Maturing in Christ

What is our goal as disciple?
2 Timothy 3:15 (NIV)
and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

If we want to grow as disciple, we also need to grow in our knowledge.
1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. [2] Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, [3] now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

are we growing?
How to grow from immature to mature

1. Ability to teach others
Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. [12] In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! [13] Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. [14] But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

God expect growth. Progress will make us grow in our knowledge. When we make progress, we are growing.

Have we stop teaching?

2 ability to hold on to unity
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly---mere infants in Christ. [2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. [3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? [4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

Are we acting like infants?
Paul has disagreement with barnabas.

 Galatians 5:13-15 (NIV)
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

We must stay united at all cost.

| Style : Background0, Font1, Size16 | Tags : jimmy bong,sunday service |

Spiritual Maturity

1 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV

[2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. [3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

God expect everyone to grow in spiritual maturity. 

1. Spiritual maturity is not matter of age. 

No one become spiritually mature overnight. 

Luke 2:52 NIV

[52] And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

The danger:

Can get older but not grow to spiritually mature

Some refused to grow up

2. Spiritual maturity is not about appearance

They know how to talk the talk, but the question is they know how to walk the walk.

Some people look holy, they seems to have heaven around them. They might be appearance but not reality. 

Appearance can be deceiving. 

3. Spiritual maturity is not matter of achievement.

Characters make a difference. 

Recognition is what people say about you. 

It's your character that determine who we are. 

5 marks of Christian maturity

1. He is patience in testing (James 1)

James 1:2-4 NIV

[2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Whenever you are going thru trials, do not go impulsive or rash. 

How we need to be able to patience. See trials as fertilizer. Going to make something happen in life. The fertilizer of trials worked into the soil start to produce a stalk and that's what James call "perseverance"

2. He practices the truth (James 2)

James 2:14 NIV

[14] What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Favoritism forbidden. Doing the right deeds. 

3. He has the power Over his tongue ( James 3)

James 3:3-6 NIV

[3] When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. [4] Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. [5] Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. [6] The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

It is very strong scripture. 

4. He is peacemaker not troublemaker (James 4)

James 4:3-6 NIV

[3] When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. [4] You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? [6] But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

If we want to be mature, we need to be mature and bring it to mature way.  We need to help to resolve conflicts. 

5. He is prayerful in trouble (James 5)

James 5:13-16 NIV

[13] Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. [14] Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Half book of James is command, contain verbs in the imperative form.