Growing Towards Spiritual Maturity
We refer you to Ryken, Wilhoit, and Longman’s definition (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, IVP): “The church is the partial fulfillment of the kingdom of God in the here and now and serves as a primary agent of the kingdom; hence it is appropriate to apply some kingdom imagery to the church itself (e.g., Col. 1:13)
Growing—because maturity is a lifelong process;
Toward—because our vision must be fixed on Christ;
Spiritual—because inward transformation determines our growth;
Maturity—because fulfillment of the Great Commission is our task.
1. God is ultimately responsible for all spiritual growth.
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.
We are saved by grace because of what God did rather than anything we could contribute. Yet it seems to be difficult for Christians to believe that their continued spiritual growth is dependent on God. A subtle legalism often creeps into our lives that equates our spiritual growth with the disciplines we exercise
God is ultimately responsible for the growth process in our lives from beginning to end. He chose before the world was created to make us a part of His garden where we could grow into the holy likeness of His Son, Jesus (Eph. 1:4). His plan was not only to save us, as important as that transformational experience is, but also to continue to nurture us into His likeness. His role as the Gardener is not finished when the seed takes root. Rather, His role in our spiritual development has just begun.
The Holy Spirit works as a supernatural catalyst throughout our life. He first brings us into a personal relationship with Jesus and then molds us into His likeness. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). God is ultimately responsible for all spiritual growth in the believer’s life.
2. Effort, diligence, and discipline are absolutely necessary for growth.
In 2 Peter 1:1–11, we learn that God is both the source and dynamo for godly living. Additionally we are challenged to “make every effort” to build on what God has given. God’s provision for our growth becomes the reason why we should diligently work toward Christlike qualities. While God supplies the resources and enablement for our growth, we must supply the effort.
He often uses the example of a soldier or athlete to illustrate the amount of discipline and hard work required to be successful. In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Paul states that “in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize.” 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;” see Rom. 8:13) 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. In order to grow into a mature woman or man of God, the believer must be in a diligent training plan for growth (1 Tim. 4:7–8)
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.” The mystery of this principle may be hard to grasp, but the implication is clear. If Christians are to grow toward maturity in Christ, they must demonstrate their passion to grow by obedient action
3. Spiritual growth potential may not be easy to see at first.
In the early stage of a believer’s 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 Christian and someone living for the world. Time will bring out the true quality of the heart.
4. Spiritual growth depends on an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
As important as a marriage ceremony is to the marriage relationship, intimacy in marriage goes much deeper than either the vows or the honeymoon. Growth in the Christian life requires an ongoing intimacy in one’s relationship with Christ.
In this passage Jesus describes at least five benefits of staying closely connected
The first benefit is fruitfulness in our lives
The second benefit is found in verse 4: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” As we stay close to the Lord, He promises to stay close to us.
The third benefit of maintaining an intimate relationship with Jesus is answered prayer.
The fourth benefit of walking in a close and intimate relationship is what Jesus terms “joy
More than simple happiness, based on circumstances, the joy that Jesus describes relates to a supernatural inner peace that brings emotional satisfaction even in the midst of the most distressing circumstances. This joy reflects a deep satisfaction based on a person’s assurance of the presence of God in one’s life.
The fifth benefit of staying close to Jesus and obeying His Word is friendship with Jesus
5. Growth is primarily an inside-out process.
6. Spiritual growth relates to every aspect of our lives
Spiritual growth, seen in this light, is a process in which people willingly allow the Holy Spirit to control increasingly more of their lives.
The challenge here is to change one’s heart and belief system as well as one’s behavior.
7. Growth happens most naturally within a close social context.
Healthy local churches provide a community where people of all ages, walks of life, ethnicity, and vocations learn together to love God and other persons.
8. Significant growth occurs within the context of frustration, suffering, or challenge.
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 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 it. Based on the assumption that all living organisms learn in similar ways, it is easy to apply this principle to people.
