In Part Two, we covered the stage of Childhood. We found that there were some characteristics as Christians that we should retain, because Jesus said that unless we become as a child, we shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The good qualities of childhood that we should retain are
- Imitation – we should be imitators of God like dear children (Ephesians 5:1)
- Curiosity – we should always be learning, and seeking to increase our knowledge of God. Coupled with this is keeping a sense of wonder.
- Trust – a child brought up in a good household learns to trust his/her parents. We should always maintain that childlike faith in Father God.
- Laughter and Joy – children laugh a lot. They delight in their experiences. We should too!
- Unpretentiousness – children are not moved or even aware of status. They naturally do not show partiality.
And some characteristics of childhood that we should grow out of;
- Unreliability – children are easily distracted. They can’t focus on a task for a long time. They don’t have the ability to consider the long term.
- Talkativeness – children will prattle on about unimportant things – or so it seems to us. The Bible has much to say about watching the words that come out of our mouths, because they have power.
- Discernment – we didn’t discuss this in Part Two, but children still have a lack of discernment in knowing what is good for them and what is not. They are learning, but still have a ways to go.
The Spiritual Adolescent
In physical growth, the adolescent is in the stage between childhood and adulthood. Physically they become young men and young women.
They become capable of taking on responsibility, and will do so, if trained properly. But the desire for play is still very active.
They are becoming their own person; forming their own desires and opinions. They want to make their own decisions, and even become resentful and rebellious when not allowed to do so.
They want to be independent, and yet they are still dependent.
Because their knowledge and abilities are increasing so rapidly, they have a tendency to think they “know it all”. Especially more than their “dumb / square / uncool / lame / whack” (or whatever term the latest generation uses) parents.
“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” — Mark Twain
Teenagers, although desiring to be “cool” and look like they’ve got it all together, are actually insecure. They need acceptance, to belong. They seek this mainly from their peers. They want to be part of a group.
It is important who you hang out with, because they will influence you. Our middle son went into a “goth” stage in high school, and started hanging with people that didn’t care about school. He started flunking his classes. And he was a smart kid, he just wasn’t doing the work.
We prayed he would get new friends. He ended up going to a continuation school, and from there got straight A’s. His own words were, “I forgot I liked school.” After graduation, he worked a few years and then went on to U.C. Berkeley (my alma mater) and got a Bachelor’s degree in psychology.
The spiritual adolescent has many of the qualities of an adult. Much of the time they will function as a mature Christian. But they are sensitive to what others think (or what they believe others think).
They may still be unreliable in areas.
They may insist on making their own decisions, even when wrong.
Adulthood / Maturity
Hebrews 5:12-14 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
To mature into spiritual adulthood, you need the meat of the word as well as the milk of the word. Babies can only drink milk. Adults can handle meat, and they can drink milk also.
The milk of the word tells you what has been done for you and been given to you in Christ. This is essential knowledge for every Christian.
The meat of the word goes deeper, and also tells us what is required of us.
Vs. 14 gives us a characteristic of spiritual maturity – their senses are trained to discern between good and evil. This is both in the spiritual and the natural – they know what is good or bad for them.
It brings to mind the push for socialism these days. The attraction of socialism is what the government can give to you. This is a childish viewpoint. The government can only give to one group of people by taking it from another. Every single experiment with socialism / communism has failed – resulting in poverty or even mass death.
“Oh, they didn’t practice real socialism”. How many times do you have to try something, getting horrible results, before you figure out that it’s a bad idea?
They point to the model of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway. But those countries don’t consider themselves socialist and have said so themselves. They are friendlier to capitalism than the U.S. is. They have higher taxes and more social programs, but those programs are funded by capitalism.
If you look at the platform of the Democratic Socialists, they are not looking for capitalism with more social programs. They are pretty much espousing communist principles, and many are very vocal about it.
There is a spirit behind it – socialist platforms are anti-Christian. Yet they have aligned themselves with Islam. Because the real goal is the destruction of western culture.
So, political rant over. Basically, people have not learned the difference between good and evil.
Back to vs. 14. Note that is it by reason of use (or we could use the word practice) that they have their senses trained to discern good and evil. That means they have experience in it. They’ve done it enough that they’ve got it right.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
The Corinthians were fed with milk at an earlier time, because as babies that’s all they could receive. However, they were still in that state of carnality (flesh rules) and babyish-ness.
The evidence of their carnality was in envying, strife, and divisions among them.
