Everyone needs to grow up in life and as a Christian. Babies, both natural and newborn Christians, should be a great blessing. But it’s not a blessing if they stay babies. They need to grow up strong and healthy. One of the root problems of modern Christianity is what Juan Carlos Ortiz has described as ‘The permanent childhood of the believer.’
The New Testament Epistles are full of exhortations to help us grow up in Christ, and the apostle Paul described this as the whole purpose of his ministry (Colossians 1:28). He understood that the various leadership roles in the church were to equip and mature the church (Ephesians 4:12-14; 1 Corinthians 13:11). Every Christian needs to grow up in our knowledge of God, in love, in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, in perseverance and in becoming more like Jesus. Of course, newly born-again Christians need a lot of care, attention, encouragement, protection, and direction. That’s why we need mature disciples, both older and younger, to act like a spiritual mum and dad to help those new to faith. New believers often have a lot of questions as so much is so different to anything they have known before. They need established Christians to accept them, be patient with them and give all the answers that they can. We should never put heavy burdens and unrealistic expectations and goals on new Christians. But we can and should expect every true Christian to grow up from spiritual infancy. We see three practical areas where every Christian needs to move from immaturity to maturity:
1. We need to grow up from being unable to walk to be being able to stand strong (Ephesians 4:14; James 4:7; Ephesians 6:12-13; 1 John 2:14).
2. We need to grow up from being fed milk to be able to receive meat (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14,6:1-3)
3. We need to grow up from being out of control to becoming self-controlled (Galatians 5:23; Titus 2:11-12; Psalm 34:12-13; James 3:5, James 1:26)
Apply
1. We need to grow up from being unable to walk to be being able to stand strong.
Immaturity - unable to walk: A baby can’t hold themselves up. A toddler keeps falling over. Baby Christians too stumble over the same problems and temptations (Ephesians 4:14). Immature Christians are unstable and prone to falling over. A new immature Christian can be easily confused and disorientated. So we must train each Christian to know how to stand.
Maturity - able to stand: It’s amazing how quickly a baby learns to stand. It’s equally wonderful to see new Christians rapidly becoming secure in their faith in Jesus. A mature Christian trusts in Christ not in themselves, is one who can resist the Devil and see him flee from you (James 4:7). A mature Christian has learned to stand their ground during trials and temptations (Ephesians 6:12-13). You know you are growing in your faith when you are no longer ruled by your feelings and circumstances. You no longer worry when people criticise you since they only have power over you if you accept their negativity. You don’t panic when Satan sends noisy thunder and dramatic lightning your way. Why? Because You know how to find your refuge, your safe place, in the promises of God’s word that He will never leave you or forsake you, and that the Lord will always hear your cry. You don’t have to be old or a long-time Christian to develop an ability to stand strong in your confidence in Jesus who has conquered sin, Satan, death, and hell at the Cross (1 John 2:14).
2. We need to grow up from being fed milk to be able to receive meat
Immaturity - must be fed milk: (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). Spiritual babies only want what they can easily digest. They only eat small portions of the word of God, only texts that make them feel good. Baby Christians want to be comforted not challenged, entertained rather than enlightened. They want only to receive the good promises of prosperity and good life without much of God’s life and the challenges of denial, discipline, and discipleship. They don’t want in depth Bible teaching (Hebrews 5:12,6:1-3). One of the key signs of an immature Christian is incomplete repentance. A Christian may keep getting into trouble because they have never truly, totally, and thoroughly repented with tears and a conviction that only Jesus can give the cleansing and forgiveness that they need.
Maturity - able to nourish self on meat: (Hebrews 5:13-14). Being mature is understanding that God is righteous, and that we need to be made righteous through the blood of His son Jesus Christ and our faith in Christ alone. By ourselves we cannot live right as we should (Romans 3:10). A mature Christian, however, can discern the difference between good and evil. A mature Christian has a keen sense of what is right and wrong, not simply saying ‘well everyone has their own opinion’. A mature Christian is upright in their business dealings and in the way they treat others and is someone who seeks first Christ’s kingdom and His righteousness. If you are living right, doing right, and are not living self-righteously but righteously through Christ, then you are for sure maturing in your faith.
3. We need to grow up from being out of control to becoming self-controlled
Immaturity - little self-control: In real life babies are not noted for their self-control, especially regarding the bladder! They don’t care. They are babies. And if they feel sick then they just go and throw up. Such behaviour, although clearly objectionable and messy, is considered permissible simply because babies do what babies do. But these are not endearing traits when babies grow older. Yet in the church, many Christians have never been potty trained. They just do what they want, say what they want to whom they want, when they want, and are not much bothered what mess they cause. There is little evidence of restraint in their lives. Lack of self-control may be seen in that they do not control their tongue, their temper, their passions, or their spending. This is nothing but immaturity.
Maturity - modelling self-control: Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). A Spirit filled mature Christian is someone who has learnt to control his passions (Titus 2:11-12). To be a grown-up Christian you can’t sleep around but must control your sexual appetites. To be a grown-up Christian you must rule your money, not spend it just by impulse. To be a grown-up Christian you can’t lose your temper because someone or something displeases you. You must rule your actions and reactions. And not least to be a grown-up Christian you must control your mouth (Psalm 34:12-13). An uncontrolled tongue can cause great damage (James 3:5, James 1:26).
So having considered three practical areas where we need to grow up, we need to stand strong, learn to receive meat, and live self-controlled lives. So how are you doing and what do you need to change to become a grown-up Christian? Pray asking for the Lord’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit.
