04 January 2012

Press to completion.
Take in solid food; be trained.
Become fruit bearing.
-Hebrews 5:11-6:1

I've been simmering since last night about today's blog topic of spiritual maturity. Several people today (instructors, assigned authors and my husband) have spoken some excellent pithy comments about maturity. To sum them up in my own words: maturity is not a place we arrive at, but something we continue to press toward our entire life. The Greek word in Hebrews 6:1 translated "maturity" in the NASB and "perfection" in the KJV literally means "the state of completeness."

Consider physical maturity as an illustration. What is complete for a five year old is different than what is complete for a fifteen year old or a twenty-five year old. If you had a child of five and an adolescent of fifteen standing side-by-side they should look very different. If they are the same exact height and proportion something is terribly wrong with one of them. Similarly, in our spiritual walk on this earth we should continue to mature and grow throughout our life.

Eventually our bodies reach their full height and our brains become fully developed. However, our minds and our spirits should continue to develop until our bodies expire or Jesus returns. The apostle Paul wrote later in his life to the Philippians:
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. -Phil. 4:12 (NASB)
We never reach a point of complete maturity where we can say, "I'll just coast from here to heaven." Planning to coast is a plan to backslide. We each have unique and important tasks God has put us here to do. It doesn't matter if they seem important to other people. It only matters that we seek God, discover our assignment, and press toward completing it with excellence. Whatever God has for you to do, it will take His strength and your self-discipline to accomplish.

Embrace the growth you were designed for! 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:1-16

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