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What is Spiritual Maturity?

by Marci Ferrell
Bible Study Biblical Womanhood Christian Living Contentment Encouragement Ministry

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What does it look like to be a mature Christian? #spiritualmaturity #fruitofthespirit @mferrell

As believers, we all desire to be spiritually mature in our walk with the Lord. We want to be more like Christ in our hearts, speech, thoughts, lives and our relationships with others. We start our Christian walk as children and gradually grow up into adulthood and it is a process that differs with each of us.

What does it look like to be a mature Christian? Click to Tweet

Many times we can equate spiritual maturity with our knowledge of the Scriptures, how many verses we have memorized, where we attend church, or how many bible studies we've participated in our lives. These are all good things, and the Lord uses the Bible to bring us to maturity but what does it look like to be a mature Christian?

“Do you know what the measure of spiritual maturity is in the Scriptures? It is not the display of spiritual emotion or even the display of spiritual gifts, but the manifestation of spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control.”

~ Greg Koukl

The characteristics of spiritual maturity are laid out for us in Galatians 5:22-23:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Verse 22 in Galatians starts with a “but” so we know there is a contrast going on there. The contrast is the desires of the flesh against the desires of the Spirit. The only way we can bring forth fruit of the spirit is to walk in the Spirit obediently.  The fruit of the Spirit are the marks of a spiritually mature Christian.

Did you notice fruit of the Spirit is singular? It's a package deal. This is fruit the Holy Spirit produces in our lives as believers as we are walking in His grace and power and are submitted to and controlled by the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). When we are yielded to His work in lives, the fruit will be what is on display outwardly in our lives.

“the way to see these nine virtues is like a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers….it doesn’t come as isolated things side-by-side in a row. Fruit is a beautiful bouquet of virtues. That’s what the Holy Spirit produces in someone who walks by the Spirit. And you will see them all on display.”

~ John MacArthur

In a sermon on the Fruit of the Spirit, John MacArthur shared that they are all attitudes listed. We will act in accordance with God's Word if our attitudes are submissive to the Spirit at work in our lives. He stated in the sermon when someone wants to know if we're a Chrisitan have them stick around with us for awhile. If what you see coming out are the attitudes of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control then that is how we are putting our salvation on display to a lost world around us.

As we abide in Christ, we naturally bear fruit.

Life, not law, changes behavior; and as you yield to the Spirit, Christ’s life is manifest in the fruit of the Spirit.

~ Warren Wiersbe

Galatians 5:22 “is” is in the present tense (but the fruit of the Spirit is). Which means fruit-bearing is continuous.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ~Philippians 1:6

We know that fruit trees bear whatever fruit is natural for them. It is the same in our spiritual walk. Believers in Jesus Christ will bear Spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). When the Spirit changes our nature, the fruit of our lives will be the character of Christ.

The relationships in our lives are hungry for this good fruit. Who in our lives needs to be shown: Love? Patience? Kindness? Our fruit-bearing is not for selfish reasons but to feed and to help others.

Granted us Everything:

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. ~ 2 Peter 1:3

The word everything in 2 Peter 1:3 means everything, no exceptions. We are given in Christ everything we need to grow to spiritual maturity. We are complete in Christ. God has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness.

God has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Click to Tweet

We are empowered by the grace of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us to live and walk as Christ did. May we live our lives in such an awareness of God's presence within us.

May we take the time to read and study the Word but not to gain a head full of knowledge but to gain knowledge of the God of the Bible who truly brings about change in our lives. As we know more of who God is it will point us to how much we are not like Him and bring us to repentance and that's where true heart change begins.

Spiritual maturity, simply stated, is Christlikeness. Click to Tweet

We will never gain full maturity while on this earth. Our lives will be a continual progression of spiritual growth. Spiritual maturity, simply stated, is Christlikeness. The more we are like Christ, the more spiritually mature we are.

