How Are You Doing In Terms Of Your Spiritual Maturity?
Fruits go through different phases of development before they mature. Fruit maturity is therefore a process. It does not happen in one day. Similarly spiritual maturity is a process, we press on into maturity in Christ Jesus.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 6:1 “So let’s press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ’s word. Let’s not lay a foundation of turning away from dead works, of faith in God,” – (CEB – Common English Bible)
“Let’s press on to maturity”. God intends for us to always pursue spiritual growth so that we may “be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29 ESV).
God wants all of us to grow. Maturity is one of his purposes for our lives. One of God’s five purposes for us is to help us as workers grow in spiritual maturity.
What does Christian maturity look like?
- Christian Maturity is not about age. You can be a Christian for 50 years and still not be mature.
- Christian Maturity is not about appearance. Some people may look spiritually mature, but they are not. Just because someone appears dignified, it does not mean they are holy.
- Christian Maturity is not about achievement. You can accomplish much without being mature in your faith.
- Christian Maturity is not about academics. A seminary degree or a Bible college degree does not make you spiritually mature.
You do not get to be mature by comparing yourself to anyone else. You become mature by comparing yourself to the Word of God.
The book of James is a guide for us to follow on how to become mature Christians. It gives us five assessments of spiritual maturity.
- A mature person remains positive while under pressure. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).
It is very vital to note that just because we are born-again Christians does not mean we will not face troubles. The question is not whether you will experience problems; it is about how you respond to them. Do you get worried, panicky uptight, or negative? Do you moan, grumble, or complain?
A person can be full of Bible knowledge and still be bad-tempered while under pressure. A mature born-again Christian can be under pressure and still be joyful.
- A mature person is sensitive to other people’s needs. “It is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (James 2:8 NLT).
We all know that children behave childish and are immature, they are completely self-engrossed. But mature people do not just see their own needs; they see the needs of others and are unselfish.
In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus tells us that the one thing we will be judged for is how we behave towards other people—not how many Bible verses we know or how often we attend church.
- A mature person has control over his/her mouth. “We all make mistakes often, but those who don’t make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. Like a bridled horse, they can control themselves entirely.” (James 3:2 CEB).
Medical doctors use our tongue to check our health. They can diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency just by looking at the physical state of the tongue during medical checkups. God does that spiritually, too. God can look at what we say as a barometer of our spiritual health.
Do you gossip, spreading rumours, and engage in constant negative talk? These are a sign you are immature in the faith.
James 3 gives us several illustrations regarding the tongue. The chapter calls it a bridle to a horse (3:3), an udder to a ship (3:4), and a spark to a fire (3:5-6). James 3:8 says, “No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (CEB).
By the help of the Holy Spirit a mature Christian can effectively manage what he or she says.
- A mature person is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. “You fight and quarrel among yourselves. Do you know why that happens? It is because of the troubles in your thoughts. You want to do bad things that you think will make you happy.?” (James 4:1 EASY).
There are some Christians who make trouble more than they make peace. Conflict is not a Christian virtue. It is a sign of immaturity.
James tells us that being selfish and condemning others are the two biggest sources of conflict in our lives. Both prevent us from the Christ-like maturity Jesus asks us to pursue. Pride keeps us from admitting we are wrong. condemning others puts us in the place of God as a judge.
Christian maturity means learning to say no to a selfish, judgmental attitude that regularly causes conflict.
- A mature person is patient and prayerful. “Brothers and sisters, be patient; the Lord will come. So be patient until that time. Look at the farmers. They have to be patient. They have to wait for their valuable crop to grow and produce a harvest. They wait patiently for the first rain and the last rain. 8You must be patient too. Never stop hoping. The Lord is coming soon.” (James 5:7-8 ERV).
Patience and prayerfulness go together. They both express an attitude of dependence upon God that grades a mature believer. As James 5 explains, it is a perspective that farmers understand. Farmers do a lot of waiting. Crops do not grow overnight. We must wait for God to work in our lives. Patience is a key element of maturity. (Please look out for Part-2 of this article)
Altar call: For anyone reading this article who is not saved and wants to be part of the family of God or you want to re-dedicate your life back to Jesus, please repeat this out loud. “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have sinned against you. Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins. I repent of my sins. Lord Jesus come into my life and be my Lord now and forever in Jesus Name“
Prayer: Holy-Spirit, please help me to grow and mature in the things of God and His Kingdom, in Jesus Name
Feast of Light Word Ministry
