“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you” (Philippians 3:14-15).
On of the things the Christian is faced with in his Christian growth is the issue of what it means to be mature in Christ. What is Christian maturity anyway? What marks a person who is spiritually mature?
In today’s passage Paul tell us that the mature person’s focus is the upward call of God in Christ. This means that Jesus becomes the center of our affections and will. But the scripture also give us other hints of what makes up Christian maturity.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us that deeper scripture study is for the mature (Hebrews 5:14). John tells us that the mature have known Jesus for a long time. “I write to you fathers because you know him who has been from the beginning” (I John 2:14). Paul also tells us that the mature do not engage in things that divide the body of Christ (I Corinthians 3:2-3). He also reveals that the mature in expressing love (Ephesians 4:15-16). Peter also mentions growing up in salvation (I Peter 2:2).
If you did a spiritual inventory right now, would you say you are a spiritual baby, young person, or a spiritual father or mother? Every Christians is in one of these conditions. The catch is to understand that spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident or by itself. Spiritual growth happens on purpose. You grow in faith because you want to and you do the things that make up spiritual growth because it is a priority in your life.
Memory Verse
“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
Application
Are you engaged in the things that make for spiritual growth? How is your time in study of the Bible, or openly expressing your faith? Determine today that you will do the things that make for spiritual growth.