How can I become a Spiritually mature Christian?

Introduction

Everyone faces challenges in life, and yet we often encounter individuals who overcome these challenges in ways that leave us in awe. In Christ-centered counseling, we consistently see that successfully overcoming life’s challenges involves becoming a Spiritually mature Christian. So then, when it comes to personally overcoming life’s challenges, we must ask ourselves, “How can I become a spiritually mature Christian?”

What challenges do we face today?

The first thing we should understand is what challenges do we face today? The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, a young man he trained in ministry, of perilous times when people will turn away from the truth and engage in behaviors that will create challenges to others in 2 Timothy 3:1-9:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.”

We don’t have to look far to see that this is a description of times that are much like what we live in today. Notice Paul describes how the people of these times will pursue pleasures at the expense of others and despise those that are good. He goes on to say that they do this because they think highly of themselves and even love these pleasures more than they love God and others. They will also put on an act claiming to be godly and even religious, while denying the real power of God. Paul tells Timothy, “…from such turn away” or to steer clear from these individuals.

Paul goes on the say that these behaviors and teachings will creep into people’s homes, corrupt morals, and do things to prevent anyone from being able to learn the truth about anything. Those speaking out in response with Godly truth will be publicly silenced or cancelled. There will also be widespread pressure to portray them as hateful, threats to their nation, and guilty of holding ideological beliefs that are dangerous to others. At the same time, those so intent on pleasing themself at the expense of others will gain support while they hide the fact that they are destroying families and lives.

Paul then makes a comparison to an event in the Old Testament in Exodus 7:1-14, when Moses and Aaron went to talk to Pharoah about letting the Israelites leave. Moses, given power by God to perform miracles, cast down his rod, or wooden staff, to the ground and it became a snake. Two sorcerers, named here as Jannes and Jambres, who are well known in Jewish history as being aligned with Pharoah, stood up to Moses and also threw down their staffs to show they could also do miracles. Their staffs also became snakes, however, the snake from Moses’ rod ate their two snakes. The event was publicly seen by many people and it embarrassed Pharoah so then he got mad and refused to let them go. Sadly today, this is the same reaction when those seeking to mislead and belittle God and His people are exposed, they get angry and increase the pressure to silence them.

If we think about it how do these challenges impact Spiritual maturity? To answer that question, we first have to ask, how we define the word mature? In Webster’s 1828 Dictionary we see mature defined as:

MATU’RE, adjective [Latin maturus; meto.]

1. Ripe; perfected by time or natural growth; as a man of mature age. We apply it to a young man of mature age. We apply it to a young man who has arrived to the age when he is supposed to be competent to manage his own concerns; to a young woman who is fit to be married; and to elderly men who have much experience. 2. Brought to perfection; used of plants. The wheat is mature. 3. Completed; prepared; ready. The plan or scheme was mature. (1)

Practically speaking then, maturity is demonstrated when someone has reached a point when they have grown to be competent in managing their own behaviors, feelings, and thoughts in ways that have a positive impact in their lives and result in making things better for all to do the same. This also includes an ability to live independently without having to have someone tell them what they can and cannot do all the time and confining them to live in ever changing standards of what is or is not acceptable.

Spiritually speaking then, Spiritual maturity is demonstrated when someone has reached a point when they have grown to be competent in managing their own behaviors, feelings, and thoughts in ways that show a close relationship with the Holy Spirit of God. This also means they can interact and form healthy relationships with others and reflect the character traits of the Holy Spirit. We can see then that if we live in a culture that suppresses anything related to Spiritual maturity, that the culture is one of chaos. The question then is, how are we enabled to become Spiritually mature no matter what culture we live in?

How are we enabled to be Spiritually mature?

The first thing to understand is that age is not the primary factor in being Spiritually mature. So, then how are we enabled to be Spiritually mature? Well, we get Spiritually mature through preparation, study, experience, and a concentrated effort to learn how to walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit of God, we do not have the Wisdom or power of God. Notice how Paul describes this in 1 Corinthians 2:1-8:

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Paul describes two types of wisdom here, God’s Wisdom and man’s wisdom. Man’s wisdom is based on what pleases and exalts himself above others and uses enticing words in an attempt to look wiser and godlier than others. God’s Wisdom is based on the knowledge of Jesus Christ and why He came to be crucified for the sins of humanity. God’s Wisdom is not based on the excellency of speech, enticing words, or political correctness, but in the power of God! God’s Wisdom is also spoken in a mystery, that is hidden, and ordained by God, or established, before the world even existed. Likewise, the princes or leaders of this world knew nothing about it, or they would have known better not to crucify Christ.