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”
If our goal is to become more Christlike and to know God more intimately, suffering is inevitable. Paul makes this connection very clear in Philippians 3:10–11: “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.” Intimacy with Christ is closely connected with both the experience of the power of the Holy Spirit and the experience of suffering
God uses suffering and persecution in our lives to challenge us to higher levels of spiritual thinking and living
“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” (Jas. 1:12).
WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?
The word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes, meaning “learner, pupil, follower, or apprentice.” This same Greek root is used for math, meaning “to learn.” Thus, mathematics is understood to mean “thought accompanied by endeavor.”1 To become a disciple, therefore, means to follow someone and to learn from the person. An apprenticeship involves imitating one’s master teacher. The process of how we learn or how we become like another person is at the very heart of the process of becoming a disciple.
1. Love Christ far above all other human relationships (v. 26).
2. Follow Christ even if it means suffering and death (v. 27).
3. Give everything to Christ (v. 33).
A disciple puts the relationship with Jesus Christ above every other relationship, follows Christ no matter what the cost, and gives everything (spiritual gifts and skills) for the kingdom of God.
The first of the three texts is John 8:31–32: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The second text relating to evidence of being a disciple is found in John 13:34–35. True disciples model the same kind of love that Christ showed them. Love is the test of a true disciple.
Again in John 15:8, Jesus gives us a third test of a true disciple.
A true disciple of Jesus is recognized by steadfast obedience, love, and a fruitful life.
Jesus’ standard of discipleship must be the standard for the church today.
Some scholars have suggested that the Gentile believers wanted a name that was not associated with the distinctive Jewish culture. Others suggest the terminology could have been changed to eliminate ambiguity associated with the more general term disciple. Perhaps the use of Christian may have been seen as more descriptive of who they were following. Within the Roman world, -ian added to the end of a proper name signified giving total allegiance to that person. Thus Christian became a very clear term connecting absolute loyalty with Christ. Used in this way, Christian seems more clear than disciple.
Whatever the reasons for the change, disciple was not used again in the New Testament after the book of Acts
After Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion of the Roman Empire, the term Christian began to lose its distinctive biblical meaning
A solution for some theologians today has been to use the term Christian to describe the “entry level” believer and to use the term disciple only for the “serious Christian.” Unfortunately, this only leads to more confusion.
The terms Christian and disciple must never lose their original meanings. The accurate picture of a disciple of Jesus must be clearly ingrained in our minds.
Relationships with other like-minded followers of Jesus serve as catalysts to this growth. God may even use discouragement, persecution, or suffering to strengthen our faith.
Phrases such as “becoming a Christian,” “becoming Jesus’ disciple,” and “being born again” all refer to the same event—a supernatural work of God in a person’s life that transforms him or her. This experience of conversion begins with a change in the heart, rooted in a person’s emotions, intellect, and will. The transformation will take a lifetime to fully affect every aspect of one’s life.
I have yet to see, however, a believer who lives in perfect obedience. If this were possible, we would not continue to need the sacrifice of Jesus (1 John 1:8–10).
The desire for instant spirituality or instant holiness, in practical experience, has led many Christians into despair or depression. There is no instant spiritual experience or secret doctrine that provides a shortcut to Christlikeness.
The apostle Paul confessed he had not “already been made perfect” (Phil. 3:12). When Paul said this, he had been a Christian at least twenty-five years, completed three missionary journeys, and written nine of the New Testament epistles
Growing toward Christlikeness is a lifelong adventure.
The Holy Spirit plays the most significant role in enabling and empowering the new believer to become more like Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:16; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 3:16).
When Christ called men and women to follow Him, He never hid the cost. In fact, Jesus went out of His way to explain the radical nature of His standards for discipleship. But the cost was negligible compared to the glory to be revealed when His followers would actually become like their master. To become His disciple, Jesus taught that one’s whole self must commit to loving and obeying Him.
To view the biblical command to “make disciples” only through our contemporary concept of mentoring is to miss the major role of the church in fulfilling the Great Commission.
