is full of examples of the immaturity of believers that came to Christ throughout the known world. Paul and the other Apostles wrote to them in letters that make up our New Testament, and address some major failures, flaws, and struggles. Reading about some of these actually give us hope for our own lives today!

There are many areas that go into maturity in Christ, but here are 5 few key signs you are growing mature in Christ:
Cave leads to water, in a similar way we need to grow from Christian beginnings to the glorious opportunities of maturity in Christ

Mature Christians receive the truths of the gospel as it was passed down to them.
A faithful follower of Christ doesn’t add to or take away from the Word of God. You are not the Message, and you play no part in the Message. You are simply the messenger. In the words of Greg Laurie, “you are simply God’s paperboy,” delivering the newspaper the declares the Message about Christ and His ways.

The Apostle Paul goes so far as to say “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8)

Paul is literally saying that even if he himself strays from the pure message about Christ and His teaching, stop listening to Him! Clearly, he desired to pass on the Message of Christ in all it’s purity, because that is where the power is.

We see this with denominations that are moving away from core aspects of the gospel – for instance, those who say it’s okay to live in sin and not repent. Their adherents implode within just a few years, because when you take away the core of the Message, you take away the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives, and there is nothing left to stick around for.

“There is Holy Spirit power when we preach the gospel as it was passed down to us through the Scriptures.”
Paul tells us to establish those foundational teachings about Christ, and continue from there to grow to maturity: “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.” (Hebrews 6:3)

Mature Christians stop pointing out everyone else’s sins, and start confessing their own
A former professor used to say, “I know I am experiencing a fresh touch of God when I stop confessing everyone else’s sins and start confessing my own sins.”

DL Moody said, “I’ve had more trouble with myself than any other man I’ve ever met.”

Jesus spoke like this. He taught us: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. You will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

A mature Christian comes to this place where they finally see their own glaring sins and continually focus on repenting in their own lives, and stop trying to be the watchdogs of the world. They understand the weakness of their own flesh.

There are moments to speak truth to others, and to the world, but those should be much fewer and far between as we focus on our own hearts foremost.

Mature Christians are much more gracious judges of others because those words of Jesus have struck their heart, and they will never be the same.

Mature Christians watch their words, and know when NOT to speak.
Immature Christians can’t help but speak their opinions on everything and everyone around them who goes the wrong way. They think they are the world’s spiritual police.

James, known as being one of the deeply mature, early Christians says: “Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” (James 3:2)

This passage is extremely sobering – first, because James calls it as it is – we all make way more mistakes than we care to admit.

Secondly, spiritual maturity comes through being more careful about the words we say.

Ephesians 4:29 and 4:2-3 take us further: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” and “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

If you long to mature in your faith in Christ, live in these verses. Pass everything else that you do in your Christian life through them. Walking in humility, gentleness, patience for others. Keep a careful guard over your mouth and your online posts.

Mature Christians grow less dependent on themselves, and increasingly dependent on Christ.
Mature Christians do not make much of themselves and their good works and progress. They make much of Jesus.

They believe Jesus when he said:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:1-15)

Even while mature Christians are growing in faith and holiness, they do not grow more dependent on themselves, because they know their growth comes through abiding in Christ – dependency on Christ alone – and obedience to His command to love God and love others. Mature Christians don’t take credit for themselves, they humbly follow Jesus.

Mature Christians make every effort to build on their faith.
As I said at the beginning of this article, we need to guard ourselves against a fatalistic attitude in our faith. The Bible says we can grow and take steps closer to Christ.

The good news is “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8) As we take steps closer to God, we experience His goodness, grace and glory in our lives in new ways.

The Apostle Peter tells us:

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-11)

These are qualities that a mature Christian strives for:
Faith, goodness, knowledge of God from His Word, self-control, perseverance through hardships, godliness (imitating Christ), mutual affection for other believers and for the Church, doing our best to love other people (both Christians and non-Christians) well according to 1 Corinthians 13.

Mature Christians don’t sit idle in their faith, and assume God will do all the work inside them, when God has clearly called them to “make every effort” to draw near to Him.

[ Matt Brown ]

“Toward Spiritual Maturity”
A series by Pastor Alan Redpath given over the course of 1958.

Part 1: Some Practical Hints on the Quiet Time (January 1958: The Moody Church News, Volume 43 Number 01)

We all know, theoretically at least, that the Christian life can only grow as it cultivates the habit of prayer, and that prayer must be regular and disciplined if it is to be vital. That is why it is that such importance is placed on the “Quiet Time” by all who know the secret of growth in Christ. I want, in a short series of articles on this subject, to try to help some of you, especially those who have recently found the Saviour, to discover some of the secrets which make such a time effective.

To start with, we realize that prayer is the most difficult thing in the Christian life. It is difficult because it is effective. The devil will do anything he can to stop the child of God from praying, and will put every possible barrier in the way of a regular “Quiet Time.” Only determination and discipline of mind, with a deep trust in the Lord’s enabling power, can overcome the many sources of difficulty which seem to hedge the way to the Throne of Grace.

The first thing to decide is what is the best time of the day to keep and to set aside for the time of prayer. Much depends upon individual circumstances and hours of duty, especially in the case of those who are working at nights, but I am sure that the time to give to the Lord is the time when we are freshest in mind, and that is first thing in the morning. By all means make the most of the evening too, but usually fatigue of the day has taken the sharp edge off mental power; and capacity for study and prayer is more likely to be limited then.

To be very practical a great deal depends on the time of retiring and of rising. Make up your mind how much sleep is necessary to keep yourself fit, and if in order to spend some time in the morning with the Lord before going to work it is necessary to rise earlier than has been your previous custom, then retire earlier at night. You see, the “Quiet Time” does not begin when you close the door of your room and seek the face of God in prayer. The issue is decided long before that. As long as you crowd into a day a multitude of things which seem important and let prayer be regarded as a kind of appendix, the “Quiet Time” will mean little or nothing. First decide how long you are going to spend in prayer in the morning and then regulate your day accordingly. Get to be early enough to give yourself sufficient sleep to be sure of rising in time to keep the appointment with God. He will be waiting for you. Then again, your closing thought at night and your waking thought in the morning will go a long way to deciding the issue in the time of prayer. Guard those thoughts. Let them be of God; of Christ; of Heaven. Let them be full of thanksgiving to Him for His goodness and grace to you.

You will discover that the thoughts with which you go to rest are the thoughts with which you awake, and if they be of Him you will find an eagerness to seek His face in prayer before you start out on a new day. [ more…]

[ Dr. Alan Redpath ]

ARTICLE: https://www.moodymedia.org/articles/toward-spiritual-maturity/

“GROWING IN CHRIST SERIES: IN PURSUIT OF MATURITY”

By J. Oswald Sanderson March 1, 2005 Knowing and Doing, Must Reads: God’s Plan for Our Growth, Series: Growing in Christ, Knowing & Doing 2005 Spring, J. Oswald Sanders
In Pursuit of Maturity
(This is a two-part series on Growing in Christ Series Part 1, Part 2,)

Two pastors happened to be walking in opposite directions on the main street of their city. One was striding along at a great pace, and as he passed by, the other pastor inquired, “Where are you hurrying to?”
“I’m hurrying on to perfection,” was the rejoinder.
“Well, if that’s the case,” said the other, “I had better not hinder you, for you have such a long, long journey ahead of you.”

Most of us would concede the appropriateness of the jest to our own case, for are we not very conscious that we have a long road ahead of us as we strive to attain mature Christian character? The example of the perfect life of Christ seems so far removed from the level of our attainment that at times we grow discouraged. Nevertheless the exhortation of Hebrews 6:1 is addressed to all believers, and it carries within a note of optimism.

In his commentary of Hebrews 6:1, Bishop Westcott points out that there are three possible translations, each of which warns against a possible danger:

“Let us go on to maturity” suggests the possibility that (1) we may stop too soon, feeling that we have arrived. Paul contradicted this complacency when he wrote, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect . . . I press toward the mark . . .” (Phil. 3:12, 14 KJV). (2) “Let us press on” suggests that we may succumb to the peril of discouragement and drop our bundle. No, we are to heed the warning and “continue progressing toward maturity,” as the tense of the verb indicates. (3) “Let us be borne on,” warns against the peril of thinking that we are left to do it alone. In the pursuit of maturity we have the fullest cooperation of the triune God. It takes all three of these possible translations to convey the wealth and significance of these few words.1

In a very honest and self-revealing manner, Lane Adams describes his pursuit of maturity: [ more…]

ARTICLE: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/growing-in-christ-series-in-pursuit-of-maturity/

“What Hinders Us From Becoming Mature Christians?”

