Becoming Mature in Christ

2 Thessalonians 1Verses 3-4, 1 Peter 2 Verses 1 to 5, 2 Peter 3 Verses 16 to 18

 Grow Up Becoming Mature in Christ November 9, 2025 Making Disciples

Lesson 6 Making Disciples Class Presentation Notes AAAAA

Background Scriptures:

· Colossians 1:28–29 (NASB95)

28  We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

          29  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

· 1 Corinthians 3:1–3 (NASB95)

1  And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

          2  I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

          3  for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Main Idea:

· Spiritual growth and development are natural after spiritual birth.

Study Aim:

· To understand the stages and process of spiritual growth from infants to complete maturity.

Create Interest:

· What is the test of a perfect man? The ability to hold his tongue, for of all the members the tongue is the most unruly. Why do some Christians seem to get no answers to prayer? Either because they do not pray or because they have lustful motives when they do pray. How can a Christian make even the devil flee? Simply by submitting himself to God. What will be the reward of the grasping rich? If a Christian is happy, how should he express his joy? In singing psalms. If a Christian is sick what should he do?.[1]

· Our lesson points in the direction of finding answers to our questions by growing in our relationship to Christ.

Lesson in Historical Context:

· A year after his first letter, Paul penned a second letter to the Thessalonians. This was done to clear up the confusion caused by those who preached after he left. They were saying that the persecution launched against the church in Thessalonica was proof that the Tribulation had already begun. Add to them a group who supposedly prophesied in the Spirit, and a forged letter from Paul saying the Tribulation had begun. It is easy to see why the Thessalonians were confused though their faith was growing.[2]

· With a “therefore,” Peter began to take his discussion in a different direction. He built off his previous exhortations, but he then turned to focus on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the church; and he developed a metaphor in which believers are built on top of that cornerstone into a sacred building. Thus, Peter smoothly transitioned from Christology (the doctrine of Christ) to ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and set up a return to practical exhortation in 2:11.[3]

· In this passage, the Apostle Peter acknowledged that some of Paul's writings can be difficult to understand. He urged believers to be on guard against false teachings and emphasizes the importance of growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Bible Study:

2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NASB95)  Faith Flourishing

          3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is onlyfitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows evergreater;

· Their faith was growing (v. 3a). A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. New believers must expect their faith to be tried, because this is the way God proves whether or not their decision is genuine. Faith, like a muscle, must be exercised to grow stronger.

o Tribulation and persecution are God’s ways to strengthen our faith.

· An easy life can lead to a shallow faith.The great men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 all suffered in one way or another, or faced tremendous obstacles, so that their faith could grow.

o Paul had prayed for the believers in Thessalonica, that their faith might be perfected (1 Thes. 3:10); and now he thanked God for answered prayer.

· Their love was abounding (v. 3b). Again, this was an answer to Paul’s previous prayer (1 Thes. 3:12).

o Suffering can make us selfish; but when suffering is mixed with grace and faith, it produces love. It is “faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6).

§ When Christians suffer, their faith reaches upwardto God, and their love reaches outwardto their fellow believers.

· Paul had expressed concern that their love “increase” (pleonasai), and now, happily, he said it was increasing. Both faith and love were growing like well-fertilized plants, beyond what would have been normally expected. This was an exceptional church.

Church History for us to consider applying to our lives.

· In the early church, as described in the Book of Acts, believers showed true faith through tangible acts of love. They shared their possessions and cared for one another's needs, exemplifying how growing closer to Christ ignited a genuine love that transformed their community. It wasn’t just about religious meetings; it was about actively living out their faith in practical ways, which drew others to the Gospel.

o This historical context reminds us that our faith must manifest in love and care for our neighbors.

Thoughts to Soak On:

· Thoreau once described a city as a place where many people are “lonely together.” Residents of a high-rise apartment can be suffering greatly and the people in the next apartment know nothing about it. Our modern world can promote spiritual and emotional isolation and insulation, even to the point of our watching others suffer without really caring.  I am guilty of this. Hmmm?

