I think at one time or another we have all looked and someone else and thought that we were more spiritually mature than that person. I know I’ve done it. …too many times. But then I usually sense God speaking to my spirit and saying that we are not all on the same scope of learning and that we each have our area of difficulty. Of course, I usually huff and puff because I know He’s right and then I repent.
Something else that I have dealt with is that I have found too many people saying, myself included, things like, “well that wasn’t the Christian thing to do.”
Oh mercy.
Where do we get this stuff from? Is it our uncontrollable urge to feel better than others? Is it simply our judgmental angst? Perhaps we just don’t know what in the world we are really talking about. I think that’s it.
Maybe we should change that.
I have an assignment for you. It’s simple. Define “spiritual maturity” and tell me what makes a person a Christian. You can answer either or both but I really want to see what God reveals to us through this. Make sure you ask Him to speak to your heart and give you some revelation about it. This is an area that, in my opinion, we girls really need to overcome. It’s hard to unite as one cohesive unit (the body of Christ) when we all think we are more of a key player than most of the others we are uniting with.
Tell me what God speaks to your heart…
Amy — what a great discussion. I know the Lord is maturing me daily — if I'll accept His instruction.
You asked to define Spiritual Maturity…
hmm, I think first it's an understanding of who you are in Christ. It's an acceptance of your place in Christ and it's walk & relationship with Christ. It's a growth process.
In my much more immature days I felt my church titles (teacher, leader, chairperson, etc) gave me authority and maturity. I also believed that I had to adhere to a specific set of man-made rules — say this, do that, don't do this other thing, and so on.
In my immaturity I found myself mired in legalism. It made sense to me. If I do this, this, and this then I can call myself mature.
I'm thrilled to be walking in the freedom of a life submitted to Christ. Doesn't mean I don't stumble & fall flat on my face, and it doesn't mean I don't slip back into my immature ways. It DOES mean that I see progress — and I'm learning to act and react in grace, love and forgiveness.
Dana, that was very well put. I don't think I've thought about it from that angle before.
Thank you!
This is why I love discussions, because we can just learn so much from one another.
Spiritual Maturity isn't a "yes, you are" or "No, you are not" matter. Like you all have said above, we all mature and grow as the Lord teaches us. What I love most is that we mature in different area's so to compliment & encourage each other. I have a friend who has experienced much loss in her life. The Lord is stretching & maturing her in the understanding that this life is only temporal, but His life is eternal. She has much wisdom & insight into this. I have not experienced this like she has so I am not as mature in my knowledge of this. But I have experienced great struggles with depression, fear & anxiety, also extreme financial loss. I am more mature than my friend in my spiritual understanding of how as Believers we should respond in difficult times.
We are able to encourage & uplift each other because God has taken us down different roads & matured us in different ways. I do not see myself more mature than she is & she doesn't see herself as more mature than I am. But what a glorious day it will be when she & I can stand together complete before our Lord Jesus!
What a great topic Amy!
Amy, I'm not getting updates to this discussion. How do I set that up?
I think one of the things we need to recognize here is that if we are waiting to be mature in Christ to be called by Him, we are going to be waiting a looong time! LOL He calls the unqualified simply because HE qualifies us – HE equips us. If any maturing takes place, it is nothing less than Christ in us.
Great discussion!
Amen Christin!
Another thing as an example, my dad is growing in leaps and bounds with trusting God with his finances. While he may not trust God in other areas, in that one he is maturing.
Maturity is not something we come to in completeness until the day we see Jesus face to face. I think it's a 'grow in grace' concept.
Good discussion topic Amy. I have been discussing this with the women at the program. When the seed is planted you are a Christian. If I plant a sunflower seed it is not fair to say it's not a sunflower. When it grows to just a green sprig above the dirt, it is still a sunflower. etc etc. We are not to judge whether we think someone is or is not a Christian. Yes we know them by their fruit, but a baby Christian doesn't necessarily have a whole lot of fruit.
I think the key is to just stay focused on Christ and we won't get consumed with what everyone else is or isn't doing. However, if other 'Christians' are hurting one another or breaking the law we are commanded to intervene Matthew 18. I just finished part two of a series of three about Matt 18. Over the years I have seen people who call themselves believers do really hateful and damaging things to the brethren. I don't question their salvation, but I do see it as a warning to not get tangled in their webs of deception. I don't want to judge their maturity level, but I do think it is sometimes very clear that a person is 'acting' immature. But I think God is the only one who can judge the level of their maturity.
Christin,
Those are some of the very scriptures that I thought of as well. The thing is do we believe it? Do we believe that we are all spiritually immature?
Learning is a process and the bible clearly states here that until we are one with Christ we will not be perfect or mature. Eph. 4:12-16 addresses maturity as perfection which is something we will not be on this earth. (http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2677&t;=KJV)
So we are all still progressing… maturing. Oh this has so many implications that I want to just shout about it. I hear so many women say they aren't ready or "I'm just not there yet."
We aren't either!
Mary,
I agree. The bible clearly states what defines a Christian and it is a belief and acceptance of Jesus Christ with the repentance of sins. I love that we have mentors too and I think you made me think of what truly gives in these situations… experience. Some have more experience but we are all still maturing to perfection.
Great dialogue girls!
I think, simply put, a Christian is a sinner who has been forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. Plain and simple.
Just as a newborn has to develop over time, so do new Christians. What helps is to have people who are walking along side them to help further their relationship with Jesus. The closer they get to Him, He will reveal things in their lives that need 'fixing' or 'maturing.'
I think its great to have mentors or accountability partners – not from an 'I'm more mature and better than you spiritually' mentality but more from a "Hey, I've been there – and maybe these things will help you move along faster than I did."
The Bible actually has clear definitions of this:
1 Cor. 3–talks about those being worldly as being immature
Hebrews 5:11-14 — talks about those who are slow to learn are still on spiritual "milk"
Ephesians 4:12-16 – talks about being in unity in the faith and "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." It goes on to say we mature when we no longer get blown around by every teaching that comes along and in the schemes of men. When we speak the truth in love and together the body (of Christ) supports, grows, and builds itself up in love, as each part does [it's own, not someone else's] work.