There are few, if any, priorities more important for the believer than developing a mature faith. Pastor and theologian Sinclair Ferguson sheds light on hindrances to growing in a faith that’s rooted firmly in Scripture, particularly for those of us living in a Western culture. Ferguson’s book Maturity provides a practical road map for making consistent forward progress on the journey.

[ Sinclair Ferguson ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRrZVCm6bKI

“Are You a Mature Christian?”

Are you a mature Christian? Would people around you consider you a mature Christian? How can you tell if you are truly growing spiritually or not? It is God’s desire to see us grow and mature, not stay the same. In this video I give you 5 VERY practical ways you can test your current level of spiritual maturity. Ephesians 4:25-32.

[ Allen Parr ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snz9t_tTQ1Y

“Seven Marks of Christian Maturity”

[ Victor Sholar ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2JIbvKO-tc

“Essentials of Christian Maturity”

The Christian life is like a marathon that requires steady, lifelong perseverance. Starting strong may be easy, but how do we ensure a faithful finish?

[ Alistair Begg ]

SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5G434r5H-I

“Three Bible stories of spiritual growth”

The Bible tells stories about many people who experienced tremendous spiritual growth in their lifetime. For example, Saul became Paul when his life was completely transformed by Jesus. Peter also underwent a significant transformation when he went from denying Jesus to becoming one of His most passionate disciples. These stories demonstrate that spiritual growth is a process and not an event.

Saul, who later became Paul
Saul, who later became Paul, experienced one of the most dramatic transformations in Christian history. His spiritual growth began when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). During his encounter with Jesus, Saul received a vision from God and was blinded for three days.

After this experience, Saul was baptized by Ananias and devoted himself wholeheartedly to serving Jesus. He dedicated himself to preaching the gospel wherever he went and devoted his life to following God’s will rather than his own desires. This transformation marked the beginning of an incredible period of spiritual growth that would eventually lead him to become one of Christianity’s most prominent leaders and writers.

Peter
Peter also underwent an amazing transformation through spiritual growth after he denied Jesus three times. After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter was filled with remorse for his actions. He even declares his love for Jesus three times in a bible passage titled, “Jesus Reinstates Peter” (John 21:15-17).

Later, Peter then devoted himself to serving the Lord and was given a mission by Jesus to shepherd the Church. Peter became one of the most influential figures in early Christianity and continued to grow spiritually throughout his life.

David
The final biblical figure we will explore is David. After being anointed as king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13), David experienced a steady spiritual growth that eventually led him to become one of the most beloved figures in scripture. He composed numerous psalms that are still read by believers today and devoted himself faithfully to serving God until his death. Through his life story, David teaches us about perseverance in times of difficulty and trust in God’s plan.

Though David was a man after God’s own heart, he did not have a perfect life. After an affair with Bathsheba and the death of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11:1-27), David experienced great sorrow and guilt for his sins. Despite his transgression, David repented deeply and turned back to the Lord in prayer (Psalm 51). His story teaches us that even when we make mistakes, there is always hope for spiritual growth if we seek forgiveness from God.

How to deal with discouragement and stagnation in the steps to spiritual growth
The journey of spiritual growth is sometimes full of discouragement and stagnation. There may be times when you feel like your progress is slow, and nothing seems to resonate with you. It can be easy to get frustrated or even give up in such moments, but it’s important to remember that spiritual growth takes time, effort, and dedication. As a Christian, it’s also essential to recognize the importance of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual journeys. Without His presence and guidance, we would not have any hope for success on our own.

At times like these, it helps to pause and reflect on what steps we need to take toward achieving true spiritual growth. While this process will vary from person to person, the steps I mentioned earlier can help us better understand our spiritual journey and the steps we can take to move forward.

As stated earlier, it is also important not to compare your progress with others, as everyone’s path toward Christ-like living is unique.

And that’s it, folks, steps to spiritual growth and maturity
As Christians, spiritual growth is essential for living a life that honors Jesus. By diligently following the steps outlined in this post, you’ll be well on your way to a deeper spiritual growth and maturity.

May the Holy Spirit be with you as you embark on your journey of spiritual growth!

[ Heather Chesiyna ]

“Three levels of spiritual maturity, 1 John 2: 12-14”

The apostle John has been showing in this epistle the contrast between those who live in sin, and those who are righteous. He has been showing a contrast between those who walk in the light, and those who walk in darkness. He has been showing a contrast between those who keep the commandments, and those who do not keep the commandments. And the basic difference between these two types of people is that one is saved, and the other is unsaved. Those that are unsaved may claim they are saved, they may claim that they know God, but they show by their deeds that they do not. But in contrast, those that are truly saved show by their walk, by their life, that they are saved, that they do have fellowship with God.

Now last week I spent a lot of time going back to the prophecies of the Old Testament, particularly in Ezekiel and Jeremiah, which prophesied that in the new covenant, God would do a new thing, which is He would forgive their sins, give them a new spirit, and also give them the Holy Spirit. That transaction speaks of being born again, to be born spiritually. And only when a person is born again will they have the power to keep God’s commandments. That’s what the Old Testament prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah tell us will happen when a person is born again. Let me just read one of those passages, for the sake of those who may not have been here last week when we talked about this.

Ezekiel 36:25 says, “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” That’s talking about being born again spiritually, and then in the power of the Spirit having the strength to keep the ordinances of God. That’s the only way we can keep the ordinances of God. We cannot do it in the natural man, but only as we are reborn spiritually.

Now in the passage we are looking at today, John speaks directly to those who have been born again, to those who are saved. And he divides those who have been born again, or who have been saved, into three categories. He says I write to you little children, I write to you fathers, and I write to you young men. These are three categories that John divides all Christians into.

So the question then is what do these three terms mean? And the answer would seem to be that John is speaking of levels of maturity. It is a common teaching in the New Testament that there are levels of spiritual maturity in our Christian life, and we are encouraged and expected to grow into maturity. Being born again is the beginning of our spiritual life, but we are not expected to stay infants, but to grow into the full stature of Christ. [ more…]

ARTICLE: https://thebeachfellowship.com/2021/06/three-levels-of-spiritual-maturity-1-john-2-12-14/

[ The Beach Fellowship ]

“Three Keys to Spiritual Maturity”

It’s easy to love the Lord. He comes to us with arms open wide, taking all of our sins and burdens upon Himself. He offers us life in place of death and freedom from our bondage. He has plans to prosper us and give us a future. What’s not to love?

Unfortunately, many Christians believe in God and love Him, but they don’t live for Him.

The Bible says that our relationship with God should mature over time and that we should “grow up in all aspects into Him….” (Ephesians 4:15
NAS).

So, how do we take our relationship with God to the next level? By developing a spirit of surrender, faith, and obedience.

Living in Surrender
According to Webster’s Dictionary, to “surrender” means “to yield (something) to the possession or power of another.” In our independent, Western society, this is the very definition of weakness, but in the Kingdom of God, it is the source of our strength.

Think back to when you first believed in Jesus. You acknowledged your sins and exchanged them for God’s righteousness. You surrendered to God, turning in the “old you” for a “new you.”

So was that just your spiritual life that you surrendered? What about your daily life?

The world separates the spiritual from the daily routine. However, when we split our lives in two, we also divide our hearts.

You may be serving God “half-heartedly” if:

You relegate God to Sunday morning and “live life” the rest of the week.
You’re earnestly trying to obey God’s call on your spiritual life while struggling to maintain control over the day-to-day decisions.
You’re willing to live for the Lord…as long as He doesn’t interfere with your plans.
To grow closer to the Lord, we must serve Him whole-heartedly. For that, we need faith.

Blind Faith
We rarely know what God is planning, or what the big picture looks like. That’s because we’re called to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7
NAS). With each step, we have to trust that God loves us and wants what is best for us.

A great example of this can be found inProverbs 31:15
NAS: “She rises while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens.” What’s so amazing about this verse is the spiritual imagery: she gets up while it’s still dark, when she doesn’t know what God is up to or what the future will hold.

