How to be a Growing Christian

But, look up here and let me ask you a question—and answer it silently, but answer it honestly: Are you a growing Christian? Do you love and know the Lord Jesus Christ better than you did last year or last week? A wise man said, “To cease to be better is to cease to be good.”

Some Christians are saved, but they’re not growing. They’re not like a tree; they’re like a stump or like a post. They don’t grow. Now, you ought to be a growing Christian. And, you will never know the kind of victory that you ought to know and the kind of joy that you may have unless you learn to be a growing Christian.

lets read our text for today...

1 John 2:12–14 ESV

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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Now, when I’m talking about growing Christians, I’m talking about maturity. You grow on toward maturity. You can be young only once, but you can be immature for a long, long time. You can be 40, 50, and still be spiritually immature. Now, the Bible says here in Hebrew chapter 6, verse 1—we’re going to get to 1 John in just a moment—the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 6, verse 1,

Hebrews 6:1 ESV

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 of faith toward God,

So I want to talk to you about how to be a growing Christian. And, there’s not a person in this auditorium that does not need this message, because none of us has yet arrived. Now, let me tell you, first of all, what maturity is spiritually and what it is not.

*Maturity Does Not Mean Healthy

You can be spiritually healthy and not mature. A five-­year old child can be healthier than a 50-­year-­old man, but he is not mature. Now, if you’re a newborn baby and you’re rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, you’re healthy. But, that does not mean that you do not need to go on and mature.

*Maturity Does Not Mean Giftedness

Hey, you can be gifted and not mature. As a matter of fact, if you’re gifted and not mature, you may get yourself and others in a mess. The Corinthian church, Paul’s most carnal church—he said to them, “[You] are not lacking in any gift” (1 Corinthians 1:7). They were gifted. Are you gifted spiritually, or are you gifted with talents? You may be, but that doesn’t mean that you’re mature. Look at pro athletes!

*Maturity Is Christlikeness

Now, what is maturity? maturity is Christlikeness; maturity is being like Jesus. The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 13:

Ephesians 4:13 ESV

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,

mature manhood- it doesn’t mean “sinless.” Now, what he is saying is this—Paul was saying that “the goal of my ministry is to present every man a mature Christian.” That’s the goal.

I. The Marks of Maturity

Now, I want you to notice, as we turn now to 1 John chapter 2, that maturity is a life-long process. And, actually, we go through three major stages.

1 John 2:12–14 ESV

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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Now, in those verses, the Apostle John speaks of childhood—little children; he speaks of young manhood; and then, he speaks of fatherhood. Now, all of us today are in one of those three categories. And, God loves them all, and God loves you, but God wants to move you in progression through these stages until you come to the fatherhood stage. And, in our physical life, we are babies—we’re children; then we become adolescents; then we grow up and become fathers and mothers.

A. The Childhood Stage

Now, think with me a little bit. What is the mark of a childlike Christian? Well, little children know the thrilling wonders of childhood.

1 John 2:12 ESV

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

Now, when a person becomes a newborn babe in Christ, what is the mark? Well, he is thrilled at knowing Jesus. He blesses God that his sins are forgiven, buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. He’s all tomorrows; he is no yesterdays. And, he is thrilled. And, little children have the thrilling wonders of childhood.

But, the little child lives in the realm of his feelings. He is just thrilled with everything. He hasn’t lost the wonder yet, and that’s so wonderful to be a little child.

Now, little children are wonderful, but we don’t want them to stay little children. kids are lazy, and selfish and rude, and mean, and on and on... These are the babes in Christ; these are the little children.

Well friend, little babies have to grow up. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t been saved if they’re spiritually babes in Christ. They just have to grow.

This church ought to be a maternity ward. But, the sad thing is that when the church becomes a maternity ward for some, they stay in it until it becomes a nursing home and they never mature. Can you imagine a 45-­year-­old man being rocked, sucking his thumb? What about some of you who’ve been saved for a long time? You have never gotten out of the baby stage.

B. The Adolescence Stage

Now, that moves on, and we see the young man stage and the triumphant warfare of manhood.

1 John 2:13–14 ESV

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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Now, what does that mean? Well, these have come now from childhood to manhood. And, what does the Apostle John say that they are? They are workers, and they are warriors.

*They Are Workers

I thank God for the workers in our church. I thank God for the spiritual warriors in our church. And, that’s so great to see these vibrant, healthy, wholesome people who are no longer children, who no longer have to be served, but have learned to serve. And, our church has so many workers. But we have some free loaders too- don’t want to help with anything, just want to be served and waited on and pleased etc., don’t be like that!

*They Are Warriors

But, not only are they workers—they are warriors in the church. And, how do they become warriors? Well, the Word of God has made them strong.

1 John 2:14 ESV

I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Now, would you like to stop being a child and start being a worker and a warrior? Then, how are you going to do it? The Word of God is going to make you strong. Now, you know what the devil wants to do? The devil wants to keep you in the childlike stage. He doesn’t want you to be strong; he doesn’t want you to be a worker and a warrior.

