Question 1

How can I reach spiritual maturity?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 32:8The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”Psalm 92:12The godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.Psalm 111:10Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!Jeremiah 17:7-8“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”Ephesians 3:17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.Colossians 2:7Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.2 Peter 3:18Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.Jude 1:20-21You, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.Reading Scripture and prayer are the first and most important steps toward spiritual maturity. Because God is the source of all wisdom, he is the ultimate source for what we need to grow. We should model our lives after Jesus and seek wisdom from that source.Joshua 1:1-2After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.”Mature spiritual mentors can help us grow and mature in our faith, as well as in everyday life. We should look for those who are several stages ahead of us in life, who have weathered many experiences, and who exemplify godliness. We can ask them to help us mature in faith and life. They probably will be honored and eager to help.1 Corinthians 3:1-3Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.Hebrews 6:1-3So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.Spiritual growth is like physical growth—we start small and immature and grow up, one day at a time, gaining in wisdom and maturity. Along the way we need to practice what we have learned. We cannot remain on our backs all day if we wish to learn to crawl, and walk, and run. We must exercise our spiritual muscles, growing in the experience of following God. There is always more to learn about God and always more to be experienced in following him.

Question 2

What are some secrets for maturing in Christ?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 9:24-27Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.To reach spiritual maturity, we must discipline ourselves like athletes. Athletes excel as they exercise and push the boundaries of their physical capabilities. When we give as much emphasis to spiritual discipline, we will experience a deepening faith and a maturity in the way we approach life.Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.The encouragement of our church family strengthens us in our spiritual journey.2 Timothy 2:1-2Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.One of the most important reasons we strive for maturity is to pass an example on to others. If we want to leave a legacy of godliness, contentment, and joy, we must always start with our own lives and the examples we set.Ephesians 5:1-2Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.1 Peter 2:21God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.1 John 2:6Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.Jesus is our ultimate example of spiritual maturity. As God’s children, we should always seek to imitate the character of our heavenly Father, and Jesus is our perfect role model for this.Luke 11:13“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”John 14:26“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”Romans 8:26The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.Galatians 5:22-23, 25The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! . . . Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.God does not leave us to struggle to become spiritually mature alone. He sends us a Helper—the Holy Spirit—to shape us to become like him. We can ask God to fill us with his Spirit and learn to listen for his voice. The better we know God from his Word, the easier we will recognize his voice (1 John 4:1–3).

Question 3

What can stop me from maturing spiritually?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 59:2It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.James 1:12-15God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.Sin is a roadblock on the road to maturity. Sometimes, it comes in the form of temptations that will entice us to get off the road. Other times, it slows our travel and discourages us to the point of our giving up. When we allow ourselves to get sidetracked by temptation, we lose sight of what is truly important. Just as a child acts impulsively, temptation causes us to sin, which makes us spiritually immature in some way. True maturity recognizes and resists the temptations that try to slow our journey toward the destination God has set for us.Matthew 6:34“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”Matthew 22:37Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”Mark 8:36“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”Luke 12:34“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”2 Timothy 2:3-4Endure suffering along with me [Paul], as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.Satan doesn’t need to use sin to distract us from our walk with God. Something good and healthy—work, a relationship, a hobby—could distract us just as well. If we prioritize something other than our relationship with God, our spiritual health will weaken and our growth will stall.

Maturity