GROW UP!
(Part Two)
Why should I grow? Why is it important for us to focus on spiritual maturity? One reason is so I can know God’s will. Progressing in spiritual maturity will enable me to discern God’s will and it will allow me to approve of God’s will. I will see that God’s will is best. I also need to grow up so that I won’t be led astray. Satan wants to lead me astray by twisting the word of God. He will try to deceive me with things that sound reasonable, logical and true. Satan is subtle and he will try to pull me away little by little. He’ll try to get me to compromise on the things that will contribute toward my spiritual maturity. And if that carries on for too long, I run the risk of falling away completely. A little boy fell out of the bed in his sleep. His father picked him up and put him back in bed. He asked him, "Son, what happened?" The little boy responded, "I fell asleep too close to where I got in." I believe that describes too many Christians today. They have fallen asleep too close to where they got in. They have made so little progress since they were saved they’re still close to the edge and therefore, in danger of falling out. I need to be committed to spiritual growth so that these things don’t happen to me.
How can I grow? If I am going to grow I first need to recognize the need for it. It’s been said, “Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness.” Spiritual maturity is not automatic; it’s a choice. I need to be devoted to growth. I need to realize the benefit of it. I also need to have patience along with passion. I can be overzealous and try to run ahead of the Spirit. I need to understand that spiritual maturity is a process. And I need to realize that I’m going to need some help getting there. We are called to grow together as a unified body of believers. We need to pull together, sharpen one another and spur one another on toward love and good deeds. If I’m going to be spiritually mature I have to want it, be patient in my pursuit for it and seek help from others.
What stops the flow? What are some things that are going to try to hinder my spiritual growth? Sin will get in the way. If I’m getting caught up in sin I won’t be progressing in my walk with God. I have to be aware of how sin damages my relationship with God. When sin is prevalent in my life it’s like taking one step forward and two steps back. Doubt also stunts my spiritual growth. I might know I need to grow but doubt that I can. I’ll think the parts of the bible that talk about spiritual growth and maturity is out of reach for me. When I’m doing that, I’m listening to Satan’s lies. I’m failing to see that spiritual growth is not done in my power; it’s done through the power of the Holy Spirit doing his work in and through me. Sometimes it’s not doubt but apathy. I know that I need to do it and believe that I can but I don’t want to. It’s not a priority. Maybe I don’t see the benefits to spiritual maturity. Maybe I’m too comfortable. I need to realize that God’s plan for me involves change. He wants me to use the gifts he’s given me to advance his kingdom. He wants me to be spiritually mature so that Satan doesn’t gain a foothold in my life. If I’m going to grow up I need to attack things like sin, doubt and apathy.
1) How can I know? How can I tell if I’m spiritually mature?
A) A spiritual mature person has good character. Spiritual maturity is a matter of character, not appearance. Looking spiritually mature and sounding spiritually mature does not necessarily mean I am spiritually mature. How is my attitude? How is my conduct? Is it the same on Sunday morning as it is on Saturday night? How do I act when no one is watching? D. L. Moody said, “Character is what you are in the dark.” Reputation is what people say about you. Character is what God knows about you. One mark of good character is perseverance under pressure. James 1:2-4. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” We can measure our maturity level by how we handle conflict. When we can face trials with tact, integrity and steadfast, immovable faith then we are showing ourselves to be mature. Another mark is being able to control my tongue James 1:26, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” If I don’t use foul language or gossip or cut people down or brag about myself then I am keeping control of my tongue. Am I praising the Lord? Am I encouraging people? Am I using wholesome speech and choosing my words carefully? If so, then I am making proper use of my tongue. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. I might be able to control my tongue in certain situations but am I consistent? Do I guard my speech in certain circles and let loose in others? I can say all the right things in the right situation but if I have a tight rein on my tongue then I will be consistent in what I say wherever I am. It won’t change depending on who I’m around at the time. I need to have good character if I’m going to be mature.
B) A spiritually mature person keeps in step with the Spirit. Gal. 5:22-25. A spiritually immature person runs ahead of the spirit in impatience and ignorance. A spiritually immature person lags behind in procrastination and defiance. We need to walk with the Spirit. In Genesis 5, it gives an account of various people: their children, how long they lived. For most of them, it says, ‘so-and-so lived this many years and then he died’. But, in contrast, in verses 21-24 we hear about Enoch. Instead of saying Enoch lived ‘x’ amount of years, it says in verse 22 that Enoch ‘walked with God’ for ‘x’ amount of years. And then that phrase is repeated in verse 24. There’s a distinction made between living and walking with God. The name Enoch means ‘dedicated’. That can mean the difference between merely existing and actually walking with God, keeping in step with his Spirit. How dedicated are we? How obedient are we? Are we discerning? Are we listening to the Spirit? Do we agree with the Spirit? Amos 3:3, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” If I’m walking with God, if I’m keeping in step with the Spirit then I’m in agreement with God. I’ve learned that God is all knowing and I’m not. I’ve learned that God is wise and I am not. I’ve learned that God’s understanding is far above my own. In spiritual maturity I am in agreement with God whether I understand him or not. If I am going to be spiritually mature, I need to keep in step with the Spirit.