· Paul commended the Thessalonians for their ever-increasing faith, suggesting that such faith is evidence of God's work within them.

o We should consider our own faith growth and understand that true faith motivates us to face trials with courage.

§ Reflect on how Christ empowers and sustains faith within His church, encouraging mutual strengthening among believers in times of hardship.

2 Thessalonians 1:4(NASB)  Love Linking Lives

“ therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your  perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.”

· Their patience was increasing (v. 4).  The apostles frequently spoke with justifiable pride to other churches about the Thessalonians, using the Thessalonian church as a model to be emulated. In particular, their perseverance (hypomonēs);(1 Thes. 1:3; 2 Thes. 3:5) in the midst of persecutions was outstanding.[4]

· Perhaps “perseverance” would be the best translation of this Greek word. “Tribulation works out endurance” (Rom. 5:3, literal translation). You do not become patient and persevering by reading a book or listening to a lecture. You have to suffer.

· What were these believers enduring? Paul used several words to describe their situation: persecutions, which means “attacks from without,” or “trials”; tribulations, which literally means “pressures,” or afflictions that result from the trials; and trouble (2 Thes. 1:7), which means “to be pressed into a narrow place.”

o No matter how we look at it, the Thessalonican Christians were not having an easy time.

· God never wastes suffering. Trials work for us, not against us(2 Cor. 4:15–18; James 1:1–5). If we trust God and yield to Him, then trials will produce patience and maturity in our lives. If we rebel and fight our circumstances, then we will remain immature and impatient. God permits trials that He might build character into our lives. He can grow a mushroom overnight, but it takes many years—and many storms—to build a mighty oak.

· Their testimony was helping others (v. 4a). “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith” (2 Thes. 1:4, niv).

o Not only can suffering help us to grow, but we can then help others to grow.God encourages us that we may encourage others (2 Cor. 1:4–5).

§ We are not to be cisterns that receive and keep, but channels that receive and share.[5]

World history shares an example for us to consider.

· During the height of the Great Plague in London, many Christians risked their lives to care for the sick and dying while others fled the city. Their selfless acts of love reflected their deep faith and commitment to Christ’s teachings. This historical example shows how love in action not only brought hope in a time of despair but also served as a powerful witness to the community.

o As believers, our love can draw others to Jesus, impacting hearts and lives.

Thoughts to Soak On:

· For the Christian, suffering can help to produce abounding love. “Behold, how they love one another!” was the confession of the pagan world as it beheld the miracle of Christian fellowship. The early believers were only obeying the commandment of their Lord, “Love one another.” Their own suffering did not prevent them from sharing love with others who were suffering.

· Consider how the Thessalonians' steadfastness in the face of persecution became a witness to the power of God's love.Their unyielding perseverance was something deeply rooted in love for one another, urging each other to rely on Christ's love to bind them together in adversity.   The love not only supported the individual but strengthened the entire community, showcasing the church as a living testament of Christ's love and sacrifice.

1 Peter 2:1–5 (NASB95)   As Newborn Babes

   1     Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

   2     like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

   3     if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

   4     And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

   5     you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Vs. 1: Shedding Sin’s Shackles—Things Laid Aside

· This section begins the ethical emphases upon the Christian life. Holiness is more than a doctrine and an experience; it is a life. These elect people, on a pilgrimage through a hostile world, must exemplify the spirit of holiness in order to recommend the gospel to the unconverted among whom they live.

o The things required for this make for Christian consistency.

· The exhortation of v. 1 is an amplification of the principle of love in 1:22. Five things are to be laid aside, because they are inconsistent with that pure love.

o Malice is ill will, the inclination to injure one’s neighbor or to make others suffer.

o Deceit is cunning or trickery in order to gain advantage over others.

o Hypocrisies are counterfeit acts in which one pretends to be or do something which he is or does not.

o Envies indicates jealousies which really are concealed malice, or ill will; they spring from hearts that are “displeased at and depreciate the ability, prosperity, performance, or reputation of others.”

o Slander is malice in words, which insinuates, defames, backbites, and carries injurious tales.

