Six Levels Of Maturity
Six Levels of Maturity
Pastor Keith Hassell
Key Verse: I Corinthians 4:14-15 “As my beloved children (“teknon”) I warn you----Though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
I. NEPIOS (Strongs #3516): Means “non-speaking baby, newborns”
A. I Corinthians 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.”
B. I Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
C. Galatians 4:1-3 “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.”
D. I Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”
E. Characteristics of newborns
1. Helpless
2. Vulnerable
3. Require constant monitoring
4. Soiled garments
5. Unable to have solid food
6. Demand lots of loving affection
II. PAIDION (Strongs #3813): Toddler
A. Matthew 18:2-5 “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.’” (see also Mark 10:15)
B. Mark 9:36-37 “Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ‘Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
C. Characteristics of toddlers
1. Teachable
2. Trusting
3. Keeps close relationship with parents but can easily wander
4. Developing motor skills and coordination
5. Desire exceeds ability to accomplish
6. Self-oriented (“me, my, mine”)
7. Begins testing limits
8. Say things they don’t mean
9. Make promises they can not keep
10. Simple faith
11. Trusting
12. Short attention span
13. Unstable
14. Unpredictable
15. High but short term energy spurts
16. Humble
17. Innocent
18. Curious
19. Potty training
III. TEKNON (Strongs # 5043): Young child
A. Galatians 4:19 “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
B. I Peter 1:13-15 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
C. I John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
D. I John 3:7 “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”
E. I John 3:10 “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest; whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”
F. I John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
G. I John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
H. I John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
I. 2 John 4 “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.”
J. Characteristics of Young Children
1. Learning obedience
2. Learning how to abide
3. Learning discernment between good and evil
4. Learning to conduct themselves in righteousness
5. Learning to love out of a genuine heart
6. Learning to rid themselves from idols
7. Learning to walk in truth
8. Learning responsibility
9. Learning focus and priorities
10. Developing moral foundations
11. Overcoming competition and jealousy
12. Developing skills
13. Developing consistency and faithfulnes
14. Discovering own identity apart from parents
15. Testing authority
16. Pushing limits
17. Peer consciousness
18. Transitioning between childhood and sonship
IV. VIOS (“hwee-os” / Strongs#5207): Son
A. Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy.”
B. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”
C. Romans 8:19 “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”
D. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
E. Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons,God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”
F. Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all thing, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
G. Hebrews 12:7 “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”
H. Characteristics of Sons
1. Has the heart of a son which cries out “Abba, Father!”
2. Led by the Spirit rather than by the flesh
3. Prophesies the word of the Lord
4. Walks under authority
5. Receives correction as love
6. Perseveres under hardships
7. Able to carry responsibility
8. Character has been tested and proven
9. Faithful in the Father’s house
10. Walks in destiny
V. NEANISKOS (Strongs # 3495): Youth under forty, young man
A. Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.”
B. I John 2:13-14 “I write to you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one . . . I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.”
C. Characteristics of young men
1. They are mature leaders
2. They have become stable leaders
3. They are strong leaders
4. They are mighty men who have overcome the wicked one
5. They are leaders with vision
6. They have the word of God abiding in them
7. They are developing toward being fathers
VI. PATER (Stongs #3962): Father, parent
A. Galatians 4:1-2 “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.”
B. Ephesians 6:2 “’Honor your father and mother’, which is the first commandment with a promise.”
C. Philippians 2:22 “But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”
D. I Thessalonians 2:10-11 “You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you should walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
E. I Timothy 5:1 “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers.”
F. Hebrews 12:7 “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”
G. I John 2:13-14 “I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.”
H. Characteristics of fathers
1. Honored as heads of the family
2. Trains sons through service
3. Determines the course and nature of training of sons
4. Behave themselves justly and blamelessly
5. Exhorts, comforts, and charges the sons to walk worthy of God
6. Determines the times and seasons of development and release
7. Disciplines and corrects in love
8. Deep maturity and understanding based on a life of intimacy with God