With these things in mind, we see that God’s Wisdom is unlike anything man has seen or understands so it goes against the grain of what the cultures of the world believe. However, there is one thing that is needed to unhide the Wisdom of God. We see that God’s Wisdom requires the Holy Spirit of God to reveal it to us and for us to understand it as we see in 1 Corinthians 2;8-15:

“… But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

Simply stated, we can only have and understand the Wisdom of God if we have the Spirit of God in us. We receive the Spirit of God in us the moment we trust Christ as our Savior as seen in Ephesians 1:9-14 and 1 John 2:30:

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

1 John 2:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

We see here that the Holy Spirit is given to us the moment, by faith, we trust Christ as our Savior. At that moment we are born again as children of God into God’s family. It is only then that we have the ability to be Spiritually minded and to understand the Wisdom of God. This is explained in the following verses:

Galatians 3:24-26: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:3-17. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

1 John 4:1-6: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.“

If someone is not sure if they have trusted Christ by faith as their Savior, or about Salvation, or if they want to know more about the Holy Spirit, the following links are good places to learn about it:

• Got Jesus? (christianityeveryday.com)

• Salvation in the Bible (christianityeveryday.com)

• Who is the Holy Spirit? (christianityeveryday.com)

What does Spiritual maturity look like?

Once we have the Holy Spirit of God, we have the power to grow and mature Spiritually. We see what this looks like in nine different ways in Galatians 5:22-23:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

We also have a more detailed description of Spiritual maturity as referenced by the use of the word, charity. The “Char” in the word charity refers to the Holy “spirit.” This is where we also get the term, “charismatic” or “charity” referring to actions motivated by the faith-based ability to love others unconditionally more than ourselves. This ability comes from the Holy Spirit that lives within the believer. Therefore, we see that the Word charity is a term for a type of love that is without gaps (agape) and enables us by the power and Wisdom of the Holy Spirit to esteem others better than ourselves as described in Philippians 2:1-4

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

We also see the use of the word charity to further describe the importance of the motivation of the Holy Spirit to do these charitable things. We are taught that we can do wonderful things, but if we are not motivated by Holy Spirit inspired love, they mean nothing as seen in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In the context of Spiritual maturity, we see many things in these passages that tell us what Spiritual maturity looks like in someone.

1. 1. They are comfortable loving others
   2. They have fellowship of the Spirit
   3. They are deeply motivated to have mercy
   4. They have joy
   5. They are like minded
   6. They love everyone the same way
   7. They work together
   8. They have one right way of thinking
   9. They do not do things motivated by strife
   10. They are not motivated by vanity
   11. They have lowliness of mind or humility
   12. They esteem others above themself
   13. They focus on the needs of others above themself
   14. They speak in love to demonstrate they care
   15. They do things motivated by love
   16. They donate their goods, time, and work motivated by love
   17. They are longsuffering or patient
   18. They are kind
   19. They are not envious
   20. They are humble
   21. They are not focused on doing things just to look good
   22. They don’t act unseemly or improper
   23. They don’t always try to get their own way
   24. They are not easily provoked
   25. They don’t think about evil thoughts
   26. They don’t rejoice in iniquity or gross injustice
   27. They rejoice in the truth
   28. They bear all things
   29. They believe all things that are true
   30. They hope in all things that are good
   31. They patiently endure all things
   32. They never fail to love
   33. They don’t think, talk, or act like a child
   34. They have understanding
   35. They don’t think childishly
   36. They know themself for who they really are

What then do we do to become a Spiritually mature Christian?

It is pretty clear by now that we need to have the Holy Spirit living in us to enable us to become Spiritually mature. That means we must trust Christ as our Savior so that we are sealed and indwelled with the Holy Spirit. As we saw earlier, the Holy Spirit then gives us the ability to understand the deep things of God.

Practically speaking there are five areas we need to explore, become familiar with, and make part of our lives to become a Spiritually mature Christian. They are listed here along with audio links to learn more. This audio series takes an in-depth look at Acts 2 in the Bible and what it teaches about the 5 local church goals that are directly related to the 5 areas that are involved in becoming a Spiritually mature Christian. May God bless you in your study:

(1) Salvation: Connecting with Christ through the gospel of salvation (Acts 2:22–40).

Salvation audio message: What are the 5-fold goals of the local church? Part 1 Salvation (christianityeveryday.com)

(2) Separation: Committing publicly to a new life in Christ with believer’s baptism. (Acts 2:41).

Separation audio message: What are the 5-fold goals of the local church? Part 2 Separation (christianityeveryday.com)

(3) Sanctification: Continuing to grow in Wisdom and holiness with Christ. (Acts 2:42-43).

Sanctification audio message: What are the 5-fold goals of the local church? Part 3 Sanctification (christianityeveryday.com)

(4) Service: Contributing to the mission and work of a local church for Christ (Acts 2:44-45)

Service audio message: What are the 5-fold goals of the local church? Part 4 Service (christianityeveryday.com)

(5) Sharing: Communicating the Gospel and Word of God through missionary activities (Acts 4:46-47)

Sharing audio message: What are the 5-fold goals of the local church? Part 5 Sharing (christianityeveryday.com)

In addtion, you would like to strengthen your walk with Jesus, consider our book Grow Closer to Christ in 30 Days: Daily Challenges Sure to Increase Your Faith

Resources: (1) Websters Dictionary 1828 – Webster’s Dictionary 1828 – Mature