Now, I want you to imagine the finest junior high team that you know in football. Then, I want you to imagine the Tennessee Titans or the Green Bay Packers on one side; they’re lined up against this junior high school team. That wouldn’t be fair. If they played hard-­nosed—what we call “smash-­mouth football”—it would be devastating for that junior high school team, because they’re not mature. These others are mature. You’re going to be made strong by the Word of God.

C. The Fatherhood Stage

Now, there is the child stage. There is the young man stage. And then, there is the fatherhood stage. There’s the father and the tested wisdom of fatherhood. Now, look, if you will, in verses 13 and 14:

1 John 2:13–14 ESV

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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

He say’s “fathers” twice.

Now, the father stage is maturity, where we have grown on. We think of God—what?—not as a child, not as a young man. How do we think of God? “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Now, the goal of my life and your life is to be Christlike, which is really to be like God the Father, because Jesus said, “He that has seen me has seen [My] Father” (John 14:9).

Now, how do you get to the third stage? Well, you know, if you spend enough time with someone, you begin to think like they do and act like they do. Sometimes, they say, when you’ve lived together for a long time, you even begin to look alike. I tell you, some of your spouses are getting worried. But, when we spend time with someone, we become like that someone.

*Fathers Reproduce

And, what do fathers do? Well, number one: Fathers reproduce through soul winning and discipleship. Are you reproducing yourself? Can you be called a “father” if you don’t have any spiritual children? No. I’m not just talking about getting wiser; I’m talking about winning souls and reproducing yourself in soul winning and discipleship.

*Fathers Provide for Others

What does a father do? A father not only meets his own needs—he provides for the needs of others. deadbeat Dads- don’t provide

*Fathers Have Wisdom

Do people go to you when they have a heartache, a tear, a fear, a problem and they want to talk with you? It’s because you are mature; you have come to the fatherhood stage of maturity.

Now, here’s what I want you to notice— that as you grow up, as you become a father, you do not substitute fatherhood for young manhood and you don’t substitute young manhood for childhood. All three are legitimate, and a father is a composite of them all. In a father, there ought to be the vision, the zeal, of a young man. And, in a young man, there ought to be the wonder of childhood. You don’t grow from one stage to another; you just add each stage on. So, when a person becomes a father, he is a composite. In the father, there’s a little child. In a father, there’s a young man. And, in the young man, there is a child. Do you know who makes the best youth workers? These people who still have youth in them. They can think and identify with young people because that’s still in them.

Now, who wrote this? Well, the Apostle John wrote it. You say, “Oh, dear, old, sweet John—he was just so wonderful. From the time he got saved, he was just like a father. I can just imagine the old Apostle John.” Let me tell you, John, when he got saved, was mean and nasty, and he stayed that way for a while, ’till he grew. Remember I told you little children sometimes can be mean and selfish? Let me tell you what John, who wrote this, was like.

-John Had a Violent Disposition

first of all, he had a violent disposition. The Bible tells us in Mark chapter 3, verse 17, his nickname was “Son of Thunder”—“Son of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). I mean, you wouldn’t want to be around him. He had a hair-­trigger temper, and he was violent by his disposition.

-John Was Selfish

And, not only that—he was very selfish. You say, “The dear old Apostle John?” Yes, he was selfish. You read in Mark 10, verse 37—he came with other disciples and said, “Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy glory” (Mark 10:37). They’d been having a discussion, almost an argument. Who’s going to be the greatest in the Kingdom? You wouldn’t expect John to be there, but he was there. He said, “Now look, Lord, there are other people around here, but look, here’s what I want. And, I want You to give me a special exalted position when You come into Your Glory.”

-John Was Intolerant

No, old John was violent. Old John was selfish. And, I’ll tell you what else he was: he was very prejudiced. One time, Jesus and John were going through Samaria, and the Samaritans didn’t treat Jesus very well. And, look, if you will, in Luke 9—don’t turn to it; just jot it down—Luke 9, verses 54 and 55: “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, [will You] that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, Now, here was John. He saw Jesus being mistreated. He said, “I’ll tell You what, God—let’s nuke them. I’ll tell You what, Jesus—let’s get a little heavenly napalm and fry them because of the way that they’re acting.” Jesus said, “John, you don’t know what spirit ye are of” (Luke 9:55).

Now, if you’ll think about all of these things—here was a man who was violent; here was a man who was selfish; here was a man who was intolerant—and here was a man who you just wouldn’t want to be around him.

And yet, he was saved. As a matter of fact, Jesus enlisted him as a disciple. Now, he grew. As a matter of fact, he’s no longer selfish. When he wrote the Gospel of John, there was a disciple who leaned on Jesus’s breast. That was John. But, John never even mentioned his name. He just said, “That disciple whom Jesus loved.” No longer is he seeking the chief place. John is no longer prejudiced. John was changed; he was transformed.