C) A Spiritually mature person bears fruit. Col. 1:9-12. Paul wanted the Colossian church to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through wisdom and understanding. This prayer for spiritual growth was so that they would please God and bear fruit in every good work; all the while growing in their knowledge of God. Paul knew that it wasn’t enough to just grow in their knowledge of God and his will, but that the evidence of that spiritual growth and maturity was in their ability to bear fruit. They needed to have output to go along with their input. In Israel there are two great bodies of water. There is the Sea of Galilee in the North and the Dead Sea in the South. The Jordan River connects the two. The Sea of Galilee is a beautiful lake. It is full of fish. It is teaming with life. It’s a beautiful lake. The Dead Sea on the other hand is lifeless. It is filled with salt and brine and minerals and no life. What is the difference between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea? The Sea of Galilee takes in waters from the mountains and it gives out in the Jordan River. The Dead Sea takes in but does not give out. We will be like the Dead Sea if we don’t learn to give out. Maturity is not an end in itself. Maturity is meant for ministry. If you feel stagnant find a place to get involved in ministering to others. I’ve met various people who are geared toward getting input but aren’t focused on giving output. We need to balance our input with output. A spiritually mature person is a fruit-bearer.
2) Determining spiritual growth involves an examination.
A) Examine your relationship with God. Do you have unrealistic expectations of God? Do you trust God with your eternal life just not your everyday life? Do you trust him with your finances? Are you submissive to him or do you routinely resist his Spirit? Do you find yourself questioning his direction? Do you have any resentment toward God? Are you having a hard time getting over something in your past that he allowed to happen? Do you see him as a loving Father? Do you regularly commune with him? Do you regularly read his word? Do you try to have a relationship with God on his terms or yours? We need to ask ourselves questions and determine how solid our walk with God is. Measuring my spiritual growth involves examining my relationship with God.
B) Examine your relationship with others. Are your relationships with others mostly about what you can get from them? Are they conditional? Are you someone who typically puts your own desires above everyone else’s? Rom. 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” John McNaughton said, “Maturity begins when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself.” Are you someone who holds bitterness and resentment in your heart? Do you have an unforgiving spirit when a friend does something that hurts or angers you? Col. 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” It’s been said that maturity is moving from soft skin-tough heart to tough skin-soft heart. In some ways how we are toward others reflects our attitude toward God. Evaluating our relationships can say a lot about where we are spiritually. Spiritually maturity involves examining all our relationships.
C) Examine yourself. In 1st Cor. 11:28 Paul taught us to examine ourselves before we partake in the Lord’s Supper. In 2nd Cor. 13:5 he taught us to examine and test ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I think what he meant by that is if we’re not examining ourselves then we’re not giving ourselves the opportunity to grow and what good is that? A young man rushed into a service station one day and asked the manager if he could use the phone. He dialed the number and waited for an answer. Finally someone came on the line. “Uh, sir,” he said in a deep voice, “could you use an honest, hard-working young man?” After a moment the young man said, “Oh you already have an honest, hard-working young man? Well, okay. Thanks all the same.” A broad smile stretched across his face. He hung up the phone and started back to his car, obviously elated. “Hey, just a minute,” the station manager said, “I couldn’t help but hear your conversation. Why are you so happy? I thought the man said he already had someone and didn’t need you?” The young man smiled, “well, you see, I am that honest, hard-working young man. I was just checking up on myself!” We need to be like this young man. This is one reason why we need to be connected with others in the faith. When we’re building relationships we can be real with each other and people can feel more comfortable pointing something out that will help us grow. We need to examine ourselves, we need to allow others to examine us and we also need to allow God to examine us. Proverbs 26:2-3, “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” If we’re going to have a continual, solid walk in the truth then we need to be willing to be examined in order to determine the level of our spiritual growth and maturity.
3) We need to grow up without growing weary. Paul often referred to the Christian life as a race. What can help us to not grow weary as we progress toward the ‘finish line’?
A) Get rid of entanglement. Heb. 12:1-3. The writer of Hebrews points his audience to all the great people of faith that endured and persevered in chapter 11. Therefore, using these people as motivators, he encourages us to throw off the hindrances and get rid of that which entangles us and slows us down, making us weak and weary. He calls us to fix our attention on Jesus, the source of our strength. So that we do not lose heart and grow weary, we need to consider the example of Jesus, who endured the opposition from those who were trying to hinder him and persevered. Getting entangled will wear me down.
B) Watch out for ‘cutters’. Gal. 5:7, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” The Jews were trying to impress the law of circumcision on the Galatians. They were burdening the Galatians by trying to impress on them an obligation to obey the law of which Christ had set them free from (vs.1). This would cause them to grow weary and lose heart. It would make them ineffective in reaching the finish line. We need to recognize when others are trying to slow us down and cut in on us running the race. This can happen when those outside of the church try to minimize or discredit the importance of our spiritual disciplines like bible reading, prayer, church attendance and giving to God. We have to watch out for people who try to trip us up. When people are trying to cut in on our race we can’t let them slow us down.
C) Train hard. 1st Cor. 9:24-27. Basically Paul is saying stay the course and don’t give up. Don’t get out of the race. I might start out as a competitor but if I’m not prepared I’m going to lose my stamina or my will to continue. Then I’ll grow weary and end up quitting the race. We are to run in such a way as to get the prize. You don’t get too many competitors who race to lose. Paul says I don’t run aimlessly; I don’t beat the air. I’ve competing with a sense of purpose; a purpose to do my best; a goal to be a winner. And athletes who have the will to win adhere to a strict training regimen. They work to increase their strength and endurance. But, just like when you stop working out you find yourself on a steady decline, so it is with spiritual fitness. Stop working out and you’ see where once you had the drive and determination to fight the good fight you now find yourself growing weary and giving up too easily. We need to be consistent and maintain our work out regimen of steady exercise and diet if we are going to finish the race.
