Christian Living
Christian Maturity
Ephesians 4:13-15
For this topical discussion we will look at The Seven Steps to Christian Maturity. Let’s begin the discussion with some background information from which the scripture verses are taken. The entire fourth chapter of Ephesians deals with the Unity of the Spirit. When Paul encouraged the Ephesians to keep the Unity in the Spirit, he realized that this unity cannot be created by any human being because it already exits for those who have believed the truth and Jesus Christ. This same principle applies to all believers today. Next there is the question, “How do we keep that unity?” The unity about which Paul is talking is not kept by humanity or any organizational efforts but by living “worthy” according to the spiritual gifts that have been given to each member of the body of Christ. How do we live worthy? We live worthy by remaining loyal to the truth and keeping in step with the Spirit-- this cannot be attained by “the flesh.” We, as believers, attain this loyalty by recognizing that there is only one Lord who is Jesus Christ; and believers who has accepted Him as Lord. How did Jesus become Lord of all? Jesus accomplished being Lord of all through His redemptive work on Calvary, where He took on humanity’s sins.
Therefore, when Christ brought us safely out of the bondage of sin, He did so with a purpose in mind and that purpose was for believers to become members of His royal kingdom. As a result, while here on earth believers are to make other disciples. Believers cannot make other disciples if there is disunity in members of the body of Christ. Therefore, verse 11 talks about the many gifts that God has given each believer to carry on His work; and verse 12 speaks of the perfecting of the saints. How do saints become perfected? Saints/believers become perfected in the body of Christ through training, equipping and preparing to do God’s work. Each believer is to be trained in God’s Word, be equipped with His Word through daily Bible study and meditation, and be prepared with a total commitment to Christ and His work. Consequently, each trained member of Christ’s body is released for ministry, its multiplication, edification and growth in the church (the body of Christ).
Believers who become unified in the faith are growing in grace and advancing toward spiritual maturity and growing in all aspects in Christ and being filled with the fullness of Christ and God in that believers are no longer children who accept every wind or doctrine (teaching). This is a result of the fact that we/believers have the knowledge of truth which gives believers the strength to reject false teachers and their teachings. Those believers who remain infants in their understandings and biblical commitment are susceptible to human doctrine and crafty showmanship. It is imperative that we believers who are leaders or mature in our knowledge of Christ teach the truth as recorded in scriptures.
Now that I have given you a thorough background study on Christian Maturity, let’s look at seven steps to Christian Maturity.
First, believers must constantly abide in Christ. Believers abide in Christ though His word and holy living. If the question, “What if a believer falls prey to sin?” is raised. The answer is that the believer seeks God and experiences His forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1: 7-9, Ephesians 4:23).
Second, believers are to communicate daily with God in prayer. Why, because prayer is our communication instrument with God; therefore, believers are to pray to God each day with sincere hearts. How does God respond or talk to believers? He does so through daily Bible study and meditation. When we--the believers--talk to God through our daily devotional prayer, we will find enormous strength to combat sin which gives us victory. Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about putting on the whole armour of God which is for our protection against the evils we are sure to encounter. The believer’s defensive weapon is God’s holy word.
Third, believers are to consecrate themselves daily through the study of God’s Word. We will find that the scriptures are food for our souls which we need to partake of daily to develop into the spiritual maturity God wants us to have. Just as our physical bodies need physical food, so does our spiritual bodies; daily Bible reading prevents spiritual decay and starvation.
Fourth, we as believers are saved to serve others. Just as God, the father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save humanity; believers are then sent by Christ to speak of Him to others, the lost souls of the world. Additionally, believers are to do good works to God’s glory and not for self gratification. How do we do good works? Believers show good works by showing compassion; if there is a need, the believer is to act with love just as Jesus did during His earthly ministry. Jesus never asked a person’s pedigree; He moved in love to meet that person’s physical and spiritual need. As believers in Christ, we are compelled to do likewise.
Fifth, believers are promised by God through the Holy Spirit to have power to conquer temptation and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Peter 1:5).
Sixth, believers are church members, and there are four reasons that believers should be members of a local church. Let’s looks at the reasons that it is important for believers to be affiliated with a local church. (1) Believers are to glorify God in the church; according to Ephesians 3:21, “Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.” (2) There is enlightenment, strength, and encouragement by being in the company of fellow believers in the church because we are in the family of God. Furthermore, scripture admonishes believers, “do not forsake the assembling of themselves together “(Hebrews 10:25). (3) Believers are to “participate in the Church life, meaning we are to give our lives to the church by living for its growth and development” (KJV NT). As Christ showed His love for mankind and His church, we are to display that same kind of love for one another and work together in harmony in the church (Ephesians 5:25). (4) Finally, believers are to promote the kingdom of God. How are believers to do this? Believers promote God’s kingdom by witnessing, living for God daily, and through our giving.
Seventh, our final step to Christian maturity is the believer’s contribution to Christ. Believers are taught to give one tenth of their first fruit (earnings) to God as everything come from God. Reflect with the writer on Jesus’ parabolic teachings in the New Testament. Sixteen of the thirty-eight dealt with the believer’s stewardship. If the question is raised, what is stewardship, the answer is how we manage our possessions. Scripture provides clear instructions on how our possessions should be managed and who comes first. 1 Corinthians 16:2, states, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come.” Other scriptures talk about our giving as God has prospered us and that believers are to give cheerfully as God loves a cheerful giver (1 Corinthians 9:6-11). Finally, Malachi 3:10 make it plain in relationship to our giving and the blessing that will be received from our giving back to God first. The writer has been taught by Dr. F. O. Hockenhull, First Trinity MBC, Flint, Michigan that, “You can do more with 90 cent and God than you can with the whole dollar without God.” Finally, the believer must give to God or make Him first when it comes to giving which requires a personal commitment based on trusting God’s Word that He will never allow His own to beg bread. Also, Philippians 4:19 tell us that He will supply all of our (humanity’s) needs according to His riches and glory through Christ Jesus (partial paraphrase). So then, if we believe God and His Word why not trust His Word. How is your stewardship?
Concluding this topical discussion, we have looked at the biblical background and the steps that lead to maturity. Let’s look inside and ask this question, where am I on my journey toward Christian Maturity?
Author’s contact information: Email- [email protected]
Blog: http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
Website: www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com.
6
© All rights subsists 2008
WILLIE B. WHITE
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 932 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Dr. Willie B White or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 932 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.