It’s not unusual for Christians to feel “in the dark” as they wait for the Lord. Perhaps you’re waiting now for God to give you guidance or direction, or for Him to open doors to new opportunities. If so, be encouraged! As your faith is strengthened, you will grow closer to the Lord.

Obedience in Action
Jesus said it’s not enough for us to call ourselves Christians or to do good deeds in His name. We also have to be obedient to His Word and His direction for our lives (See Matthew 7:21-27).

You can show obedience to God even as you wait for His guidance, direction, or a new opportunity.

Use the time to develop patience and perseverance. In fact, this may be the main reason why the Lord is delaying.
Resist the urge to get angry or depressed. The Enemy will take advantage of the situation to cultivate fear, pride, or anxiety. Don’t give him any leverage.
Avoid getting ahead of God. Don’t move forward with any new activities until you have His guidance or blessing.
Don’t neglect your daily activities. Like the woman in Proverbs 31, be sure to care for yourself, your family, and those in need around you.
Once the Lord does give you the answer you’re waiting for or the opportunity you need, then it’s time to take action!

If God gives you an answer to a question, write it down. Sometimes, God gives us the whole picture, and sometimes it’s just a piece of the puzzle. Either way, cherish the fact that God is sharing His heart with you.
If God says “go,” then go where He sends you and do what He asks. Don’t delay or waste the opportunity.
If God’s answer is “no,” then be content. Stay where you are, decline the offer, pray about Plan B, etc. Whatever the situation is, honor God’s decision and trust that He has your best interest at heart.
Don’t settle for less than a mature, intimate relationship with the Lord! Begin developing a spirit of surrender, faith, and obedience today.

[ Ashley L. Jones ]

“2 Principles for Spiritual Growth”

I remember going through my growth spurt in High School. About every month I would measure myself to see how much I’d grown… until I stopped at 5’ 11 3/4”. I tried to do everything to get to 6’ but never did… even though I tell people I am. I wanted to grow taller so bad.

Have you ever felt that way spiritually? Have you ever been frustrated with your Christian life. You yielded to a temptation. You abandoned a commitment to God that you made. You discover that you are just not strong enough or mature enough to see your situation from God’s point of view.

The Apostle Paul had this same frustration: “… the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do…” (Romans 7:19)

I can relate to D. L. Moody’s quote: “I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man I’ve met.”

I think many Christians want to be stronger, a better Christian – but they are frustrated. What can a person do to grow in their Christian life?

Jesus uses farming illustrations to talk about the Christian life. In the Parable of the Seed, Sower, & Soils in Mark 4:1-12 one factor in successful farming is the condition of the ground. But even in good ground, there is another factor in successful farming – a hidden power that is also out of control of the farmer.

And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. (Mark 4:26-29)

This parable, only recorded by Mark, presents the steps to successful farming: sowing, growing, and harvesting. Seeds are sown. Time must elapse. And a harvest will come. The farmer can sow the seed and will harvest the crops. But the growth of the seed is a mysterious process.

I discovered two simple principles that will help you understand your spiritual growth. I hope it gives you encouragement.

Our job is to sow. God’s job is to grow.

The farmer is responsible to sow. Only God can cause the seed to grow. Once the seed is sown, the farmer has no control over the seed. He is helpless. He must patiently await the reward of his efforts.

This is the same in your spiritual life. Your responsibility is to plant God’s Word in your life – by reading, studying, hearing, memorizing, and meditating throughout the day. God will bring the growth.

In regards to our ministry to others, we have a responsibility to spread God’s Word. He will cause it to grow. We can help others understand God’s Word, but ultimately it’s God who brings growth.

Growth is slow but it will eventually show.

This parable teaches that spiritual growth cannot be measured by a stopwatch. Just like our physical growth, it cannot be visually perceived. But over time, growth occurs. Growth is slow but certain.

The kingdom of God may be planted in us in an instant, but its growth becomes apparent only with the passing of time and the practice of faithfulness. Germination is spontaneous but growth is not instantaneous.

Yet, i is normal for a Christian to grow. If you’re not growing, something is wrong.

Our job is to faithfully sow the seed of God’s Word in our life and the life of others, trust God, and wait and look for signs of life. God has only commissioned us to preach the Gospel to all nations. The results belong to Him. Our task is to scatter the seed, nourish the plants and reap the harvest. The harvest will come. We must have patience, hope, and faithfulness.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

[ Greg Burdine ]

“Growing in Godliness and Spiritual Maturity”

So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. — Colossians 1:10 NIV

When we first become believers, we are new to our faith. However, as time passes, we can see spiritual growth and maturity taking root in our lives. We will never achieve perfection here on earth and that should not be our goal. Rather, God is making us new, and we can allow him to work in our lives and in our hearts.

In This Weekly Devotional:
Draw Near to God
Healthy Habits for Mature Christians
Not By Our Works
Developing the Fruit of the Spirit in Our Lives
Draw Near to God

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. — Hebrews 10:22 NIV

In order to grow spiritually and mature in our faith, we must draw near to God. We cannot mature on our own. Without him, our works and efforts are worthless. However, he makes us clean gives us the strength and ability to grow and put aside sin. We need to spend time in his presence and allow him to move in our lives.

Healthy Habits for Mature Christians
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. — 2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

There are some habits that we can develop to grow in Godliness:

Spend time and meditate on God’s word: The bible is God’s word and spending time in it can help us grow in Godliness. It gives us truth and insight into living a life for Christ. Without the Bible, developing spiritual maturity is just a wishful idea and not a reality.

Pray and thank God: As Christians, we have the ability to communicate with God. Spending time in prayer will help us grow closer to him and help us prioritize him and his desires. We can bring him our thanks and joys and our sorrows and requests. He listens to his children.

Fellowship with other believers: Spending time with others who are also trying to grow closer to God and develop spiritual maturity can be an encouragement to us in our Christian walks. Through fellowship opportunities like church, bible study or even having a meal together, we can make connections that promote maturity in Christ.

Worship and praise him: Worship is about bringing glory and honor to God. Forming a habit or worship and praise will help us turn to God’s goodness even in the midst of trials. Despite our situations, we can lift our voices to him and praise him for what he has done.

Put aside sin: In order to grow in Godliness, we must repent and put aside sin. We will never be perfect and without sin. However, we should strive to live as we are made new.

Pursue what is good: Philippians 4:8 tells us to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy.” As Christians, we should not pursue what the world pursues but rather what God loves.
Not By Our Works
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. — Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

For some of us, we can get caught up in the lie that we have to work a little harder or grow a little faster to earn God’s love and salvation. This is far from true. Our work has nothing to do with our salvation. Isaiah 64:6 compares righteous acts to filthy rags. If we try to measure up by our own works, we never will.

However, God knew this and made a plan. The only thing that saves us is Jesus Christ. It is by grace we have been saved, not our own spiritual maturity or works.

Developing the Fruit of the Spirit in Our Lives
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. — Matthew 7:16-18 NIV

We are not saved by our works, however as Christians our lives should reflect the fact that we are made new. Our lives should start to exhibit the fruits of the spirit. In the New International Version, Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

For some Christians, change is made immediately and there is a complete lifestyle change when they become a believer. For others, the change in their hearts may be subtle at first but as time passes the fruits of the spirit are seen on display in their lives.

Let us all examine our hearts and our actions and look at the fruits we are producing. Are they honoring to God? Or are they reminiscent of our old sinful nature?

Spiritual maturity and growing in Godliness is a process, however we can find joy in the growth we have experienced in our faith to become spiritually mature Christians.

Are you interested in growing in your faith at a Christian university? Explore Grand Canyon University’s degree options and learn why GCU may be the choice for you. Fill out the form on this page for more information.

[ Molly Howard ]

“Without Christian Maturity We’ll Remain Spiritual Adolescents”

As a father, I spend a lot of time with a four-year-old. And I’ve remarked to many how much he talks about growing up. He often refers to what he will do when he’s older. Using his terminology, he aspires to be “big”. For my son knows that he isn’t meant to remain a child. Already he is able to distinguish between the behaviour of a “big boy” and his own immaturity. He also contrasts how he lives now with what he used to do when he was a “baby”. This is not always a happy thought for parents. But it is both healthy and inevitable that our children will grow up. Most of the time they desperately want to. Thinking on this, I’ve reflected on our attitude in the church towards Christian maturity.

