Maturing in Christ.

Since there is no such thing as a “maturity-meter”, we need to recur to statistical means to reflect to condition of the believers. Let’s consider these ones:

- 81% of believers do not read the Bible daily or regularly.

- More than 50% cannot name the four gospels or more than two or three of the apostles.

- 61% of the Christians have not shared their faith in the last six months.

- 48% of the believers have never invited a friend to church.

- Only 25% attend a Bible study or Small group twice a month.

- Only 26% feel they have been trained to share the gospel.

- 5% of evangelicals live with a couple without being married (fornication/adultery).

- Only 17% of evangelicals affirm to tithe regularly to the church. The rest, 83% does not tithe regularly.

Actions are a reflection of the spiritual condition of the believers. How do you see yourself to the light of those statistics? Are you a child or an adult in Christ?

Christ’s desire: Our maturity!

“until we all attain… to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” 13

To keep us from deception.

Naivety (innocence, lack of experience) makes children gullible. Children are prone to swallow almost any lie from trickery men and from the craftiness of the devil.

Because a child is not well-trained in the truth, it is easy to deceive him. There is not match between the best expert in lying and the inexpert in the truth!

Why do you think JW’s seek to reach new believers (children in Chris)? Because it is easier to deceive them!

God wants us to mature to keep us from deception, not only from others, but from pur own deception. We deceive ourselves when we know what to do, but we do not do it. That’s why we are warned:

James 1:22 NASB95

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Mature Christians do not deceive themselves, only immature do it!

Christ’s desire is our maturity in order to make us useful in His Body.

To make us useful in His Body.

The Body grows “according to the proper working of each individual part,” (16).

At the Church, as in any home, the children are limited in regard to the activities or function they can be able to perform. You may ask them to take the trash out, to pick up their toys and other menial tasks; but you cannot expect them to administer the finances of the home, to cook for the family, or to drive the other children to school. Why? Because they are still children!

God wants the members of the Church (His Body) to be mature and equipped for any task that may be necessary.

Every member of the Body should make a contribution to the growth of the Body.

But there cannot be spiritual maturity unless the believer becomes a disciple. Discipleship makes the difference between child and mature adult.

There cannot be spiritual maturity unless the believer becomes a disciple. Discipleship is like the difference between child and mature adult.

How do you know if you are a spiritual child or a mature disciple? A simple way of answering that question is by defining what a disciple is. In simple terms:

“A disciple is someone who adheres to a discipline.”

In more extended terms: “A disciple of Christ is some who believes in Christ and His teachings, and practices the disciplines that Christ practiced and taught.”

The first task the Armed Forces carry out with those kids recruited out of High School is make them men. How do they do it? Through discipline! They have to wake up at a determined hour, shower and eat within certain number of minutes, have their belongings in order, etc.

Components in the life of a disciple.

Faith in Christ is just the beginning.

Believing in Christ is only the first step. It is the step of being born in Christ, born again, just like Jesus told Nicodemus: “unless on is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”.

Faith in Christ makes us children of God, but not disciples of Christ.

Having a child is a moment of great happiness, but no parent would continue being happy if they see that years are passing and their child is not growing. On the contrary, they would worry about the child.

Growth should be natural for a healthy baby! When Jesus was born, He did not stay a baby: “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and men.” We see four areas of growth there: mental, physical, spiritual, and social.

Practice of the discipline makes you a true disciple.

Let’s start by defining “discipline”. What is discipline?

What is discipline?

“Instruction of a person, especially in the moral aspects.”

“Observance of the laws and regulations of the profession.”

Jesus has given us the example of living a moral life and the instructions (laws and regulations) to live such life.

A discipline is not something only to be known, but to be practiced.

At the Last Supper, when Jesus gave His disciples the example and the instruction to serve one another, He also told them: “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

Most Christians know many things, but they do not practice them. That’s why they do not grow into mature disciples.

The key to maturity is practice, practice, and practice!

If “Practice makes perfection!”, can we conclude that lack of practice keep us in imperfection? In the Bible, being perfect means being mature.

Willingness to pay the price to be a disciple.

Heb 12:11

Hebrews 12:11 NASB95

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

If you were a young soccer player or athlete who dreams with participating in the World Cup or the Olympics, and meet a trainer who promises to take you there if you are willing to pay the price, Would you submit to his discipline?

Are you sure? What the discipline consist of? You must practice 6-8 hours a day, you must eat healthy, obey every instruction given by the trainer, no matter how painful that may be, and be a team player. You might ask, What am I going to live from? Following the discipline will be your full time job!

Jesus has made us a similar invitation to those who followed Him, but the invitation came a warning about the cost:

Mark 8:34–35 NASB95

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Mark 8:34-35

He called such cost: carrying your own cross. The cross symbolized suffering, even to the point of death.

Luke 14:26–27 NASB95

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:26-27

He called the cost: carrying his own cross! Because the cross was a synonym of suffering.

The question is: Are you willing to pay the cost of becoming a mature person in Christ, a true disciple?