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. ~ Colossians 1:28

The word complete in Colossians 1:28 is the Greek word “teleios” which means perfect or fully mature. It is to be full grown and like Christ. Paul didn't want us, believers, to be partially like Christ but fully, that the fruit of the Spirit was evident in our lives and we were becoming day by day, through the trials, circumstances, and relationships in our lives more like Christ.

Is fruit evident in our lives? Do we see growth? Are we progressing? May we, by His grace, press on to spiritual maturity and become full grown and like Christ (Philippians 3:14).

“When God prunes us, the result will be greater growth and sweeter fruit… Pruning usually takes place when God uses situations, people, and circumstances to help mature us in our Christian disposition, attitude, and temperament… The way we respond when we are pruned reveals our true level of spiritual maturity.”

~ Bunny Wilson, Biblical Womanhood in the Home

 

 

Related posts:

  1. Are You a Spiritual Baby?
  2. EP 53: Daily Bible Reading (Spiritual Disciplines Series)
  3. EP 109: God’s Blessing Does Not Depend on Our Performance
  4. EP 10: Setting Spiritual Priorities for the New Year


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Comments

  1. Christine says

    at

    So simple yet because of our sin nature it’s difficult.
    But knowing the The Spirit is with us, we can work in becoming Christ-like.

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Marci Ferrell
“Designed for good deeds. It’s as simple as th “Designed for good deeds. It’s as simple as that. It was God’s idea. He did the designing. He expects us to work, just as the designer of a precision instrument if he understands the principles involved and designs it accordingly, expects the thing to work. It is no great credit to the instrument if it does.”⁣
~ Elisabeth Elliot⁣
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The quote is from EP 6: What Does Self-Discipline Look Like in Our Homes come listen in at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Self Discipline is essential to spiritual growth a Self Discipline is essential to spiritual growth and it is useful in our lives in so many ways. Living lives that are disciplined means saying, “yes” to God in every area of our lives. Jesus is our ultimate example of what it looks like to live a disciplined life.⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 6: What Does Self-Discipline Look Like in Our Homes? at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
One of my favorites from Corrie ten Boom:⁣ "Look One of my favorites from Corrie ten Boom:⁣
"Look around you and be distressed, look within you and be depressed. Look to Jesus, and be at rest." 🥰
Journaling is often viewed as just a way to rememb Journaling is often viewed as just a way to remember or keep track of life's events. Many people who aren't Christians keep a journal. As a Christian, I've been thankful to keep spiritual journals (consistently at times and inconsistently at times) because it has helped me see God's grace and mercy at work in my life over the years of walking with Him.⁣
⁣
Please read the rest of Journaling Tips from Elisabeth Elliot at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
“Journaling is a way of slowing life down for ju “Journaling is a way of slowing life down for just a few moments, and trying to process at least a sliver of it for the glory of God, our own growth and development, and our enjoyment of the details.” ⁣
~David Mathis⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 57: Spiritual Journaling (Spiritual Discipline Series) at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Spiritual journaling is a way to slow our lives do Spiritual journaling is a way to slow our lives down and ponder deeply over the events of the day. In my life journaling has helped me to grow spiritually by discerning my thoughts and motives. It has shown me areas where I need to give thanks and praise to the Lord. My journaling time has reminded me of situations or people I need to be in prayer for.⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 57 on Spiritual Journaling at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
“True freedom from the bondage of technology com “True freedom from the bondage of technology comes not mainly from throwing away the smartphone, but from filling the void with the glories of Jesus that you are trying to fill with the pleasures of the device.”⁣
~ Tony Reinke⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 33: Is Your Smartphone Changing You? at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
We're chatting about our use of technology on the We're chatting about our use of technology on the flashback episode and pondering the question: Do we master our smartphones or do they master us?⁣
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Please come listen to Is Your Smartphone Changing You at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Christ will hold us fast. But we need gospel frien Christ will hold us fast. But we need gospel friends to hold us close.⁣
~ Albert Mohler⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 4: What Does True Biblical Friendship Look Like? at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
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