Maturing in Christ doesn’t happen by accident. It takes purposeful work on your part. Though we all grow as time passes, We want to make sure that we are maturing in our thinking, our behavior and that we are applying Godly principles in our lives. There are a few scriptures in the bible that you can use to determine if you are maturing in Christ or not and today we are going to go over them. You can use this episode as a measuring stick to see how you measure up to the word regarding maturing in Christ. If you only get a passing grade for a few of these verses, that’s ok… It’s just there to show you home much work God and you have to do to be all that God has made you to be. Click below to listen to this episode. If you would like to download the customized prayer plan click here.
Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Jesus’ statement “Do Not Judge” is against the kind of hypocritical judgmental attitude that tears others down in order to build oneself up. It is not a blanket statement against all critical thinking rather a call to be discerning rather than negative.
James 3:3-6
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.
What you say and what you don’t say are very important. Proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time, but it’s also controlling your desire to say what you shouldn’t say. Verse 6 from this James 3 compares a uncontrolled tongue to the damage that an uncontrolled fire can do. Mature Christians can control their tongue and know what to say and when to say it.
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If you are maturing in Christ, you are able to abide in him (Walk with him in intimate fellowship) If you are abiding in him you should bear fruit. Let this be an indication to you f you are bearing fruit.
Colossians 2:6-7
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
Receiving Christ as Lord of your life is
the beginning. You must continue to
grow to follow His leadership by being rooted, built up and established in
faith. Christ wants to help you and
guide you through your daily problems.
Paul uses the word “rooted” in this verse and it paints the picture of a
plant that draws all that it needs from the soil that its planted in. As we mature in Chris we have to ensure that
our roots are firmly planted in Christ and his word.
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
The most important way that we can
mature in Christ is by renewing our mind with the Word of God. Simply put, Don’t allow the things of this
world to have more influence over your mind than the Word of God. Part of doing this is to protect your mind
from thinking about certain things that are worldly.
Hebrews 6:1-3
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
In context you will need to read Hebrews
5, and Hebrews chapter five which was a warning against apostasy – which means
“the rejection of Christianity by someone who formerly was a Christian”. The
author of Hebrews is telling us to move on from what we already know about the
essential doctrines of grace and to not go backwards into man made rules and
regulations.
Hebrews 5:12-14
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
This verse speaks about some immature
Christians. For all the time that they
have been studying the word of God, they should’ve been teaching others but
they have not applied what they have learned in their own lives yet. A mark to see if you are maturing in your
spiritual life is if you applying the things that you have learned and then if
you are able to teach others.
Ephesians 4:11-14
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
Regular, consistent Bible study gives us spiritual discernment and the ability to distinguish true biblical teachings from those that are false. Additionally, being submitted to people who have been equipped and positioned by God to teach the word also helps us to grow and will cause us to be more aware of the schemes of men to try to deceive us away with false teaching.
Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Finally, This is an indication that you are maturing in Christ
- You will be wise in your decision making
- You will have favor with men.
- God’s favor will be upon you also.
May you be blessed as you study the topic of Maturing in Chris. Remember that you can download the notes and prayer plan on a PDF by clicking here.
Be blessed!