What is Spiritual Maturity?

[~Anastasia~]

Paul wrote:
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1, 1984 NASB)

The degree of a person's spiritual maturity is generally agreed to be tied to how much they have been sanctified in Christ. It is not tied to what you know or your behavior, per se, but rather your nature. The transformation we are given by God changes us on the inside. Our efforts to be obedient to God and behave like he wants are "training wheels" that God uses to transform us. With the wrong heart, our behavior and actions will not do this.

@Ken Behrens wrote a useful post a couple weeks ago. After reading some attempts on the Internet to explain spiritual maturity (some of them rather unspiritual), I find the latter two links in his post sit best with me.

Here's a couple related verses. There's a lot more like these for someone who wants to dig into it (i.e., a Bible study).

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:3, 1984 NIV)

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1-2, 1984 NIV)

Oh, btw, the links I mentioned are four levels of depth of Biblical interpretation, not direct gauges of spiritual maturity. The verses I quoted are more explicitly along the growth curve. There's greater signs of spiritual maturity revealed in Scripture than what I mention (if God chooses). You see various references throughout, such as in Romans 12:2b and the latter parts of 1 John (e.g., 5:13-15).

Also, you can't do anything in the short-term about your spiritual maturity. It is not tied to how you try to act or your worthiness. It is the long-term result of living like James refers to:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22, 1984 NIV)

In response God will give you experiences that test your faith. You need to do no wrong and do what is right to keep growing.

Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. (2 Corinthians 13:7, 1984 NIV)

You bring out some good points here.

Learning is proof of nothing. I know men who are very learned in the Scriptures who are at best agnostic. And I know very many others who are very prideful as a result ...

It is about the inner transformation. That is USUALLY manifest in behavior, but not always. Sometimes a mature person slips, or has a particular very difficult weakness. Sometimes and immature person puts on a very convincing act. That's why we don't get to judge, I suppose.

And it does take time, and can't be accomplished ourselves. It is a work of God. We are taught that there are many things we can do to cooperate with God, and to facilitate (or at least not prevent) His work in us, and we apply to do those things. Amazingly, God works through them, sometimes in wonderful ways. But it does take time, and the actual transformation is not something we ourselves can do. I'm so glad you brought those out. I've forgotten what I might have posted in this thread, but if I said anything here or elsewhere that seemed as though I meant otherwise, well, what you said is much more thorough.

 

[Radrook]

If our spiritual progression is meant to be growth in Christ, then our spiritual maturity is measured by one thing - how much we have become like Him.

That is definitely the key to being spiritually mature. The problem arises when certain church members are provided with the title of of Elder. Now being an elder assumes that the person is spiritually mature. If that title is given to a person merely based on his church attendance and his hourly-measured activity in preaching and teaching the gospel without taking into full consideration his personality or the way in which he might be interacting with others, then great harm can be done to those who are entrusted to his care and who are looking up to him as an example.

Better to assigned a far less active person than one who is all frenetic activity but very little spirituality.

 

[~Anastasia~]

That is definitely the key to being spiritually mature. The problem arises when certain church members are provided with the title of of Elder. Now being an elder assumes that the person is spiritually mature. If that title is given to a person merely based on his church attendance and his hourly-measured activity in preaching and teaching the gospel without taking into full consideration his personality or the way in which he might be interacting with others, then great harm can be done to those who are entrusted to his care and who are looking up to him as an example.

Better to assigned a far less active person than one who is all frenetic activity but very little spirituality.

I heard it said many times by pastors that they regretted sometimes, they became busy in studying, and planning, and preaching - all of which may be necessary - but that it caused them to neglect the work of prayer, for example.

Prayer should be the first duty of such a one. Without it, they slip away from God themselves and it becomes an intellectual thing, if they are not careful.

I can't sit in judgment of the elders you mention, but it is true that we need to have VERY careful criteria of who we put in that position with that title, especially if they are to be given care over other souls.

 

[Long Island Pilgrim]

Hi Anastasia,

Ones first responsibility is becoming rooted and grounded in fellowship and relationship with the Lord and we are constantly being distracted and pulled away from this to the point of literal personal destruction. There are so few Christians that are strong and empowered in their Christianity in a way that they are personally able to effectively manage their own lives.

I think it's very problematic to impose the what other Christians "should " be doing in terms of helping because genuine healthy contribution will spring forth naturally and effectively when the foundation is established.

Christians simply do not allow the Holy Spirit to Lead. Christians insist on usurping the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their brethrens lives .

There is a season for helping and a season for fellowship but there is also a foundational season for direct discipleship by the Holy Spirit and that often requires solitude with God and undivided attention. Yet inevitably some Christian somewhere will try to impose a one size fits all approach and seek to bind the conscience of other believers with should about this and shoulds about that. The arrogance of this demonstrates their immaturity in Christ not their maturity. Assuming a leadership or helping role prematurely is rampant in the church. Very immature Christians and non believers are set in positions of authority where they "should' on other Christians.