· Augustine is quoted as saying: “Malicedelights in another’s hurt; envypines at another’s good; guileimparts duplicity to the hearts, hypocrisy(or flattery) to the tongue; evil speakings wound another’s character.”

· The Greek verb and tense—putting aside—indicate a definite action against any and all sin at the time of their conversion, so that there is no place for any sin in the life of a Christian.

o Marvin L. Galbreath quoted Paul S. Rees as saying: “Every sin that has survived the shock of conversion must go.”

Israel’s history to consider applying to our lives:

· In ancient Israel, the priests would prepare themselves before entering the Tabernacle. They had to lay aside their ordinary garments and put on holy vestments. This act was not just external; it signified a deep internal commitment to serving God.

o Similarly, we must consciously strip away our sins and distractions, donning the armor of God to become fit for His service. Just as the priests longed for the presence of God, we, too, should yearn for His Word, allowing it to shape our lives into a living sacrifice.

Vs. 2-3: Craving Pure Nutrition—Desiring God’s Word

· The negative and the positive aspects of the Christian life are set in contrast. In v. 1 there were hindrances to be cast off. Here, as newborn babes (vs.2), who had experienced a complete change of life and character, they are to desire, or intensely long for, the sincere, unadulterated and undiluted, spiritual milk of the word.They must make progress; the surest way to relapse into sin is to not press on in holiness. These had genuine regeneration (cf. 1:3, 23). The nourishment afforded by the true doctrines of the gospel would enable them to grow “in faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ” (Wesley).

· Only as Christians feed on God’s Word will they grow. Nothing can substitute for it. An explanation of many cases of arrested development among God’s people is that so few have really tasted(vs. 3), or proved by personal attention to their devotional life, that the Lord is gracious; or as some translators prefer, “how sweet the Lord is” (cf. Alford).

o The growing soul must “take time to be holy.”

Church history offers thoughts for consideration:

· In the early church, believers gathered to worship and share the teachings of Christ. They understood that growing in faith required intentional effort. They did not simply wait for spiritual growth; they actively engaged in community, prayed fervently, and studied Scripture together.

o This example reminds us that to grow in Christ, we must be deliberate in our actions and communal in our worship and Bible study, always yearning for God’s truth in our hearts.

Vs. 4-5: Offering Spiritual Sacrifices

· In vs.1:23, Peter contrasts a carnal seed and a spiritual seed; here he contrasts a spiritual temple of born-again believers with the stone Temple at Jerusalem. Through Jesus Christ, we are living stones built up a spiritual house (vs. 5), “an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). Our relation to Christ is one of moment-by-moment communion and dependence by faith. Our Lord was disallowed … of men (vs. 4) who rejected Him as a vile blasphemer, but He is chosen of God, and precious.

o Finite man rejected Him, but the infinite God chose Him as the “chief corner stone” and singled Him out for that honor.

· As living stones, those who compose this spiritual house (vs. 5) are not cold, rigid, and lifeless, as was the material of the earthly Temple building. They, by the indwelling Spirit, are the house (or habitation) of God. And not only do they compose the house but as an holy priesthood, consecrated to God and holy as He is holy (vs. 1:15), they minister in it, offering up spiritual sacrifices, their “souls and bodies, with all their thoughts, words and actions” (Wesley) in contrast to bulls, goats, and lambs of the old economy.

o The believers’ sacrifices are acceptable to God because they are offered by(or through) Jesus Christ, their great High Priest, the perfect Sacrifice and Propitiation for the sins of mankind, and our Advocate with the Father (cf. 1 John 1:1–2; Heb. 4:14–16).[6]

Thought to soak on:

· The Apostle Peter exhorts us in 1 Peter 2:5 to be 'living stones' being built into a spiritual house. Each stone represents a believer who is intentionally setting aside their burdens and sins to grow in Christ. Just as stones must be chiseled and shaped to fit together perfectly, we must allow God's Word to mold us. This process may be uncomfortable and requires self-examination, but it's essential for offering spiritual sacrifices as part of God's temple, reflecting His glory to the world.