When Jesus gave the apostles the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20, the only command (in the original language) was to “make disciples.” The other three verbs (going, baptizing, and teaching) are participles related to the major command. Examine the text in light of the grammatical structure just mentioned, and observe how significant the command “make disciples” is to the Great Commission. Jesus challenges His eleven apostles to make disciples of Himself—not disciples of Peter or Matthew or John. The Commission Jesus gave the eleven men (who had spent the last three years following Him) was to make people into disciples of Jesus Christ.
When the Holy Spirit first came to the church, He came to the whole church, as a community. “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4
The Holy Spirit transformed not only individual lives but also the whole community.
In a real sense, the power of the Holy Spirit makes the church, as the community of disciples, the body of Christ.
DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CHURCH
Growth within the church (local and worldwide) depends on the quality of the relationships between believers. As the church follows biblical principles for interpersonal relationships, the local body of Christ will fulfill its mandate to be a greenhouse that nurtures disciples. Some of the major principles that guide interpersonal relationships in the church also challenge believers to edify, confess faults, forbear, empathize, submit to, accept, forgive, and admonish one another.
Yet the sign of a growing Christian is the ability to confess sin and deal with weaknesses courageously (1 John 1:8–10). By readily acknowledging weaknesses and sin, Christian leaders and teachers remain humble and teachable. Confessing faults to one another brings healing and keeps us accountable to other members of the body of Christ (Jas. 5:16).
Mutual submission is not a suggestion in Scripture; it is a command (Eph. 5:21). The supernatural strength to submit to others comes from being continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)
When we truly experience the forgiveness of Christ, we express that forgiveness to others. Christ, by example, did not always wait for the guilty person to repent (Luke 23:34; Eph. 4:32).
The Great Commission was given to the church as a body made up of many different types of people from all backgrounds and cultures. When the Holy Spirit was given to the church at Pentecost, His power, presence, and gifts enabled the early church to fulfill the Great Commission in ways never before imagined possible.
As the church fulfills its task, the surrounding community feels the radical impact of Christian people. The health and unity of the church as a community must be continually developed if the church is to live up to its biblical mandate to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Biblical inspiration means that the Holy Spirit supernaturally controlled and guided the human authors of the biblical books so that they wrote precisely what God wanted said.
Biblical infallibility refers to the effectiveness of God’s Word in achieving God’s intended purposes (Isa. 55:11).
Biblical inerrancy is a technical phrase for the accuracy of the biblical message
Growing spiritually requires responding to the biblical message with undivided attention, humble submission, and unqualified obedience (Jas. 1:19–22).
Although the Bible contains sixty-six different books written over a period of approximately 1,500 years, it holds together as the ongoing story of God’s redemptive program in the world
Consequently, believers are biblical Christians, not just New Testament Christians. Insights for spiritual growth and Christian living come from the whole Bible (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6–11
The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” When this verse is examined within the context of the previous two chapters, it clearly indicates that God’s Word keeps believers from getting a hard heart.
“If you look for nothing, you will find it every time.”
the five “W’s” and an “H” used by journalists: who, what, when, where, why, and how
The Bible was originally written in foreign languages to people living a long time ago in another part of the world with a different culture. A study process for God’s Word is more necessary now than it was for the original recipients in biblical times. The following rules of hermeneutics help us overcome barriers to understanding.
The main ingredient for spiritual growth is a steady diet of God’s Word. The steps in studying the Bible accurately include observation, interpretation, and application. By following proper hermeneutical principles under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we can be confident that we are getting our direction from God rather than from our own imagination. Our goal should go beyond just doing Bible study to actually feasting on God’s Word daily and applying it to our lives.
The key to intimacy with God is through a disciplined, regular pattern of communication with Him through prayer.
The Christian’s proper attitude in prayer is submission to God’s will, not achieving his or her own (Matt. 6:10).
The purpose of prayer is not to change God’s mind. Rather, it is to align one’s will with God’s will
“Prayer is for our benefit, not God’s.”
People often stop growing spiritually because they fail to accept God’s forgiveness.