Christian, Do You Want to Grow Up?
Like my son, I should want to grow up in my faith. I should desire Christian maturity. All Christians should pursue spiritual progress. As the apostle Paul famously puts it, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Corinthians 13:11). This is “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves” (Ephesians 4:14). Thus God’s children should desire and therefore pursue Christian maturity. This glorifies God, is good for other Christians, and guards us against error.

We have many ambitions. But Christian maturity is rarely one of them.

The problem is, of course, that most of us don’t aspire towards Christian maturity. We have many ambitions. But growing up in our faith is rarely one of them. Unlike my son, we are fairly content with our present maturity, even immaturity. But this shouldn’t be the case. Hebrews 5:12 says, “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles…you need milk not solid food”. Then the author continues, “Solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practise to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

These few verses from Hebrews provide us with at least three aspects of Christian maturity, not to mention a stinging rebuke against being indifferent towards growing up in our faith. In the three points below I will suggest that these verses function as a diagnostic for our own maturity, while also providing a directive in our pursuit of it.

Christian Maturity Involves Teaching Others
Firstly, Christian maturity is seen in the ability to teach others. It is worth noting that Hebrews addresses the broader congregation (Hebrews 13:17). In other words, it is written to the church. New Testament scholar Markus Bockmuehl writes, “Despite the writer’s limited interest in the doctrine of the Church, it remains true that his vision for the people of God is in fact profoundly corporate…a mutuality of relationships…characterises the community as a whole”. Throughout Hebrews we read that the individual Christian’s task within the believing community is to spur one another on to perseverance (for example Hebrews 10:24-25). Certainly this task involves exhortation, encouragement, and correction—or, in another word, ‘teaching’.

One mark of Christian maturity is seen in changing from passive recipients to active participants.

In making this point we must avoid at least two mistakes. One assumes teaching ability among those who have been longer in the faith. The other imagines a church without an authoritative eldership, set apart to teach. Hebrews links the ability to teach with maturity. Therefore mature Christians need not be old. Nor must they occupy an office within the church. Yet a mark of Christian maturity is seen in us changing from passive recipients to active participants. Growing up in our faith means assisting others in their progress and personal growth. Are you a mature believer? One way to answer that question is by asking another: Do I teach others?

You Need a Rich Theological Diet
Secondly, a mature Christian faith can be observed in our spiritual diet. Read Hebrews 5:12 again, “You need milk, not solid food”. As we read elsewhere, there is a time for “pure spiritual milk” (1 Peter 2:2). But the purpose for that milk is so “that by it you may grow up into salvation”. Thus Christian maturity involves a developing diet. Just as it is unnatural for a teenager to still be sipping her mother’s breastmilk, the longer we have been Christians the less appropriate it is for us to subsist on a basic spiritual diet. Christian maturity is seen in a faith that is nourished by rich theological food.

Christian maturity is seen in a faith that is nourished by rich theological food.

Of course, the danger regarding this point is associating theological insight or impressive libraries with maturity. Furthermore, self-assured theological nitpicking founded on great learning is rarely a sign of Christian maturity. However, these dangers should not cause us to dismiss the overall point. Mature Christians must move beyond the “basic principles” or “milk” (Hebrews 5:12), and “elementary doctrine” (Hebrews 6:1).

I am reticent to be overly prescriptive here. And I’m not suggesting that there is no value in short and simple Christian books or blogs. But there does seem to be an expectation in the New Testament that believers will delve deeper into the person of God and his word. Growing up in our faith means moving beyond the basics. This is certainly linked with being equipped to teach others (above), and discerning error (below).

Maturity Brings Discernment
Finally, mature Christians are discerning. I didn’t quote Hebrews 5:13 above. It says, “Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child”. In many ways, this final point combines all three of my points. For “solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice” (Hebrews 5:14). The Christian life should not be marked by indefinite and total dependance on others. In one sense, we cannot remain children in our faith, tied to the proverbial apron strings of our local church leaders and mature believers. We must seek to be trained, pursuing a mature faith of our own. With clear convictions comes discernment.

We cannot remain children in our faith, totally dependent on our leaders.

Of course, this is not to suggest independence. Hebrews’ vision for the local church is one of corporate responsibility and commitment. We must always be embedded in our local church, teaching our brothers and sisters where we can as well as inviting them to speak into our own lives. But we cannot remain immature—unable to discern truth and goodness or unwilling to bring our beliefs to bear on how we live. The third mark of Christian maturity is well-informed spiritual discernment, being trained in righteousness by God and others. This will be expressed in our choices, convictions, and character.

Don’t Be Like Peter Pan
When I was a child, I loved the story of Peter Pan. It is a fantasy story about a boy who never grows up. Peter Pan refuses the maturity that comes with adulthood. So he remains a boy forever. Though few of us would admit it, this is often how we approach Christian maturity. We are too content to remain spiritual adolescents, theologically undiscerning children, forever needing to have our hands held by mature believers. Use Hebrews 5 to spur you on to greater Christian maturity.

Graham serves as the written content editor for The Gospel Coalition Africa. He also serves part time in his local church, The Union Chapel. Graham loves the beach and reading, but believes that combining those two things only ends in sunburn and ruined books. You can read his theological musings at Rekindle. He and his wife Lynsay-Anne have one son, Teddy.

[ GRAHAM HESLOP ]

“Listening to the Holy Spirit: The Biblical Approach to Maturity”

Introduction: I would like us to give some thought to the above title. When we think about a mature Christian we usually think about what a person does. We measure it by works we see. But we must admit, it is possible, and often not uncommon, to be very active in service to God, and yet not be mature (Pharisees). In other words, we humans can have motives for service other than reflecting our love and knowledge of God. Therefore, what maturity actually is and how we are to get there can often be quite vague in our thinking. The key to maturity is truly listening to the Holy Spirit in the way he revealed his message.

The Method (Eph. 4:11-16)

First notice that this text specifically labels maturity as the goal of the Lord for us. Verse 13 notes two parts to maturity in a local church:

“Unity of the faith” – is referring to a church’s knowledge of scripture that grows together to a higher and higher level. As verse 14 points out, the goal is to not leave anyone as “children” in their knowledge so he/she is vulnerable to false teaching.

“Knowledge of the Son of God” is referring to the growing relationship a Christian has with the Lord. This is a true intimacy with Christ, not just a superficial knowledge of Him.

Second, we see descriptive terms to help us understand when a level of maturity is reached:

Not tossed or vulnerable to every wind of doctrine that crafty men invent. It is knowing the scripture well enough to not be fooled and know how to defeat the false teaching.

Being able to “speak the truth in love.” Actually speaking the truth (not just thinking) is a big challenge and I will submit to you that not only are most Christians neglecting this point, but a large percentage seem not even to care to get to that point (as is witnessed by how few practice such just in a small group Bible class when asked what they see in the text).

Being able to practice what we have learned by using our talents to the building up of the body (vs. 16).

Third is the means to get to maturity. It is not done completely on our own without help. The gifts of verse 11 are the means. Now in the rest of this lesson I want to concentrate on how the apostles and prophets equip the saints to maturity.

How the Apostles & Prophets Do Their Work

Of course, we could be simplistic and say that they do their work in equipping us to maturity by revealing the Bible. But that answer is too generic. There are many ways in which the apostles & prophets could have made their revelation. So why did they choose, that is, why did the Holy Spirit choose to make this revelation in the “format” that has been given to us?

Consider that the Holy Spirit could have revealed the scriptures according to a “topical” format. I have been studying with a Catholic lady and she has repeatedly referred me to websites that have a basic Catholic catechism in which hundreds of questions are asked and the answers are given. The study of the Bible has been reduced to finding the “right answers.” This should sound familiar to us because that kind of Bible study has been the majority approach for a couple hundred years.

But the Spirit did not reveal the scriptures in such a format, and it is interesting how uncomfortable we are with His approach! This is evidenced by…

Taking the four gospels and harmonizing them instead of finding the message in each.
Seeing topics in each verse we study and studying those topics without consideration of the context.

Studying primarily for the purpose of defeating a false doctrine and thereby looking frantically through the Bible for verses that will prove us right and others wrong. [Premillennialism, Salvation, Holy Spirit]

Our woeful lack of knowledge of the intent, purpose, and primary message of each of the Bible books.

There is a reason the Spirit did not reveal topically. The Spirit’s primary concern is not having right answers but a right relationship. Therefore, the Spirit’s revelation is personal, leading our hearts to be in love with our Creator. This is evident in the mistake of the Pharisees (Matt. 23:23). They reduced scripture to a list of rules and in so doing missed the true essence of serving God. (See also John 5:39) God has rules, but we are missing it when we approach scripture in a quest for “rules.”