II. The Means of Maturity

Now, let’s just shift gears and think a little bit, if we can, about the means of maturity. I’ve talked about the marks of maturity. You move from childhood to young manhood to fatherhood. Now, what are the means of maturity?

A. There Must Be the Miracle of Life

Now, number one: There must be the miracle of life. You can’t begin to grow until you have life. There’s the miracle of life. Then, you begin to grow.

Some years ago, before we moved out here, I had an idea, where we got our children together—actually, I learned this from Peter Lord. He did it in his church—and we gave all of the children in each department a potted plant. All of the plants were exactly the same, as much as they could be the same. And, each department was given a potted plant. Now, one department was told to give that plant water, fertilizer, and sunlight: Another department—we said, “Give it water and fertilizer, but no sunlight.” Another—“Give it water and sunlight, but no fertilizer.” Just kept leaving one ingredient out, except for the one that was given water, sunlight, and fertilizer. And, each week, the kids would bring their plants in and display them. It was amazing to see how some of them—their leaves were down (the ones that didn’t get any water at all). Some of them—the leaves were kind of good, but they were yellow. And, some of them were just growing and flourishing (the ones that got water, sunlight, and fertilizer). And, we’re trying to teach the kids a spiritual lesson about what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). But, we gave one department a stick—a dead stick—and said, “Now, you give it water. You give it fertilizer, and you give it sunlight. And, see what happens to it.” Well, you know what happened to it. It didn’t grow. In order for you to grow, you have to cease being a dead stick. You have to get saved. You have to be born again, when you receive Jesus. There’s the miracle of life. Now, that’s step number one—to get saved.

B. There Must Be Time

Step number two: It takes time. There is the passing of time. There is no instant maturity. It’s just not so. Now, if you’re a squash, you might be mature in 40 days; if you’re an oak, you’d be mature in 40 years. Now, God wants you to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Now, the secret of maturity is spending time, and you’re not going to be mature overnight. Most of us in here have had plenty of time to mature.

C. There Must Be Nourishment

Number three: Growth requires nourishment—nourishment. You’re going to have to feed on the Word of God. “I talk unto you, young men, because of the Word of God abides in you” (1 John 2:14).

1 Peter 2:2 ESV

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

Church, listen to me: there is no way possible under God’s sun, on God’s green earth, that you can grow without taking nourishment, and your nourishment is the Word of God.

Ethel Barrett wrote about Dwight L. Moody. You know, Dwight L. Moody was the Billy Graham of his day. And, Ethel Barrett said this about this man who was so mighty: she said that when Dwight L. Moody became a Christian, he developed such a hunger for God’s Word, spent so much time reading it and was so quick to obey it, that he became a menace to other believers. His rapid spiritual growth was an embarrassment to certain people, though they had been saved for years and never grew up in Christ. Week after week, the church Moody attended—when he was there week after week, he would share a new experience that he’d had with the Lord. Finally, some of the older saints just couldn’t stand being humiliated any more by his life, and they went to his uncle and asked him if he could slow him down and tone him down because he was just feeding on the Word of God, devouring the Word of God, and then he was obeying the Word of God. And then, Ethel Barrett went on to say this about Moody: “his robust spiritual health and abounding energy disturbed their napping. He was just too much. So, while they were sucking their thumbs, he was growing, until he left them far behind. He grew more in a few years than they did in twenty.”

Isn’t that amazing? The Word of God—Moody got hold of the Word of God, and he devoured it.

Now, you know how so many of us read the Bible? Like it’s a recipe book—and we never eat the meal. One man said to his wife—said, “Why do you call it shopping? You never buy anything.” She said, “Why do you call it fishing? You never catch anything.” And, some people just kind of window-­shop through the Bible. They say, “Oh, what a nice verse that is! Oh, what a great verse that is! Oh, here’s one for the refrigerator.” Friend, feed on the Word of God. That’s what Moody did. He became mighty in faith. There must be nourishment.

D. There Must Be Discipline and Exercise

Now, number four: Growth demands discipline or exercise.

Hebrews 5:14 ESV

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Now, he’s talking about people who become full-­grown, and he’s talking about your spiritual senses that get exercised, just like in the physical realm. Your physical body, when it gets exercised, it toughens and hardens.

We’ve got to get off the couch and work out our faith. Not to keep our salvation but to grow stronger. It takes life to grow. It takes nourishment to grow. It takes exercise to grow. But, if you’re a stick, you’re not going to grow at all.

Bow your heads in prayer. Now, you take an inventory this morning. You need to be the kind of a Christian who can reproduce, the kind of a Christian that has fatherly wisdom, the kind of a Christian that not only can meet your needs, but, as a father, meet the needs of others.

Now friend, would you pray?

Say, “God, help me to be a growing Christian. If You helped old John to grow—You took this man who was selfish, and this man who was intolerant, this man who was violent, and You made him into such a wonderful apostle Lord, You can do that for me. Lord, help me to grow. Lord, write the message, this morning, upon my heart. And, help me not just to hear it, but God, I want to be a growing Christian.” Would you pray that?