Recognizing Christian Maturity

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.”
Hebrews 6:1-3.

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” Hebrews 5:7-8.

As Christians, recognizing spiritual maturity is not too difficult, but from those that are scrutinized is always heard, “Who are you to judge?” or “Who gives you the right to judge me?” The art of observation is not so difficult when what we know and see is placed under the light of Scripture.

One of many things that we often hear is that ‘Jesus is our example,’ and indeed He is. With that being the absolute standard for the Christian life we must begin with Him. Therefore, maturity as believers contains two very simple, but quite difficult, elements.

In Hebrews 5:7-8 we discover that Christ:
* demonstrates reverence: Reverence is an attitude of deep respect demonstrated by awe and admiration. And the ‘key word’ here is ‘demonstration’.
*teaches obedience: Obedience is the state or quality of being submissive or subservient.

These qualities are the most difficult for immature or maturing Christians do not want to learn from others. Simply because one is an adult and becomes a Believer in Christ does not mean that suddenly ‘spiritual maturity’ belongs to them. And as Scripture indicates, many do not learn these things at all.

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 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.” Hebrews 5:11-14.

Pastors have the difficult task of being the ‘shepherd’ of so many immature Christians. And as they teach from the pulpit the hard words of God, attacks come from these difficult souls because they have little understanding of who they are ‘in Christ’. The Pastor has been given the task that he holds because of God’s divine direction in His life, but to those whom he is attempting to give direction there is most often little cooperation.

“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.” Ephesians 4:11-14.

Recognizing Christian maturity is not so difficult because this is so rare in any culture, anywhere. However, maturity in life is ours to achieve and we must become so in spite of who we are. Some of us are slow to learn and sometimes learn the hard way.

As a boy I would go with my Dad to constructions sites and often I would hear him say, “Do not go in there, something might fall on you.” On one particular day I did not listen to his advice and walked into a house that was being ‘framed’ and the carpenters were busy erecting the rafters above me. As I was walking under these men, a hammer slipped from someone’s hand and hit me directly on my hard head. Let me tell you, hard does not mean that I was protected from falling hammers. Hard meant that I was ‘smarter than my Dad’.

Guess what? Not since that day will I enter a building under construction where men are working above me. That sometimes hurts. I matured the hard way.

And so it is with so many Christians. They do not wish to listen to those that are more spiritually mature and sometimes get hurt in the process. So, how does one recognize spiritual maturity? Read the following:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14-21.

But you might say, “I cannot do that.” Who says that anyone can? But as Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 KJV.