2 Peter 3:16–18 (NASB95) Growing Strong in Christ

16     as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they doalso the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17     You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,

18     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. Amen.

Vs. 16: Puzzling passages

· Not only, Peter says, are there things in Paul’s writings that are hard to understand; there are things which a person may twist to his own destruction. Three things come immediately to mind.

o Paul’s doctrine of gracewas twisted into an excuse and even a reason for sin (Romans 6).

o Paul’s doctrine of Christian freedom was twisted into an excuse for unchristian license (Galatians 5:13).

o Paul’s doctrine of faithwas twisted into an argument that Christian action was unimportant, as we see in James (James 2:14–26).

· Peter refers not to the difficulty of understanding what Paul meant, but to the difficulty of comprehending the great truths which he taught. Many a person knows well enough what Paul means and would receive his doctrines withouthesitation if the heart was not opposed to it; and in this state of mind.

o Paul is charged with obscurity, when the real difficulty lies only in the heartof him who makes the complaint.[7]

Vs. 17: Guard Against Deception

· The Christian is a person who is forewarned. He cannot plead ignorance. He knows the right way and its rewards; he knows the wrong way and its disasters. He has no right to expect an easy way, for he has been told that Christianity means a cross, and he has been warned that there will always be those who are ready to attack and to pervert the faith. To be forewarned is to be forearmed; but to be forewarned is also a grave responsibility, for he who knows the right and does the wrong is under a double condemnation.

Vs. 18: Growing in Grace and Knowledge

· We prevent a fall from your own steadfastness by a continual growth in grace and knowledge of Jesus.

o  Grace is not merely the way God draws us to Him in the beginning. It is also the way we grow and stay in our steadfastness. We can never grow apart from the grace and knowledge of our Lord, and we never grow out of God’s grace.

· “But you will remark that our text does not say anything about grace growing; it does not say that grace grows. It tells us to ‘grow in grace.’ There is a vast difference between grace growing and our growing in grace.

o God’s grace never increases; it is always infinite, so it cannot be more; it is always everlasting; it is always bottomless; it is always shoreless.

o It cannot be more; and, in the nature of God, it could not be less. The text tells us to ‘grow in grace.’ We are in the sea of God’s grace; we cannot be in a deeper sea but let us grow now we are in it.” (Spurgeon)

§ We must also grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. This means knowing more about Jesus, but more importantly, knowing Jesus in a personal relationship.[8]

· The Christian is a person with a basis for life. He ought to be rooted and founded in faith. There are certain things of which he is absolutely certain. James Agate once declared that his mind was not a bed to be made and remade but that on certain things it was finally made up. There is a certain inflexibility in the Christian life; there is a certain basis of belief which never changes.

o The Christian will never cease to believe that, “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11);

o The Christian will never cease to be aware that there is laid on him the duty of making his life fit his belief.

· The Christian is a person with a developing life.

o The inflexibility of the Christian life is not the rigidity of death.

o The Christian must daily experience the wonder of grace, and daily grow in the gifts which grace can bring; and he must daily enter more and more deeply into the wonder which is in Jesus Christ.

o It is only on a firm foundation that a great building can tower into the air; and it is only because it has a deep root that a great tree can reach out to the sky with its branches.

· The Christian life is at once a life with a firm foundation and with an ever outward and upward growth.[9]

Thoughts in Closing:

· First, we have growth in the ‘grace’ of Christ. Grace, of course, means, first, the undeserved love and favor which God in Jesus Christ bears to us sinful and inferior creatures; and then it means the consequence of that love and favor in the manifold spiritual endowments which in us become ‘graces,’ beauties, and excellences of Christian character.

o So then, if you are a Christian, you ought to be continually realizing a deeper and more blessed consciousness of Christ’s love and favor as yours.You ought to be, if I may say, nestling every day nearer and nearer to His heart, and getting increasingly sure of His mercy and love to you.