SUMMARY
Prayer is the catalyst in growing toward spiritual maturity. Through prayer, the believer draws on the riches of God’s blessing and power. Yet God is not a spiritual Santa Claus. While He listens to the prayers of His children, He does not always answer us in the way that we might want. His highest purpose for prayer is to usher us into His presence. For this reason a rich prayer life should include all of these elements: worship, confession, adoration, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and requests. A preoccupation with prayer merely as a means to get what we want is a sign more of carnality than spirituality. Spiritual maturity is evidenced by both an intimate prayer life and a humble submission to the sovereign will of God.
A holy, godly lifestyle must first cultivate a heart for God; second, overcome temptation; and third, establish patterns of holy living.
To continue to grow spiritually, we must develop the daily practice of examining our heart and actions before God and confessing known sin.
There are three practical ways to overcome temptation: First, admit your weaknesses; second, use God’s resources; and third, guard your thought life.
Admit Your Weaknesses
Use God’s Resources
Guard Your Thought Life
In order to establish patterns of holy living, we must first maintain biblical standards; second, discipline all areas of our life; and third, be accountable to other Christians
Maintain Biblical Standards
Our striving to live up to biblical standards of holiness, however, is not in order to earn God’s favor or to appease His wrath but rather as a heartfelt response to His mercy and grace
Discipline All Areas of Your Life
To grow spiritually, we must be disciplined in every area of life: social, mental, emotional, physical, and moral. Concerning our social life, we need to carefully evaluate the type of people we allow to influence us. We also need to set goals for ourselves concerning our intellectual development. This could mean setting up a regular pattern of stimulating reading, enrolling in a continuing education class, or attending a seminar or workshop. We must guard our emotional life so that neither past hurts nor present pressures monopolize our time or energy. Find healthy ways to express emotions through wholesome friendships, recreation, and hobbies. Keeping in shape physically, with a regular exercise program and a healthy diet, has a tremendous effect on both emotional and spiritual health.
Our effectiveness in ministry depends on our ability to maintain a godly lifestyle. Godliness reproduces itself. In order to establish such a lifestyle, we must cultivate a heart for God by opening ourselves up, confessing known sin, and allowing God to fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, we must learn to overcome temptation by admitting weaknesses, using God’s resources, and guarding our thought life. Third, we must establish patterns of holy living by maintaining biblical standards in our lifestyle, disciplining all areas of our life, and being accountable to other godly Christians
ONE OF THE FIRST lessons we must learn as growing Christians is that we are saved to serve
SUMMARY
The home, the church, and society desperately need strong Christian leaders. Yet before volunteering too quickly, we must count the cost of following Christ as a leader. The radical standards of Christian leadership demand that leaders are men and women of integrity, with hearts to serve and a vision to prepare others to serve. These standards are quite different from the way the rest of the world looks at leadership. To be effective Christian leaders, we must continually develop our skills in these five areas: building a vision, empathetic listening, empowering others, team building, and conflict resolution. While the cost of leadership is high, the rewards are great. To see others in the body of Christ growing and using their gifts in ministry is one of the greatest blessings we will ever experience.
Mentoring seems to provide the “high touch” in a “high tech” world.
1. Head/Knowing—intellectual growth
2. Heart/Feeling—emotional growth
3. Hands/Doing—growth in our skills, behavior, or practice
SUMMARY
Mentoring relationships are some of the most effective ways to help others grow and develop in their relationship with Jesus Christ. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17). God has used such mentoring relationships to prepare some of the greatest leaders in the Bible. With the variety of different types of mentoring, people can plan and structure their relationship to meet a variety of needs. Intensive relationships may involve following up new believers, guiding someone in spiritual growth, or coaching someone to develop a particular ministry skill. Occasional relationships may involve counseling a person related to a specific problem he or she may be having, teaching a person one on one, or sponsoring people until they become a part of a church body or group. To be effective, mentoring relationships need to have some form of accountability so that both parties know what is expected of them. Yet it is important to keep the structure flexible according to the mentoree’s needs and personality.