Becoming mature spiritually is a good thing! Maturing spiritually is about becoming more Christlike. We become more Christlike to the degree that God’s Word lives in us and we live the Word. We learn the Word, we live the Word, we give the Word. Then we learn more of the Word, we live more of the Word, and we can give more of the Word, and on and on. Maturing spiritually is an ongoing process.
Colossians 1:10 expresses God’s will for us as born-again believers to continue to increase in the knowledge of God.
Colossians 1:10:
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Ephesians 4:13:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [teleios, mature] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
God’s will is that we don’t remain unlearned spiritually but we grow up in Christ so that everything he is, we become.
Spiritually, we all start out as babes in Christ, new to the Word and unskillful in living it.
I Peter 2:1,2:
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
Babies long for milk, which helps them grow. We want to have the same desire for the pure, unadulterated Word so that we may grow.
A mother’s milk is nutritious to a baby. But there comes a time when the baby is weaned from his mother’s milk because he requires stronger nourishment to continue growing. God wants us to progress from “milk to meat,” to mature in His Word, to become more skillful and confident in who we are as His sons and daughters, to be more Christlike.
Hebrews 5:13,14:
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe [nēpios, an infant; figuratively, immature].
But strong meat [solid food] belongeth to them that are of full age [teleios, mature], even those who by reason of use have their senses [the spiritual senses of the inner man] exercised to discern both good and evil.
As we become spiritually mature, we can distinguish right from wrong, good from evil, the Word’s way from the world’s way. Whatever stage of life we are in, we can apply the Word and continue to mature spiritually. From the child who continues to obey and respect his parents in the Lord to the adult who obeys and respects God’s Word and will, we can each mature in our walk day by day. We are God’s children, and He wants all of us to grow up and be strong. God wants us to mature in the Word so that He can open up to us greater riches of understanding.
I Corinthians 2:6,7:
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [teleios, mature]: 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.
Colossians 1:27,28:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect [teleios, mature] in Christ Jesus.
As we mature in our walk with our heavenly Father, our understanding deepens, and our life becomes a greater witness of His power and love. We become more Christlike.
When you were young, did you wonder what you’d be when you grew up? Or what you’d be doing? What is the Biblical picture you see of yourself as a mature believer? What do you see yourself doing for God as a strong and fearless “grown-up” in Christ? Do you see yourself as a teacher like the Apostle Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, Apollos? A bold witnesser like Philip who ran to catch a chariot to speak to the man of Ethiopia, or like Peter as he spoke boldly on the day of Pentecost? Perhaps a loving hostess in your home like Lydia? Or parents in the Lord whom your children obey and honor as described in Ephesians 6:1-4? How about a laborer in prayers like Epaphras as described in Colossians 4:12? Or one who works heartily “as to the Lord” in whatsoever capacity is needed (Colossians 3:23)?
God is the Searcher of hearts, and He knows how to honor your believing to bring to pass that picture in your life. Go ahead—step out and accept the challenge to keep maturing spiritually. Our continued desire for the pureness of God’s Word is what helps us grow. As we read the Word, study the Word, and act upon the Word, we can mature. Then we can help others learn how to spiritually mature so that they too can become more Christlike.
The Way Ministry offers a three-class series on The Way of Abundance and Power to help those desiring to mature and develop themselves in the whole Word of God. We can live life as bold, loving, tender, thoughtful, mature believers who become more Christlike every day. It’s time to enjoy the solid, nourishing food of the Word. Care to dine?