Good Morning World!
Up and out the door I go today. The cold, cold weather has arrived. Last night I embraced the warmth of a nice fire in our hearth and I wish I was still in front of the fireplace. My coffee this morning is Door County Pumpkin Spice. I filled an insulated bottle for later. I think it will come in handy today.
I have heard many a Christian pray for spiritual maturity for others and themselves. I often wondered what the Biblical definition of "spiritual maturity" is.
"Got Questions .Org" writes
"Question: "What is spiritual maturity? How can I become more spiritually mature?"
Answer: Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like Jesus Christ. After salvation, every Christian begins the process of spiritual growth, with the intent being to become spiritually mature. According to the Apostle Paul, it’s an ongoing process that will never end in this life. In Philippians 3:12-14, speaking of full knowledge of Christ, he tells his readers that he himself has not "already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus". Like Paul, we have to press continually toward deeper knowledge of God in Christ.
Christian maturity requires a radical reordering of one’s priorities, changing over from pleasing self to pleasing God and learning to obey God. The key to maturity is consistency, perseverance in doing those things we know will bring us closer to God. These practices are referred to as the spiritual disciplines, and include things such as Bible reading/study, prayer, fellowship, service, and stewardship. No matter how hard we might work on those things, however, none of this is possible without the enabling of the Holy Spirit within us. Galatians 5:16 tell us that we’re to “walk by the Spirit.” The Greek word used here for “walk” actually means to “walk with a purpose in view.” Further down in the same chapter, Paul tells us again that we’re to “walk by the Spirit.” Here, the word translated “walk” means “step by step, one step at a time.” It is learning to walk under the instruction of another—the Holy Spirit. Since believers are filled with the Spirit, we should also walk under His control. As we submit more and more to the Spirit’s control, we will also see an increase in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives Galatians 5:22-23. This is characteristic of spiritual maturity."
That has to be one of the best definitions that I have found. To paraphrase what they said, if you are going to be spiritually mature, you have to control your body and it's appetite for sin. The recipe for success is found above. But first there has to be a desire to grow. I heard it said once by a great preacher "if you is where you was, you ain't". People who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and then never grow spiritually have me wondering if they really ever invited Jesus in to their hearts. But that's not my job to worry about everyone else's growth chart. I am in charge of my own as well as you are in charge of how fast or slow you grow or even at all.
Ready to start a growth chart for the New Year?
God bless,
Marty
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