How to Be a Growing Christian

Introduction

In just a minute we are going to be picking up where we left off last week and so if you will take out your bibles and turn to 1 john Chapter 2

This morning I want to talk to you about how to become a growing Christian. But before we get to the text I want to ask you a personal question – you do not have to answer this question out loud

In fact, if you answer out loud the tendency chances are you will lie to yourself

I want you to ask yourself am I a growing Christian.

Notice I did not ask you if you were a Christian – the question is are you a growing Christan

Are you moving towards maturity?

The problem in many churches today is that while many of the members have been born again – they are not growing.

And when we fail to grow – whether it’s physically or spiritually – it causes all kinds of problems

Now look at 1 John 2 and we will start reading in vs 12

1 John 2:12–14 CSB

I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

Now if you noticed john mentions 3 categories of people here…

- Children

- Young men

- And fathers

What he is referring to here is really the three different stages of maturity in the life of a believer

And so, what is spiritual maturity?

- Some would say spiritual health is a mark of maturity.

But that is not necessarily the truth – think about it when a baby is born he/she can be perfectly healthy but are they mature?

- Others would categorize spiritual gifts as a sign of maturity

But let me asak you have you ever met a person that was gifted yet very immature?

Samson is a great example – he was very gifted – yet we can all agree he was very immature.

Or what about the Corinthian church?

Look what Paul had to say to them

· 1 Corinthians 1:7

1 Corinthians 1:7 CSB

so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

· 1 Corinthians 3:1

1 Corinthians 3:1 CSB

For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.

What about being a spiritual person – well you can be right with God and be filled with the spirit – but that does not make you a mature Christian

So, what does maturity in the life of a believer look like?

It’s Christlikeness

Look at Ephesians 4:13

Ephesians 4:13 CSB

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

Here lately I have been asking myself how as a pastor do I measure success in my ministry

And you know what I am starting to realize.

- It has nothing to do with the size of the building – it is not measured by the amount we collected in the offering plate or how many showed up for service this morning – these are all man made measurements.

Real success can be measured by asking myself one question – and that is are the people that I am ministering to becoming more like Jesus

That is how Paul describes it in Colossians 1:28

Colossians 1:28 CSB

We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

That word perfect – we have to be careful with – because it does not mean what we think it means – it can be better translated as mature

So, maturity is actually pretty simple – and easy to measure in your spiritual life – just ask yourself am I becoming more like Jesus

Also let me clear this up for you – there is no such thing as instant maturity

Maturity is a lifelong process – and so do not allow yourself to give in and give up just because you do not see results over night – maturity takes time – the real question to ask – is am I maturing.

So how do we go from childhood to adolescence to fatherhood

In other words how do we move in to maturity

That is what John is talking about here

First he brings up the idea of childhood

Childhood

That is the first stage – look at verse 12

1 John 2:12 CSB

I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

When you get saved you become a babe in Christ – no body is reborn spiritually as an adult

And I am thankful that we can be saved – that we can be born again spiritually, and we can become babes in Christ – but remaining a baby is not what we were designed to do

What would you think – if you were to walk back to our nursery and see a 60-year-old man with a bottle in his hands being rocked to sleep

Baby Christians are a beautiful thing and we need them but – they need to grow up

You know I have heard many pastors say that a healthy church Is a church where everyone is mature and I have bought in to that at times

But you know what I have come to realize – is that is not a sign of health at all = indact thaty is a sign of a dying church

Out church should be a maternity ward

We need to baby Christians – baby Christians are not the problem – the problem is that some Christians just want to hang out in the maternity ward for the rest of their life and never grow.

Paul was upset with the Corinthians because they were refusing to grow

They were using the spiritual gifts that they had received as toys and not as tools

They did not want to understand what it means to grow spiritually

we all start out as babes in Christ and that is a beautiful thing – as John says it means that are sins are forgiven for his name’s sakes

and we are on are way to heaven

but we are not meant to say there John says we are supposed to move on to the 2nd stage in development

Young men

Look at 1 JOHN 2:13 and the last part of 14

1 John 2:13 (ESV)

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have overcome the evil one.

1 John 2:14 (CSB)

I have written to you, young men,

because you are strong,

God’s word remains in you,

and you have conquered the evil one.

Don’t you see these are Christians who are no longer on the milk bottle – they have become workers and warriors?

Ask yourself am I a worker and a warrior or am I still being bottle fed

Am I more worried about being served or am I serving others

To many churches are filled with members that are just content with being served – they do not do one single thing to serve the church and to serve the lord

And I do not want to hurt anyone’s feeling but if that is you it is time to quit acting like you have done God some kind of special favor by showing up here and being present

You are called to serve – you are called to serve the body and serve the Lord

John refers to them not only as workers but as warriors and this is fitting because the more you serve the more you will be attacked – we have an enemy…

Ask yourself am I a threat to the enemy –

Listen you do not have to be afraid of him – because you serve the lord who has already defeated him

James 4:7 says

James 4:7 CSB

Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Listen the devil wants you to remain an infant – he does not want you to be an over comer

Listen if you are a new Christian you may have not reached this stage and that is ok

The problem is when you remain in the nursery for far too long

Some of you need to leave the comfort of the nursery and become a worker and a warrior

Now there is a third stage John talks about

Fatherhood

This is where the lord is trying to lead us

Look at 1 John 2:13 and 14

1 John 2:13 (ESV)

I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

1 John 2:14 (ESV)

I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

This is a Christian who has became mature

A Christian that has been with the Lord so long

Rubbed elbows with him so much that he as this God-like character that radiates out of him

This is spiritual maturity.

And a father is someone who produces children – we should all be moving towards this stage

Do you have any spiritual children in your life – someone who you are helping become more like Jesus

Are you helping others grown in the grace and knowledge of the Lord

We tent to fantasize these bible characters

But think about John he was not always mature.

- Son of thunder

- Selfish

- Prejudice

But we see him not perfect here but mature

John grew and matured in the grace of God and you can to

So let me ask you – are you a growing Christian

Listen failure to grow is a sin

If you do not love Jesus more today than you did yesterday, there is a problem

We are to be growing.

2 Peter 3:18 CSB

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

So how do we grow?

1. It takes a miracle

2. It takes time

a. You will not be instantly mature

3. It requires nourishment

a. 1 peter 2:2

b. You have to crave the word of God

i. How is your bible study

4. It requires discipline and exercise

a. Stop being a flabby Christian

i. Hebrews 5:25

ii. Exercise you faith – serve the lord – learn how to pray – learn how to study

Again, I ask are you a growing Christian

The first step is becoming a baby

- Abc

Then you are to start growing – not just sitting there doing nothing