I am a true born Again believer and i really have no use for anyone who attempts to sanctimoniously usurp the holy Spirit in my life be they true believer or nonbeliever.

No...we are absolutely not required to prematurely seek out endless congregations full of non-believers if the Lord himself is directing us into a season of solitude and growth. The Lord will bring people into ones life in all situations. He will bring people we can offer appropriate levels of support to and he will bring people who can support us. And one need not be in an business institution often erroneously labeled " the Church" to experience a flow of Holy inspired movement and interaction in their life.

 

[Radrook]

I heard it said many times by pastors that they regretted sometimes, they became busy in studying, and planning, and preaching - all of which may be necessary - but that it caused them to neglect the work of prayer, for example.

Prayer should be the first duty of such a one. Without it, they slip away from God themselves and it becomes an intellectual thing, if they are not careful.

I can't sit in judgment of the elders you mention, but it is true that we need to have VERY careful criteria of who we put in that position with that title, especially if they are to be given care over other souls.

Once church members are required to turn in a weekly activity card with how many hours they are dedicating to the preaching work as evidence of their activity along with literature placement data, then I guess evaluation of others spirituality based on such data might tend to become standard procedure.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hi Anastasia,

Ones first responsibility is becoming rooted and grounded in fellowship and relationship with the Lord and we are constantly being distracted and pulled away from this to the point of literal personal destruction. There are so few Christians that are strong and empowered in their Christianity in a way that they are personally able to effectively manage their own lives.

I think it's very problematic to impose the what other Christians "should " be doing in terms of helping because genuine healthy contribution will spring forth naturally and effectively when the foundation is established.

Christians simply do not allow the Holy Spirit to Lead. Christians insist on usurping the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their brethrens lives .

There is a season for helping and a season for fellowship but there is also a foundational season for direct discipleship by the Holy Spirit and that often requires solitude with God and undivided attention. Yet inevitably some Christian somewhere will try to impose a one size fits all approach and seek to bind the conscience of other believers with should about this and shoulds about that. The arrogance of this demonstrates their immaturity in Christ not their maturity. Assuming a leadership or helping role prematurely is rampant in the church. Very immature Christians and non believers are set in positions of authority where they "should' on other Christians.

I am a true born Again believer and i really have no use for anyone who attempts to sanctimoniously usurp the holy Spirit in my life be they true believer or nonbeliever.

No...we are absolutely not required to prematurely seek out endless congregations full of non-believers if the Lord himself is directing us into a season of solitude and growth. The Lord will bring people into ones life in all situations. He will bring people we can offer appropriate levels of support to and he will bring people who can support us. And one need not be in an business institution often erroneously labeled " the Church" to experience a flow of Holy inspired movement and interaction in their life.

And what if the immature believer does not yet have the discernment and is taught by a spirit other than the Holy Spirit?

For what it's worth, I spent years myself alone in fellowship with God. One day He made me know I should go to Church. In the current Christian climate, that was probably best for me. Yet I have seen some who come out of "fellowship with God" with very strange ideas.

Generally speaking, the community of believers have the purpose if instructing and supporting one another. It does require that the Church not be in error though.

I'm simply stating the ideal.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Once church members are required to turn in a weekly activity card with how many hours they are dedicating to the preaching work as evidence of their activity along with literature placement data, then I guess evaluation of others spirituality based on such data might tend to become standard procedure.

It sounds like things have gone wrong ...

 

[Paul uk]

A well considered, helpful thread.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

spiritual maturity is learning to live our lives, in thought, word, and deed, as Christ lived His(1 john 2:5-6).

 

[dcpastor]

In regards to spiritual maturity, I believe it is based on the amount of time and effort a believer puts into their relationship with God. Church attandance doesn't make you mature. And, I think we all know that "being fed" at church is not enough by itself.

 

[Radrook]

It sounds like things have gone wrong ...

Well, that kind of policy leads to injustice where a person who is far more qualified spiritually for a ministerial position in church is overlooked in favor of one who can meet the numerical criteria since the numerical criteria is equated with spiritual maturity.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Some persons evaluate others as being spiritually mature or immature based on their level of church attendance and participation in preaching the gospel. Based on that criteria they are given leadership privileges in churches above others who are deemed spiritually immature because they do not attend church or preach the gospel to the same degree. I find this criteria quaint since nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that such attendance or activities indicate spiritual maturity. Since it doesn't then where indeed is this idea derived from? After al, there might be many adverse reason why a person is regularly attending church or being active in the ministry and these motives might or might not be admirable.

Christians are born again, this substantial metaphor is extended with the concept of a new life in the scripture. Spiritual Maturity is in relation to the new person who is born by trusting God and continues trusting God through Jesus Christ and matures. A good example of spiritual maturity is illustrated in the following passage:
.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:16-18)
.
The word that is commonly translated as "perfect" can also mean "mature". Since we are children of God, then maturity relates to how "christlikeness" manifests within us.