It is the reason the Pharisees continually thought Jesus was violating the Sabbath. They looked primarily for the rules without seeing the relationship (Hosea 6:6).

So have you given thought to the fact that the Spirit revealed the NT through letters? These letters have an occasion and a purpose, and when we read them we get a full picture of the glory and majesty of God; we are drawn to our Creator.

Reading Acts as Theophilus would have heard it. Reading Genesis as Israel would have heard it at Sinai. Reading Matt. 3:11 as Pharisees and Sadducees would have heard it.

How would the Corinthians have heard chapter one?
How would the church have heard Phil. 4:2?
How did the Galatians hear their letter? How did they hear 3:29, Abraham’s offspring?

Here is what is critical: the years of following primarily a topical approach to Bible study and preaching has resulted in a Christians and churches suffering serious consequences.

Christianity is reduced to “thou shall” and “thou shall not.” 1 Cor. 8:1 warns that “knowledge puffs up, love edifies.” This affects how we approach the lost and one another.
Rules by themselves become a system of works that are lifeless, life sapping, burdensome, and boring.

Our own false teachings begin to abound because we are paying more attention to defeating someone else’s error than discovering truth regardless of anyone’s teaching, ours or someone else’s.

We have missed the intricacies of how the Spirit’s message is revealed. The message in the “signs” of the gospel John is completely missed. The OT quotations are not read based on their original context and nearly always ignored. [John 6]

We have simply missed the beauty of the scripture, the magnificent way the Lord as a great artist painted His story. The depth is equivalent to the ever-expanding universe. But once we have the “answers,” we think we have seen all there is to see.
The Importance of Preaching/Studying Texts

Textual preaching/study forces us to see Jesus and His purpose for us in every text. Consider how cold Ephesians 4-6 is without chapters 1-3 showing us that we are to be “to the praise of His glory.”

Textual preaching/study forces us to see the beauty of the “whole,” not just look for nuggets of wisdom here and there. [Exodus, Chronicles, 1 & 2 Corinthians, boasting]

Textual preaching/study forces us to deal with uncomfortable sections of scripture that may be counter-cultural or something that the church has neglected. [Ezek. 36:26-27, 31]

Textual preaching/study forces us to deal with texts that are unfamiliar to us or that on the surface do not interest us. It confronts our fears of hard passages.

Textual preaching forces a preacher to avoid “hobby-riding.” He must preach according to God’s agenda, not his own.

Textual preaching/study forces us to see depth and thus get beyond the surface (1 Cor. 2:10-14). Depth is what brings us to maturity. First principles maintain immaturity (Heb. 5:11—6:2).

Textual preaching/study creates Christians and teachers who or soaked in the word of God, not simply right and wrong answers. In fact, in textual preaching and teaching we find the “answers.” But we will have learned these truths in context and will not have to fear that we have “seen” something that really isn’t there.

Conclusion: I am certainly not saying that there is not a place of preaching topics. This lesson is certainly topical. But the Spirit delivered the word in such a way that best facilitates our growth, and for the most part we have ignored it.

[ Berry Kercheville ]

“5 Important Benefits Of Spiritual Growth and Maturity”

Since you are here, I bet you have heard so many preaching about spiritual growth and are wondering why this topic is so important. You are not alone. I have had many questions on this topic. Yes, the Bible constantly reminds us to grow. But why? Why is spiritual growth so important?

Spiritual maturity is a whole different realm of Christianity. This is one of those things that are best experienced than explained. As believers grow in Christ, they begin to unlock many rewards.

If you want to know why we continuously encourage you to grow in Christ, take the time to go through this short article. I am sure you will be more convinced to invest in your growth after this short read.

Spiritual growth improves your relationship with God
The first and most important benefit of spiritual growth is the intimate relationship you develop with God. We all know God as our father and friend. But it takes spiritual growth to become His best friend. You share a unique relationship with Him alone. No one else can understand it. It is a special bond that’s just for you. This bond opens many doors to knowing God’s mind, partaking in God’s promises, faster communicating with God, etc. It is as though God lives right inside of you.

Spiritual growth prepares you for services
Christians are called to serve. Christ is our example and He spent His entire ministry on earth in service. To reach this level of growth, a Christian must show spiritual maturity. You do not commit a ministry to a ‘baby’. God wants to see how far you have come before entrusting His ministry in your hands. If you want God to use you, you need to commit to spiritual growth.

Spiritual growth transforms your life
In addition to heavenly rewards, I must add that spiritual maturity also benefits your physical life. As you grow in Christ, you will experience many changes in your marriage, career, health, finance, character, etc. Everything begins to take a turn for the good. You enjoy a whole new outlook on life. Things go from good to better to best, irrespective of the tribulations of the world. Everything begins to work together for your good.

Spiritual growth fortifies you against sin
Sin is the primary enemy of a Christian. Many believers want to live a life for God. They want to fulfill the ministry God put in their hands. Deep down they know they want a better relationship with God but sin always gets in the way. One day they are burning for Christ and the next day, they are back to sin. It is a constant struggle until you start investing in your growth. A child will easily go where the wind takes him, but an adult knows how to weather the storm. Spiritual growth gives you the strength to resist sin whenever it shows its ugly head.

Spiritual growth awakens your love for the things of God
If you ever find yourself lukewarm, then know you have stopped growing. Spiritual maturity leaves no room for lukewarmness. It doesn’t accommodate doubt or fear. Spiritual growth equips you with confidence, peace, and love. You love God without question. You love everything God loves without hesitation. You love your neighbors as God commanded. There is no doubt or fear.

Conclusion
Spiritual maturity is the desire of every Christian. I pray you to attain this realm someday and join us to enjoy these benefits and more.

[ Inductive Bible Study ]

“Is Spiritual Maturity an Impossible Road?”

The most daunting and challenging responsibility for church leaders is not church growth; it’s leading people to greater spiritual maturity.

We’ve learned much in the last thirty years about how to grow a church. Growing an organization is “easy” compared to helping a person grow as a spiritual human being.

We understand stuff like small groups, how to follow up on a new guest, children’s ministry, etc. We do well with org charts, financial reviews, and we almost have the coffee right. But the transformation of a person from a spiritual infant to spiritual maturity – Whoa! That you can’t fit in a blog post, a conference talk and even a good book can’t cover it all.

Personal transformation requires the grace and power of God, along with the desire and deliberate effort of each individual. Then, there is a “real and present” enemy who wants to stop the process! Only the courageous keep leading here.

What I love about all this is that there’s nothing more rewarding and meaningful than to be right square in the middle of it all! I’m just never bored – are you?!

The process of spiritual maturation is often messy and unclear. There is no formula or entirely right way. But we need a target. We need a direction to head in.

We know where it starts. We understand the big picture. The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:19-20. Make disciples of Jesus! That’s the true north of spiritual maturity.

Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

Matthew 28:19-20

Seems pretty clear, right?

But . . .

What does it mean to make a disciple?
What does it mean to be a disciple?
What does it mean to be a mature disciple?
We can use favorite scriptures to help us such as:

John 15:1-8
Galatians 5:19-26
Ephesians 4:1-16
But how do you define spiritual maturity?

What is the target that you aim for? We know it’s not a black and white formula, but some direction is needed.

This weekend, Pastor Kevin Myers, founding pastor of 12Stone Church where I serve as XP, gave the best definition I’ve heard in a long time. He said spiritual maturity is:

Spiritual Intimacy – your heart experience with God.
Biblical Knowledge – the truth embraced in your mind from the Word of God.
Holy Obedience – Your will, that is, what you do — surrendering to the will and ways of God.
It’s the combination of all three that make this so powerful.

Pastor Kevin continued to say:

The risk is when you emphasize one of the three without the other two.

Spiritual Intimacy without biblical knowledge and holy obedience becomes emotionalism.
Biblical Knowledge without spiritual intimacy and holy obedience becomes intellectualism.
Holy Obedience without spiritual intimacy and biblical knowledge becomes legalism.
Only the combination of Spiritual Intimacy, Biblical Knowledge, and Holy Obedience raises up spiritual maturity.

I’d love to know your definition of spiritual maturity. Leave a comment if you have a few minutes.