The definition of tolerance is the ability to accept – to still treat with respect – other people that have opinions that you don’t agree with. This is sorely lacking these days, even in the church.
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” – Pastor Rick Warren
It’s an interesting point that although Paul accused the Corinthians of being carnal and babies, they came behind in no spiritual gift. Which tells us that it is not operating in the gifts of the Spirit that makes us mature. It is exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit is about character.
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Three Characteristics of the Spiritually Mature
- Esteeming earthly things lightly
- Deadness to censure or praise
- Genuine concern for others
Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly
Matthew 6:33 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The “these things” that are mentioned earlier in Matthew 6 – we could say food, shelter, clothing – are all legitimate needs. Matthew doesn’t say to only seek the kingdom of God, he says to seek it first. So it is a matter of our priorities.
And lest you think you can quit your job to pray and do spiritual things only, the Bible also says this:
1 Timothy 5:8 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
We all have things that we need to do that will take up our time, whether it be a job, or taking care of your kids, or getting an education.
How do you spend your “discretionary” time? Do you spend 15 minutes in the Word and prayer in the morning, but hours watching TV in the evening?
Seeking the kingdom first is not so much how many hours you spend doing one thing or another, but spending quality time with God. Giving the best part of your day when He has your full attention.
2 Timothy 2:4-5 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
A soldier, or an athlete, goes through difficult times of self discipline, rather than seeking comfort. This is because they have a goal: they both want to win.
It says the soldier seeks to please the one that enlisted him. We are soldiers in the army of God. We spend time equipping ourselves, and training, because at any time we may be called to an assignment.
Seeking first His kingdom means we develop our sensitivity to hear His orders. And then go when He says “Go”.
This is not just for those called to the “ministry” – we are all ministers, regardless of our vocation.
Colossians 3:1-2 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Deadness to Censure or Praise
1 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
4 For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
Paul thought it a very small thing to be judged by others. Living an openly Christian life will bring criticism from some.
We said that teenagers are sensitive to what others think of them. Criticism makes them downcast and resentful, and praise can cause them to be puffed up. The reason is because they are still forming opinions as to who and what they are; they are unsure, so they need acceptance.
A spiritually mature person knows who he is and what he believes. He’s researched it and is convinced. Therefore what other people think doesn’t influence him.
Now this does not mean you close yourself off to feedback from those you trust. Sometimes they can see something we can’t. But what is the motivation of the one giving the “feedback”?
I attend Bethel Church in Redding, CA. They receive a lot of criticism. A lot of it has to do with their belief and practice of the supernatural. There has been a lot of stuff on the internet lately criticizing their belief in apostles and prophets. They site Acts 1:21-22 where they were looking for a replacement for Judas to be one of the twelve, as the requirements to be an apostle – mainly someone who was with them from the first, starting with the baptism of John until the day Jesus was taken up. But this person was chosen to be “a witness to His resurrection”, and part of the twelve. There are others named apostles in the New Testament who do not meet these criteria.
But to those that think there is no need for apostles and prophets today, what does the word say?
Ephesians 4:11-13 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Notice vs. 13 – these five fold ministries are to operate until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God; to a perfect (mature) man – and the measure of maturity is Christ’s own stature.
Now, let me ask – has that come to pass yet? No. Everybody agrees we still need evangelists, pastors, and teachers – why would you eliminate apostles and prophets from the list?
Genuine Concern For Others
Philippians 2:19-21 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.
20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.
It is a characteristic of children to be self centered. As we grow, we are trained in the social graces. We learn to put aside some of our own desires to help others. Becoming a parent is where you get a crash course in this lesson.
Philippians 2:3-4 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Note that it is not wrong to look out for your own interests, but to look out for your interests only. It’s not that a Christian has no rights; he or she is just willing to lay aside those rights to help others. Paul goes on to say
Philippians 2:5-8 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus had all the rights and privileges of the second Person of the Trinity. But He did not grasp that right, but humbled Himself to become a servant to others.
Take up the cross
What does this mean? The cross is forever a symbol of God’s love for us, and the extent He would go to, to express that love.
John 15:13 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Laying down your life does not necessarily mean to die for others, although that is its ultimate expression. It means a willingness to serve rather than be served. Seeking to empower others rather than yourself. Benefitting others at a cost to yourself.
This whole attitude of heart and mind can be summed up in walking in love. It should be the distinguishing characteristic that makes us different from the world.
John 13:34-35 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”