Christian Maturity

Matthew 5:48 NKJV

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

THE MEANING OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

Growth

Spiritually—2 Peter 3:18. Growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus.

Mentally—Phil. 2:5. Having the mind of Christ.

Godliness

Godly attitudes—1 Tim. 6:12. Fight the fight of faith.

Lay hold on eternal life.

This implies it is not automatic - it is a fight - striving

Godly actions—Gal. 5:16. Walking in the Spirit

Galatians 5:16 NKJV

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Godly ambitions—Phil. 3:10.

Philippians 3:10 NKJV

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Knowing Christ. Gal. 2:20—not I, but Christ!

THE MARKS OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

The best statement on maturity may be found in Galatians 5:22–26. "The Fruit of the Spirit”

Galatians 5:22–26 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Profitable fruits—v. 22

Love. Love for God. Love for spiritual things and even enemies.

Love - God is Love - we cannot be His if we do not love

Jesus said - “Love your enemies”

Love the things of God - “to love good and eschew evil”

Joy. Joy in serving God. Joy even in times of sorrow.

How many grouchyt negative Christians do you know?

I sometimes can’t help wondering if these are just immature Christians or pseudo-Christians

Peace. Having peace in the midst of problems and troubles.

Just becasue something troubles you does not mean you have to make trouble

Is God your refuge and your fortress?

Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called the sons of God

Peaceful fruits—v. 22

Longsuffering. Patient at all times.

Willing to wait for others, and keep loving them

willing to suffer with those in need, the lost, your own mission

Gentleness. There’s never an excuse to be rude.

So many Christians can be wonderfully sweet on Sunday morning, and then forget it all

In fact, many can be harsh, hateful and unkind, all while claiming to know Jesus

Goodness. Giving good in exchange for evil.

The generous man devises generous things

Give and it shall be given to you

Do good to all men - especially those of the household of faith -

Personal fruits—vv. 22–23

Faith. Faith in God.

Meekness. Pride is not of God. It is sin.

Meekness is not weakness

Consider Moses. Consider Jesus

The meek shall inherit the earth

Temperance.

Self-control is necessary in serving God.

Without self control, we are not more than brute beasts - not holy

Practicing fruits—vv. 24–26. All these fruits are of no value unless they are put into practice in our daily lives.

We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only - deceiving our own selves

many people hear the word - then deceive themselves as if they are living it

the bible says we must examine ourselves

2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

THE MARRING OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

Note some of the marks of Christian immaturity.

Stubbornness—James 4:17. If we know something is right and we refuse to do it, we not only sin, we are immature also.

James 4:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

So many Christians “know to do good”, yet talk themselves into thinking that its ok to skip it this time

“I’m still a good person”. “God knows my heart” etc. And yes He does!

The heart is deceitful, and desperately wicked

Selfishness—Matt. 7:12. Many people, including Christians, don’t practice the Golden Rule.

Selfishness is perhaps the biggest enemy of the cross. And it is rampant in today’s pseudo-Christianity

Self is the god of many people’s heart as they live in rebellion and selfish sin, telling themselves God is pleased with it that way.

But this theology is not found in the bible

Sin—James 4:4. If we are a friend of the world, we are an enemy of God. Sin always separates people from God. The Christian who sins by habit is very immature.

James 4:4 NKJV

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Satan—1 Peter 5:8. Satan seeks to bring division, ill feeling, and many other problems.

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

If we are going to be mature, we must be aware that there is an enemy - and we must be vigilant to resist him.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God!

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 4:13–15 NKJV

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—