Originally Posted by Breckmin 
Questions:
CAN A MATURE BELIEVER LOSE HIS FAITH - TEMPORARILY?
The question involves extreme deceptions that God could allow
to test someone's faith.
Perhaps no one will relate....
Can a person be a mature believer and have an affair because they
did not keep themselves away from temptation?
I am thinking of a couple pastors (not Swaggart or Jim Baker) who
had radio ministries but fell for the so called "girl in the choir" who they
might have been counseling.
Can Christian maturity truly be measured?
Is there doctrinal maturity? And is there faithfulness maturity that is separate from this?
People having an affair are just plain sinning and it has nothing to do with maturity, but letting themselves be overtaken by lust. If you sin, you're a sinner unless repented of. Anyone can be tempted if they are "mature" or not and fall into sin. Jesus is coming back for overcomers. Our faith is tested often and God is watching to see if we pass the test. He'll give us an A if we do and if we fail, well it's another lap (spiritually) around Mt. Sinaii until we learn our lesson.
Personally, I believe the "mature" person in christ are the ones who who have large and juicy ripe fruit. Immature, carnal christians have fruit, but it is very small and green. Through their trials and tests, their fruit will ripen. Carnal christians do not mean they are sinning christians, because they have been saved from sin. They are developing spiritually and that can take time.
If a person is born again, he is a new creature, he is set free from sin, i.e., drinking, swearing, porno, etc. The Holy Spirit will not live in an unclean temple. They are no different than the world if they think like it, smell like it and live like it and they have not made a real committment to forsake their sins. God will chasten such people to draw them to himself, but it is his wish that they lay aside such practices as it is not a good testimony to the world for a professing christian. If we sin, we have an advocate with the father for foregiveness. However, some just plain old want to keep on sinning and they are ensnared by the evil one.
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