I believe God would grant us some freedom with our words that define and shape spiritual maturity. But to keep those we serve and lead headed in the right direction, I believe that “biblical guideposts” are helpful to all of us.

The following three essential guideposts will help us point toward the “true north” of the Great Commission.

This is for all of us. No one ever fully “arrives” in this process of spiritual maturity.

3 Essential Guideposts:
1) An Eternal Mindset
Without an eternal perspective, it’s nearly impossible to pursue spiritual maturity consistently.

Let’s be honest; there are easier roads to take in life. Christian maturity is the road less taken, and unless you believe that Heaven is real, and so is Hell, life becomes shallow and spiritual maturity doesn’t make sense.

An eternal perspective guides how we think, make decisions and treat people. It shapes how we handle our resources, work at our jobs and handle conflict.

Eternal vs. temporal is a complete game changer.

2) A Creation Framework
Human nature resists submission. No one likes being told what to do. We prefer being in charge. However, God is in charge, and we are not.

A creation narrative assumes a creator and the created. If we are created, then we are created on purpose and with a purpose.

This framework contains a specific design for our lives that includes submission to a greater will. Jesus experienced this struggle at Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:36-39)

If Jesus did, even for a moment, it’s obvious that we will too.

A creation framework includes worship of the creator. The complexity is not in our joy practice of worshipping God, it’s found in letting go of worshipping the lesser gods. I’ve been a follower of Jesus for decades, and I’m still working on this!

Continual growing, learning and changing is part of a life committed to spiritual maturity.

3) A Redemptive Outlook
A redemptive perspective believes that relationships can be redeemed. That which is broken can be restored. This is excellent news for all of us.

I’ve often heard it said, that “people don’t change.” That’s not true. I’ve changed. I’ll bet you’ve changed. We’ve helped thousands of people change, through Christ, for the good.

People walk in a direction opposite of God, then they “turn around” and head in a new direction. They change! I love this part!

Redemption is the cornerstone of hope! Without it, life clobbers people.
Click & Tweet!
We sin, we fall, we get back up again. That’s part of the maturing process. The idea is we fall less often and get back up quicker.

Let me say that no matter how “impossible” the road to spiritual maturity may seem at times, it is, in fact, possible. Let’s stick together and keep going.

[ Dan Reiland ]

“Sanctification: The Process of Salvation”

Dr. Tony Evans | Sanctification: The Process of Salvation – Oct, 15 – 2019

[ Dr. Tony Evans ]

SERMON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsznkMl1rG4

“The Path of Discipleship”

[ James Montgomery Boice ]

PART 1: https://www.alliancenet.org/tab/the-path-of-discipleship-part-one
PART 2: https://www.alliancenet.org/tab/the-path-of-discipleship-part-two
PART 3: https://www.alliancenet.org/tab/the-path-of-discipleship-part-three
PART 4: https://www.alliancenet.org/tab/the-path-of-discipleship-part-four
PART 5: https://www.alliancenet.org/tab/the-path-of-discipleship-part-five

“The Goal of Christian Living”

What is the goal of the Christian life? Today, R.C. Sproul begins a series on the lifelong process of sanctification.

[ R.C. Sproul ]

PODCAST: https://renewingyourmind.org/2017/07/10/the-goal-of-christian-living

“The Goal of Christian Living: Pleasing God”

Is the mere possession of faith all that we need to please God? With faith, come responsibilities. Do you have a plan? That is, what steps are you taking to direct your life that are honorable to the King? In this message, Dr. Sproul teaches us the importance of planning and endurance as we pursue the “Goal of Christian Living.”

[ R.C. Sproul ]

TEACHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZM5Ag1cSgU

“Real Life Basics”

[ Jack Hibbs ]

PART 1: https://jackhibbs.com/real-life-basics-part-1/
PART 2 : https://jackhibbs.com/real-life-basics-part-2/

“The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards”

[ NOTE: The subheadings and categorization (bolded headings) are suggested by Matt Perman to increase the readability ].

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

OVERALL LIFE MISSION

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great so ever. [ more… ]

[ Note: There are 70 resolutions. ]

PDF: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards

<<< SONGS >>>

“Grow”

Father make us ready
For all our hands have sown
We can hear it raining
This garden’s gonna grow

Spirit Keep us steady
As Seasons come and go
To never stop believing
This garden’s gonna grow

This garden’s gonna grow
This garden’s gonna grow
I hope that we’re all ready
This garden’s gonna grow

Let our love be patient
help us to be kind
Teach us in the waiting
Jesus, be our guide

This garden’s gonna grow
This garden’s gonna grow
I hope that we’re all ready
This garden’s gonna grow

Let the soil of life
Be watered
Let our light shine
Brighter
It’ll take time
And time can move so slow

This garden’s gonna grow
This garden’s gonna grow
I hope that we’re all ready
This garden’s gonna grow

Mother don’t you worry
We won’t let it die
All that you have dreamed for
We’ll watch it come alive

This garden’s gonna grow
This garden’s gonna grow
I hope that we’re all ready
This garden’s gonna grow

[ Jason Upton – “God Finds Us” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apOvcjCHmaw

“Spiritual Maturity”

[ Purpose Music Ministries ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLdBi77eiT4

“Growing in Christ”

We are God’s children, united in Christ
We grown in spirit, in heart and in mind
Together we grow in faith and in love
Together we stand for Christ as one

Stand firm, be faithful for he is the truth
Be strong and be fruitful in him we’re secure
Together we grow in faith and in love
Together we stand for Christ as one

Praise Him, exalt Him for He’s great and true
Glory and honor in Him we’re so sure
Together in Christ we are bound in His love
Together in Christ we’re united as one.

Go tell the world the news of salvation
Tell the whole worlds God’s great love
Go tell the world Jesus Christ soon will return
We will meet them in heaven eternally
We will meet them in heaven eternally.

Together we grow in Christ
Grow in Christ

[ The Anda Fam ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X87hOWIXaEU

“O Jesus Christ, Grow Thou in Me”

O Jesus Christ, grow Thou in me,
And all things else recede;
My heart be daily nearer Thee,
From sin be daily freed.

Each day let Thy supporting might
My weakness still embrace;
My darkness vanish in Thy light,
Thy life my death efface.

In Thy bright beams which on me fall,
Fade every evil thought;
That I am nothing, Thou art all,
I would be daily taught.

More of Thy glory let me see,
Thou Holy, Wise, and True;
I would Thy living image be,
In joy and sorrow too.

Fill me with gladness from above,
Hold me by strength divine;
Lord, let the glow of Thy great love
Through all my being shine.

Make this poor self grow less and less,
Be Thou my life and aim;
Oh, make me daily through Thy grace
More meet to bear Thy name.

[ NYCYPCD ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9efZRm-mpE

“Spiritual Maturity”

[ Eddie James Presents ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgfxGGHD9pI

“Growing in Jesus”

It takes a lot of growing
for a tree to reach the sky
It takes a lot of rain to help it grow
It takes alot of running
for a child to catch the wind
It takes a lot of walking to learn to run
And I’m growing in jesus getting stronger
Each and every day and in every way
Cause Jesus is growing in me
Many times I felt discouraged
when the rain got in my way
I didn’t know that it could make me grow.
And everytime I run ahead
I always miss the turn
I end up walking back to what I’ve learned

And I’m growing in jesus getting stronger
Each and every day and in every way
Cause Jesus is growing in me

[ STC Channel ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy1RE7LS-Uk

<<< APOLOGETIX SONGS >>>

“Train Them Up Before They Grow-Grow”
(Parody of “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham!)

They won’t forget about it!
They won’t forget about it!
They won’t forget about it!
They won’t forget about it!

You put the youth group kids in my car
And as we go, my mind is where the Proverbs are
Litterbug kids who complain
Brought some brand-new rap filled with speech that’s profane
But some teens struggle ‘cause some ain’t trained right
It just gets tougher when youths get past five
It’s best to teach them when they’re kids
I was readin’ that in Proverbs 22 verse 6

Train them up before they grow-grow
And teach them right and wrong and what’s a no-no
Train them up before they grow-grow
You don’t want the kids you have to be bad guys
Train them up in how to go-go
‘Cause my God’s plan is not for growing dodo’s
Train them up in how to go-go now
Take advantage of time
You wanna get that right
Yeah-eh, yeah!

