What are the qualities and doctrines of a MATURE Believer?

[Miss Elly]

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.

 

[singpeace]

I would add that a believer must posses a thick skin and not be easily offended.

 

[Breckmin]

Chuck Swindoll used to always talk about Christian maturity as going from
"soft skin with a hard heart" to "thick skin and a soft heart." I'm sure he
noted it as an aphorism or common addage from somewhere. I don't know
the original source.

 

[Breckmin]

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.

I think that a pattern of faithfulness is a result of being "in tune" with
how much you LOVE God. When all you want to do is just worship
Him and love Him, God lives in you and helps you to be faithful.

Good stuff Miss Elly. Do you agree that "spankings" (through circumstances)
increase with spiritual maturity? Does God show tough love
more to more mature believer than He does to you spiritually
immature believer?

 

[annrobert]

I normally don't point to fellow men...because I believe our eyes should
always be on Jesus - the Author and Finisher of our faith.

But in this case, I'm encouraging a discussion on what makes a believer
a mature Christian. What are the qualities of a mature Christian? And
this is going to lead to "what does a mature Christian believe?"

There are three individuals in North America I am going to use for this
discussion. They all three have PhD's. and are well-known radio personalities
for those who listen to Christian radio in the United States.

1. Charles Stanley
2. John MacArthur
3. R.C. Sproul

The reason I am using these guys as an example of what I believe
is inclusive of a mature believer is because Christian maturity encompasses
THEOLOGY!

All three of these men of God would NOT want to be pointed to..but
would rather have the focus be on Christ. A mature Christian does
NOT want to be exalted.... they recognize that everything they are
is by the grace of God and the grace of God alone. Every mature
believer wants to glorify Christ and not themselves.

A mature Christian does NOT add to the Holy Cross of Jesus with
their own works. A mature believer understands that salvation is
by Grace through faith not of works - but only the work of Christ
and His atoning death.

With these men who speak regularly on the radio you have
a great professor and intellectual (R.C. Sproul), a great teacher
and biblical expositor (John MacArthur) and a great and powerful
preacher (Charles Stanley). What I am interested in alluding to
here, however, is humility. All three of these men are extremely
humble. They all have a DEEP love for Christ. They all three
agree that salvation is God's work in the hearts of men and that
prayer is an important part of changing the believer through
fellowship and worship of the Creator.

It is often said that a mature believer does NOT live in the past
(look back and worry about the past or wish they could have
changed something) but only learns from it....that a mature
believer does NOT live in the future (for no one knows the
future and you could die at any minute from various causes)
but only plans wisely for future events "if the Lord wills."

It is that a mature believer only lives in the present and acknowledges
that his very steps are ordained by God.... and the good works that
he does God has prepared for Him to do by His grace. It is important
to spend time in prayer - daily - with the Lord. All mature believers
do this.

THEOLOGY:

All three of these men would rightfully deny baptismal regeneration.

They would all deny that you could somehow "lose" your salvation
since they know that eternal salvation is incorruptible.

They would all three agree that it is the power of the Holy Spirit
in the life of the believer that comes through the meditation of
the things of God (Word of God) that builds faith and builds
Christian character that makes a believer more Christ-like.

They all three believe in the unique Deity of Christ and the
bodily Resurrection as well as a Trinitarian view of God. The
belief in the virgin birth is also an important part of being a
mature believer.

Eschatology is clearly peripheral theology...and I actually
believe that all three of these mature believers are clearly
WRONG on the inductive "pre-tribulational rapture" position
which is easily corrected by a Christian deductionist...so
you can be a mature believer and still be wrong on the rapture.
EDIT: THIS IS WRONG. R.C. Sproul does NOT subscribe
to the pre-tribulational rapture position. Stanley and
MacArthur do.

The purpose of this thread is to discuss "what makes a believer
a mature believer?" What do we need to learn in order to be
a mature believer?

Clearly there are immature theologies. The belief that you can
somehow "lose" your salvation is clearly one of them...because
it totally denies the Faithfulness of God in the life of the believer
and adds to the Holy Cross of Jesus with the believer's "keeping"
of his own salvation.

What about theistic evolution? Can you truly be a mature believer
and believe in universal common descent theory? Can you deny
original sin and still be a mature believer? I would say NO.

I would also say that the knowledge of a place of eternal separation
from God's glory and logical punishment (hell) is also an important
part of being a mature believer?

What are some essential beliefs of a mature believer?

If you say "biblical inerrancy" - keep in mind that this is a relatively
new belief structure and not a historical view or seen as a necessity
until the last hundred years or so....but a literal interpretation and
historical interpretation of the Torah/Tanach when possible IS a
historical position.

Can you be a mature believer and NOT believe in a worldwide flood?

Do you have to believe in Noah and the building of the ark?

What do you think?

I think the more a person abides in Jesus through prayer and meditating on the Word , the more mature they are.The more they surrender and trust Jesus as a child the more mature they are.We can do nothing of ourselves.

In the bible God says if My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray than I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.

Jesus often went away seperate to pray.

Jesus would that we pray always and not faint.

We are to pray unceasingly.

the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

King David said Thy Word oh Lord have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You, and on Thy Word oh Lord will I meditate day and night.

We are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds.

We are to taste and see that God is good.

the apostle Paul said that I may know Him

He longed to know Jesus more deeply.

King David said one thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty and to inquire in His temple.

I think the more we trust Jesus and love Jesus and surrender all,
the more mature and the more obedient to the teachings of Jesus flows from this love and trust and abiding.

 

[annrobert]

I think being an overcomer and bearing fruit has just as much to do with following Jesus teachings about mercy and forgiveness and longsuffering and patience and tenderness and compassion.

Being like the good samaritan and pouring in the oil and wine to the stranger, taking time and money and compassion for the strangers we come across and not just helping our friends and family .

It is feeding the poor and giving to our enemies when they need.
doing good and praying for those who despitefully use us, and not telling anyone when we do.
forgivng from the heart and not taking people to court.
Going the extra mile
forgiving from the heart over and over again
Showing mercy, having compassion and praying for one another.
bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Being meek and lowly in heart.

I think it is about the heart condition as well as not giving into temptation in open sins

giving thanks and being greatful in good times and bad.

spending time alone with Jesus in our prayer closet

forgetting those things behind and pressing forward


I do think that God spanks His children
and the more they know and the more mature the greater the spanking