When you have selected the e you want to work on and the steps you want to take, we encourage you to share your decisions with a trusted friend who can help you stay the course by praying for you and holding you accountable. After salvation, every christian begins the process of spiritual growth, with the intent to become spiritually mature. Gods will is for you to grow to maturity, living as a fully devoted, fully functioning, full court follower of jesus christ. We get ourselves into all kinds of problems by saying immature things, by making immature decisions, by acting in immature ways. Differentiating between spiritual infancy and maturity. The bible gives us many marks of a growing believer, like perseverance and spiritual fruit, but the bible specifically mentions the following 7 characteristics in conjunction with the greek word teleios recognizes the difference between right and wrong then does what is right hebrews 5. Christian growth is very properly called growing in christ. Lewis said, it may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird. A spiritual infant looks and acts a lot like human infants. Maturity, ministry, apprentice leader go as a missionary disciples become leaders who are able to apply each mark to other peoples lives while training up new leaders who can teach others also.
Spiritual growth assessment and spiritual growth planner. Steps to spiritual maturity victory christian church. Christian maturity is an everpresent goal for believers in. Well lets open our bibles now to the second chapter of pauls letter to the philippian church. Fundamental attitudes for spiritual maturity, part 1. Mature christians dont ride a spiritual roller coaster. There are also marks of corporate maturity in the body of christ eph. Spiritual maturity a definition spiritual maturity is a process that begins when a person accepts jesus christ as savior. As christians, we are obligated to grow spiritually as indicated.
Gods word calls us to press on to maturity in our faith heb. I argue this is one of the most underrated marks of spiritual maturity. These are statements that attack a basic human desire. Paul recognized in timothy a spiritual maturity that far exceeded his years. He shares his heart and in the process gods heart with us. Foundation is a book that will help you go in the right direction. Sermons from colossians spiritual maturity in christ 2. Some people just look more spiritual than the rest of us. In early 1990, god placed on my life a call to gospel ministryi am now in my 24th year of serving the lord as a pastorthrough the years there have been ups and downs but my passion has. And if you dont have that, not only do you make the ministry difficult, the servant of the lord sorrowful and grieving, but you will fail to have a cornerstone in your own spiritual life. Paul says one of the reasons that god gave pastors and teachers to the church was to help the congregation grow into maturity so they would no longer be like children tossed to and fro with every form of doctrine ephesians 4.
If you were to ask someone what marked spiritual maturity in a person, many would respond by their service hours, church attendance record, number of verses memorized, or general bible knowledge. Spiritual maturity is not automatic as a result of the mastery of scriptural teachings. Marks of maturity a new beginning with greg laurie. When the new testament addresses spiritual maturity, it uses the common greek word teleios, which means perfect or complete. Let us embark on a period of spiritual introspection. Read marks of maturity from christian radio ministry a new beginning with greg laurie. And some of the most mature, on fire, excited, and growing christians in any congregation are the newest. Philippians chapter 2, and this comes this morning to our attention again as it did last week. It is very difficult for church members to grow beyond immature spiritual shepherds. This week i would like you to take an objective look at your level of spiritual maturity. Home pastors articles for pastors 10 marks of a mature christian. Growth toward spiritual maturity will of necessity involve moral effort, discipline, renunciation, and perseverance in pursuit of the goal.
Here are some signs that you are on the right path. Marks of spiritual maturity copy sunbury city church. In this message from philippians 3, alistair begg helps us to understand the marks of spiritual. You cannot determine spiritual maturity by physical maturity. If the task of the pastor or teacher is to help believers reach spiritual maturity, what is the standard to gauge progress. I would suggest that spiritual growth is more like the following graphic. Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like jesus christ. While each of those are good for believers to excel. However, this is not spiritual wisdom which only comes through being conformed to the image of jesus. Study the bible, learn about jesus christ, get christian living advice online. If they seem angry, confrontational, or judgmental rather than patient, kind, and humble, there.
The ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction genesis. Without a doubt the biggest problem that we have in the church today is that of spiritual maturity. Biblical maturity sufficient to be a wise counselor to her husband and to teach her children. Theyre selfcentered, crybabies, impatient, helpless, noisy, and messy. Your spiritual growth and health are vitally and eternally important. Join authorchristian speaker laurie cole on the porch to discover the 4 marks of spiritual maturity and how to press on toward it in your own walk with christ. Five marks of a spiritually mature christian sermon by tom. Peter tells us, grow in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior jesus christ. The apostle paul said that spiritual growth is an ongoing process.
In our text from colossians 2 this morning we are going to look at pauls description of what he desires for the church. A frequent comment in these times might be the phrase, youre acting childish or grow up. Theres a second attitude that needs consideration that goes right along with the first one. When it is applied to christian growth, it indicates spiritual maturity in contrast to childlike immaturity as, for example, in this command from paul. Five marks of spiritual maturity archive truth for life.
They look kind of dignified, they look like theyre holy. As we develop those areas where growth is required, our level of spiritual maturity goes up. By urging us to grow, this verse reminds us that growth is both desirable and expected. Disciples grow in understanding and applying each mark of maturity to their own lives while learning how to apply each mark to other peoples lives. Of course that is an essential element in attaining maturity, but of itself it. In august of 2001 he was diagnosed with lung cancer and on august 29th, 2002 he went home to be with the lord. My second point, before i get into the 4 marks of spiritual maturity, is that spiritual maturity is not determined by the number of years you have been a christian.
Most christians believe that one is spiritually matured if the individual follows the rules of dos and donts in the church. God is obviously displeased if we as his children are not maturing by acquiring a knowledge of god 2 timothy 2. One doesnt reqire a set afiliation to have the marks of a spiritual warrior but one does need to be loyal to a group of influential people and that you have influence on others in. I want you to see that james gives us five marks of maturity that each one of us must make a part of our attitude and our identity as christians. It is a spiritual axiom that the quality of the spiritual leadership the spiritual shepherds affects the spiritual health of the local church. The marks of spiritual maturity also provide us with a way of discerning when we are confronted by selfrighteous men who may falsely proclaim themselves to be christians. If we want to become mature, we have to know what maturity means. Remember that paul is an example of spiritual maturity and thus worthy of our emulation 1co 11. Spiritual maturity always calls for an attitude of submission.
My favorite part is ascending to the apex, stalling for a moment or two, then taking a free fall only to begin the next ascension. The person who thinks he has arrived and knows it all will never grow. Sunday gathering, mc, membership grow as a servant disciples grow in understanding and applying each mark of maturity to their own lives while learning how to apply each mark to other peoples lives. We see that he had a concern for his brethren notice 2co 11. Leadership, spiritual formation, mens articles, pastors. He or she is born again of the holy spirit and then chooses to live in christ. Underline or mark important parts of the lesson development. The author of hebrews also writes pointedly about spiritual growth. You can be a christian for 50 years and not be mature. The church is a barometer of the spiritual life of its shepherds. Evidences of spiritual maturity be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. The fact is, you can look real spiritual and not be spiritual at all. In this study i will attempt to investigate with clarity and insight what the scriptures reveal as the delineators between spiritual maturity and immaturity. Similar to the bumper sticker that says, i might be getting older, but i will never grow up.
The continual practice of these seven steps will yield solid growth and significant progress towards spiritual maturity. If they seem angry, confrontational, or judgmental rather than patient, kind, and humble, there is a good chance they are following some other god. Spiritual maturity takes time, energy and effort, but it is possible to be a 50 or 60yearold spiritual baby. These too have both a progressive nature and an ultimate perfection in mind unity in faith and in knowledge, attaining to the fullness of christ, stability in doctrine and understanding, loving evangelism, the proper working of each part of the body, growth and.
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