You teach ‘em grace but how to obey
You make your sons’ lives wiser and your daughters great
Don’t turn a bright spot into a stain (yeah, yeah)
Why be permissive when there’s sin that’s plain?
‘Cause you’re not raising blind, young fools
It may seem crazy when you act old school
On our babies, shed God’s light
They’ll grow and see
Everything you said was right

They won’t forget about it!
They won’t forget about it!

Cuddle your babies — hold them tight
Shield your kids from immoral sites/sights
It’s cold out there, so be warm with them Makin’ plants — with great roots and stems

They won’t forget about it!

Train them up before they grow-grow
(So prepare … to teach them right and wrong
And what’s a no, no, no, no, no)
And teach them right and wrong and what’s a no-no
Train them up before they grow-grow
You don’t want the kids you have to be bad guys
(Don’t take it for granted!)
(You won’t move too soon)
Train them up in how to go-go (Oh!)
‘Cause my God’s plan is not for growing dodo’s
(You won’t move too soon)
Train them up in how to go-go
(Yeah! Yeah! Yeah-eh!)
Take advantage of time
(Ooh ooh!)

(Yeah-eh, yeah!)

[ ApologetiX – “Get Rich Quick” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6uDQ6Id60w

“Feelin’ Stronger in the Faith”
(Parody of “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” by Chicago)

I do believe in You, and I know You’re redeeming me
Oh yeah, oh yeah
And now I realize I’m not all that I’m s’posed to be
Oh yeah, oh yeah

And though I’m not too good at walkin’ in this grace
I do believe I’m feelin’ stronger in the faith

I know You really died to get Your sheep to the other side
Oh yeah, oh yeah
So now that Christ has come, Your chosen ones can live on and on
Oh yeah, oh yeah

And though I’m not too good at walkin’ in this grace
I do believe I’m feelin’ stronger in the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh

After blood You shed for me
Ooh, daily now I can praise You easily
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I know that on Calvary (ahhhh)
The worst thing to happen to You (ahhhh)
Was the best thing to happen to me (ahhhh)
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Feelin’ stronger in the faith
Feelin’ stronger in the faith
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)
Feelin’ stronger in the faith (No turnin’ back now)

[ ApologetiX – “Unconditional Releases” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV0tCAIN3KE

“Eight Ways to Be”
(Parody of “Eight Days a Week” by The Beatles)

You might need to know, babe
Chapter 5 Matthew
Helps you see my Lord’s eight
Blest Beatitudes
Holy, happy, holy, happy
There’s eight God wants ya to know, babe
Eight ways to be

Blessed are the humble
Blest are those who mourn
Blessed are the gentle
Of meek and lowly form
They’ll be happy, you’ll be happy
There’s eight God wants ya to know, babe
Eight ways to be

Eight ways to be
In Matthew
Eight ways to be
In Matthew 5:2 go right there

Blessed are the thirsty
For righteousness and truth
Blest are those with mercy
They’ll get Christ’s mercy, too
Oh-oh whoa
They’ll be happy, you’ll be happy
There’s eight God wants us to know, babe
Eight ways to be

Eight ways to be
In Matthew
Eight ways to be
That’s why they’re called Beatitudes

Blest are the pure of heart
And those who peace do make
Blest are those who suffer
For righteousness’ sake
Holy, happy, holy, happy
And eight is plenty enough, babe
Eight ways to be
Eight ways to be
Eight ways to be

[ ApologetiX – “Apol-acoustiX” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIbiJuKKsn4

“Tufftumbling”
(Parody of “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba)

Truth is my thoughts were shattered
My heart was bruised and … battered
Because I’d fallen
But God was there when all the people scattered

We’ll be strengthened
When we’re weakened
If we seek Him

(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
Though seven times he hits the ground
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
The devil can’t keep him down
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
In Proverbs it’s easily found
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
Verse 24:16 now

Facing a tidal wave
Pacing and wide awake

You think some risky things
Have put you on the brink
It makes you start to think
You’re gonna slide or sink
I think that God’s right behind you through the good times
He sees you fall and He guides you to the better times

Don’t panic boy, panic boy, panic boy

(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
Though seven times he hits the ground
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
The devil can’t keep him down
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
37th Psalm will teach you how
(The) righteous falls down – but rises up again
Verse 24 seek it out

This ain’t your final day
This is the time to pray

So — try to be — extra patient

INSTRUMENTAL

(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again
Though seven times he hits the ground (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again
The devil can’t keep him down (Woo ooh ooh)
(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again
In Proverbs it’s easily found (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again
Verse 24:16 now (Woo ooh ooh)

(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again (This ain’t your final day)
Though seven times he hits the ground (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again (This is the time to pray)
The devil can’t keep him down (Woo ooh ooh)
(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again (This ain’t your final day)
37th Psalm will teach you how (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again (This is the time to pray)
Verse 24 seek it out (Woo ooh ooh)

(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again (This ain’t your final day)
Though seven times he hits the ground (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again (This is the time to pray)
The devil can’t keep him down (Woo ooh ooh)
(The) righteous falls down (We’ll be strengthened)
But rises up again (This ain’t your final day)
In Proverbs it’s easily found (When we’re weakened)
(The) righteous falls down (If we seek Him)
But rises up again (This is the time to pray)
Verse 24:16 now (Woo ooh ooh)

[ ApologetiX – “Play Nice” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfLDS6pOugc

“Garden My Heart”
(Parody of “Harden My Heart” by Quarterflash)

I am like a farmer, waitin’ on the rain
I stare up at Heaven and I pray again
You gave me Your Word — words of truth and life
Pardonin’ my wild misdeeds — and every thought I’d sown
With this kindness that You’ve shown

I’m gonna garden my heart
It’s gone to fallow, I fear
I’m gonna turn and seek You here

All of my life I’ve been wastin’ Your grain
I’ve been basin’ it on feelings — and never ever faith
The field still grows — but all these weeds appeared
Farmers need to plow, it seems — I never had a clue
Well, it’s time You taught me to

I’m gonna garden my heart
Don’t wanna follow my peers
I’m gonna turn and seek You here

Pardon all my wild misdeeds — and every thought I sow
With this kindness that You show

I’m gonna garden my heart
Break up the fallow ground here
It’s gonna turn and be a new year

I’m gonna garden my heart
It’s gone to fallow, I fear
I’m gonna garden my heart
Don’t wanna follow my peers
Garden my heart
Break up the fallow ground here
Hoe, oh, oh, oh
Garden my heart

I’m gonna garden my heart
It’s gone to fallow, I fear
I’m gonna garden my heart
Don’t wanna follow my peers
Garden my heart, garden my heart
Startin’ right here
I’m gonna garden my heart
I’m a-gonna start it right here

[ ApologetiX – “Quilt” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc01LqbadQk

“Try and Try Again”
(Parody of “Flying High Again” by Ozzy Osbourne)

Oh no (oh no)
You’ve really blown it now (You’ve really blown It now)
Oh no (oh no)
You’ve really blown it now

God has grace we really don’t quite understand
Gotta get it straight from Him
Feelin’ like I just might get my feet on the ground
Right before I stumble again

My insides are warrin’
I’ve been a sad, bad boy
So I say I’m sorry
And trust Him to fight this war

‘Cause you can’t see what Christ showed me
(Christ can free us, Christ can free us)
If you at first don’t quite succeed
Try and try again (‘gain)

I can see you doubt this ’cause the prince of fear
Tries to make you trust a lie
Following the law is not a sound idea
When you leave the grace behind – you get

Nothin’ but discouraged
Frightened and paranoid
Goin’ through Satan’s garbage
Or stuck in a pious void

If you could see the fights I’ve had
You’d see my flag ain’t white it’s red
Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again
Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again
Come on and join me!
LEAD

Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again
Try and try again (‘gain)
Come on and join me!
Oh no (oh no)
You’ve really blown it now (You’ve really blown It now)
Oh no (oh no)
You’ve really blown it now

Facin’ these temptations we need help to stand
There’s a war inside my head
People think that maybe God won’t lend a hand
Never had Him do that yet

Romans 7 warned me
I’ve been a sad, bad boy
Romans 8 informed me
There’s something that Christ is doin’

Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again (‘gain)
Try and try again (‘gain)

[ ApologetiX – “Doves In Snakes Clothing” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePmtdZFmXI4

“Follow Me”
(Parody of “Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker)

You don’t know how He met me — You don’t know why
You can’t turn around my faith in Christ
Long ago I went-a fishin’ one day at sea
He said to me, “James, try some fishin’ for Me”