· Second, if you are a Christian, you ought to be realizing daily, with increasing certitude and power, the fact of His love. You ought to be drinking in and deriving more every day of the consequences of that love, of the spiritual gifts of which His hands are full.

o There is open for each of us in Him an inexhaustible store of abundance. And if our Christian life is real and vigorous there ought to be in us a daily increasing capacity, and therefore a daily increasing possession of the gifts of His grace.

o There ought to be, in other words, also a daily progressive transformation into His likeness. It is ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus,’ not only in the sense that He is the Author and the Bestower of it to each of us, but also in the sense that He Himself possesses and exemplifies it.

o So that there is nothing mystical and remote from the experience of daily life in this exhortation: ‘Grow in grace’; and it is not growth in some occult theological virtue, or transcendent experience, but a very plain, practical thing, a daily transformation, with growing completeness and precision of resemblance, into the likeness of Jesus Christ; the grace that was in Him being transferred to me, and my character being growingly irradiated and refined, softened and ennobled by the reflection of the luster of His.[10]

Illustrations you might find useful and worthy of consideration and application to your life.

· In the early church, the apostle Paul faced immense challenges while teaching the truth of the Gospel. In Galatians 1:6-9, he warned believers against turning away from the true Gospel, emphasizing the importance of guarding their faith. Similarly, today, we face cultural pressures that distort biblical truth. Like Paul, we must be diligent in our defense of the faith, holding fast to the foundational teachings that lead to spiritual maturity and a deeper relationship with Christ.

· During the Reformation, believers faced challenging teachings from the established church that conflicted with Scripture. Martin Luther, in his 95 Theses, emphasized returning to the Word of God as the ultimate authority. This bold act was not just about protest; it was about growing in faith through the truth of Christ. Today, we too must confront difficult teachings by grounding ourselves in Scripture, ensuring our understanding and relationship with Christ flourish, even amidst challenges.

· In the book of Job, Job's friends offered counsel that seemed wise but contradicted God's perspective. Job remained steadfast, expressing his faith even when he didn't understand God's ways. This narrative teaches us the importance of maintaining our faith, especially when faced with difficult interpretations of Scripture or life’s challenges. Like Job, we must cling to the truth of who God is, fostering a relationship with Christ despite the confusion we face.

· The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 illustrates the different outcomes of receiving God's word. The seed that falls on rocky ground represents those who initially receive the message with joy but fall away when faced with troubles. Jesus calls us to take root in Him, allowing His teachings to bear fruit in our lives. In times of challenge, we must be like the good soil, nurturing our faith and growing deeper in our relationship with Christ, the ultimate source of truth.

· In Acts 17, Paul addresses the philosophers in Athens, sharing the Gospel in a way that confronted their challenging beliefs. He gently guides them towards the truth of Christ, illustrating the necessity of knowledge and understanding in faith. Believers today are called to do the same—engage critically with our culture, holding fast to biblical truths while fostering a deeper relationship with Jesus, who is the essence of truth and understanding amidst our own challenges.

Grace and peace to you and you soak on this message and share it.

[1]John Phillips, Exploring the Scriptures: An Overview of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications, 1965), 239.

[2]Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 1351.

[3]Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), 1 Pe 2:1–10.

[4]Thomas L. Constable, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 715.

[5]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 192–194.

[6]Roy S. Nicholson, “The First Epistle of Peter,” in Beacon Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, vol. 10, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1967), 1 Pe 2:1–5.

[7]Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 268.

[8]David Guzik, 2 Peter, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), 2 Pe 3:17–18.

[9]William Barclay, ed., The Letters of James and Peter, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976), 349–351.

[10]Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: 1 and 2 Peter, 1 John 1–4 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 235–236.