He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You want to leave life in Galilee
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

I’m not worried ‘bout the king out there
Cause the Lord has got my soul and my body don’t care
You feel I’m guilty and I’m well aware
A funeral’s booked for James but baby I’m not scared

He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You’re gonna be fightin’ Pharisees
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

Forgive me, Mama, I can’t kiss you goodbye
You’re better off if you don’t drop by
I’m locked in prison; I’ll soon go away
Maybe they’ll write of this in Acts 12 someday

“Follow Me,” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You want to lead to Gethsemane
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

You don’t know how He met me — You don’t know Christ
You’ve captured me now and say I’ll die
All I know is when I’ve left you, I’m breaking free
So cling to your vain lives; I’m itchin’ to leave

He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You want to lead up to Calvary
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

“Follow Me,” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You want to lead up to Calvary
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
And if You want to lead to the heavenlies
You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgedSiaCq1U

“Talk Daily to Me”
(Parody of “Talk Dirty to Me” by Poison)

You know, you never — you never pray when things go good
And they work out the way they should
But our Lord did
And I know He’d like you to — the way that Christ taught you
It’s all in Matthew — oh, yes, that’s true

Remember, in chapter 6 it’s laid out great
He showed us how we ought to pray — yes indeedy
And I know He says that we should pray unceasingly
First Thessalonians 5:17, babe

As you’re risin’ — in the early morn
As high noon approaches — until you’re sleepin’ and snorin’
All occasions — God, the sovereign Lord
Says, baby, talk daily to me

Suppose I called you — I called you on the telephone
But only called to ask for loans — could I get near you?
Yet you pray for what you need — and miss when your God speaks
But God’ll hear you – just seek His will, babe

As you’re drivin’ — when you mow that yard
Or dry the dishes — when your life’s easy or hard
All occasions — God, the sovereign Lord
Says, baby, talk daily to me

See, see, pick up at the Psalms and, uh, start to read
LEAD
Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!

So pray and you’ll see
As you’re strivin’ — it can open doors
Behind them — look in
You’ll be seekin’ Him, more, more, more
Now just praise Him — your God, the sovereign Lord
Says, baby, talk daily to me, yeah
Says, baby, talk daily to me, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And, baby — talk daily to me
Mmm
Woooooh
That’s the way that Christ did, baby
Ooh yeah!

[ ApologetiX – “From Hair to Eternity” album ]

SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z6Mb2RQAVQ

“Good News/Bad News”

This is a Gospel presentation and personal testimony of J. Jackson, lead vocalist of ApologetiX from their 20th anniversary concert. It is available on 20:20 Vision.

VIDEO (audio only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q21Jnaq-EL8

<<< DEEP THOUGHTS >>>

“You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.”
[ Ogden Nash ]

“Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations.”
[ Samuel Ullman ]

“Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.”
[ Tom Stoppard ]

“Time gives you experience and maturity to face things in different ways.”
[ Deco ]

“Maturity is the ability to reap without apology and not complain when things don’t go well.”
[ Jim Rohn ]

“One of the marks of maturity is the ability to disagree without becoming disagreeable.”
[ Charles R. Swindoll ]

“Maturity comes in three stages: dependence, independence and interdependence.”
[ Jenna Jameson ]

“One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others.”
[ David A. Bednar ]

“Maturity is not measured by age. It’s an attitude built by experience.”
[ Author unknown ]

“Maturity comes with experience, not age.”
[ Ziad K. Abdelnour ]

“As you become more mature, you will start to be more attuned to your needs, your identity, and what you truly want.”
[ Sabrina Romanoff ]

“The biggest pitfall of being immature is that you tend to be your own worst enemy, sabotaging yourself and getting in the way of achieving the things you really want.”
[ Sabrina Romanoff ]

“Maturity means sincerity, not seriousness.”
[ Abayomi Omoogun ]

“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.”
[ John C. Maxwell ]

“Maturity is achieved when a person postpones immediate pleasures for long-term values.”
[ Rabbi Joshua Liebman ]

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”
[ Albert Ellis ]

“Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors, we feel almost despondent. I feel that I shall never be like that. But they won step by step by little bits of wills, little denials of self, and little inward victories by faithfulness in very little things. They became what they are. No one sees these little hidden steps. They only see the accomplishment, but even so, those small steps were taken. There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity that is the work of the moment.”
[ Amy Carmichael ]

“There are only two kinds of life: the feeling-motivated life of sin oriented toward self, and the commandment-motivated life of holiness oriented toward godliness.”
[ Jay Adams ]

“Life is eternity’s sunrise.”
[ Mark Besh ]

RELATED SCRIPTURE VERSES:

Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/maturity

Spiritual Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/spiritual_maturity

Developing Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/developing_maturity

Characteristics Of Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/characteristics_of_maturity

Stages Of Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/stages_of_maturity

Growth In Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/growth_in_maturity

Hindrances To Maturity:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/hindrance_to_maturity

“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and receive ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ’pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing. I would like to give credit where credit is due!

<<< FOCUS VERSES >>>

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”
[ Exodus 20:3-5 ]

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
[ 1 Samuel 16:7 ]

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”
[ 2 Chronicles 7:14 ]

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act…

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”
[ Psalm 37:3-5, 7a ].

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
[ Psalm 73:25-26 ]

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”
[ Psalm 131:1 ]

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
[ Psalm 119:105 ]

“I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.”
[ Psalm 119:112 ]

“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”
[ Proverbs 1:5 ]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ]

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
[ Proverbs 16:18 ]

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”
[ Proverbs 18:2 ]

“Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.”
[ Proverbs 29:1 ]

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
[ Matthew 4:4 ]

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
[ Matthew 6:14-15 ]

“The one who endures to the end will be saved.”
[ Matthew 10:22 ]

“No, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them into bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”
[ Matthew 13:29-30 ]

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
[ Luke 2:52 ]

“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
[ Luke 9:23-24 ]

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
[ Luke 9:62 ]

“Abide in Me, and I will abide in you.”
[ John 15:4 ]

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
[ John 15:7 ]

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
[ John 15:14-15 ]

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”
[ John 17:15-16 ]

“We must through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.”
[ Acts 14:22b ]

“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”
[ Romans 6:5 ]

“Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”
[ Romans 6:16 ]

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.”
[ Romans 12:2 ]

“‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages of our glorification.”
[ 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 ]

“None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
[ 1 Corinthians. 2:8 ]

“‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.”
[ 1 Corinthians 2:9-10a ]

“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what parson knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
[ 1 Corinthians. 2:10-11 ]

“but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit” [ 1 Corinthians 2:12b-13 ]

“‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”
[ 1 Corinthians. 2:16 ]

“In a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?”
[ 1 Corinthians 9:24 ]

“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
[ 1 Corinthians 10:12 ]

“He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
[ 1 Corinthians 10:13e ]

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”
[ 1 Corinthians 13:11 ]

“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
[ 2 Corinthians 1:5]

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
[ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ]

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head.”
[ Ephesians. 4:13-15 ]

“From Him the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly” [ Ephesians. 4:16 ]

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved [us] and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” [ Ephesians 5:1-2 ]

“having done all, to stand firm” [ Ephesians 6:13c ]

“It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”
[ Philippians 1:29 ]

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
[ Philippians 2:12f-13 ]

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”
[ Philippians 3:7-9 ]

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
[ Philippians 3:10-11 ]

“Not that I already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
[ Philippians 3:12-14 ]

“Warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ.”
[ Colossians 1:28 ]

“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
[ Colossians 1:29 ]

“Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials that you are enduring.”
[ 2 Thessalonians 1:3 ]

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”
[ 1 Timothy 4:7 ]

“You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child.”
[ Hebrews 5:12c-13 ]

“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.”
[ Hebrews 5:14 ]

“Faith toward God, with instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” [ Hebrews 6:1c-2 ]

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
[ Hebrews 12:1-2 ]

“Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
[ Hebrews 12:3 ]

“For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
[ Hebrews 5:13-14 ]

“looked to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” [ Hebrews 12:2 ]

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
[ Hebrews 12:11 ]

“Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
[ James 1:4 ]

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”
[ James 1:12 ]

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
[ 1 Peter 4:10 ]

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.”
[ 2 Peter 1:3 ]

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
[ 2 Peter 1:5-8 ]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
[ 1 John 1:9 ]

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.”
[ 1 John 2:12 ]

If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes and inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright is used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

Mark

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