Growing Up Spiritually Pt1 Series

Growing up Spiritually PT1

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 Paul didn’t consider the Church at Ephesus to have been grown up, because he said,

………v. 15 speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up

 And in verse 13, he said,

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature

KJV says verse 13 A perfect man,

The Amplified Bible reads, “Let us grow up in every way and in all things.”

Another translation says, “Until we reach mature manhood.”

Paul in v:15

When he said ….speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

….is talking about

A MATURE PERSON - SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING.

TODAY I want to talk about …….Growing up spiritually

T.T. 1 PETER 2:2

The Bible teaches us a comparison between

• Physical development

and

• Spiritual development

The Bible speaks…..

of stages in spiritual development

They are…

1. babyhood,

2. childhood,

3. and manhood, or adulthood.

• These stages in spiritual development

• correspond to stages in physical development:

Let’s look at the first stage that I mentioned —babyhood.

Peter talks about….1 PETER 2:2

1 Peter 2:1-2 (AMP)

1 SO BE done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind.

2 Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation,

 malignity [a word meaning "hostile, evil or ill-wishing"]

 pretense [meaning “façade”]

(KJV) 2 As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

SLOW…so.. we see Peter speaks of Christians being newborn babes.

Naturally ….no one is physically born a full-grown human.

We are born as babies

and we grow up.

Spiritual…no one is born a full-grown Christian.

We are born as spiritual babes, and then we grow up.

Think with me..

One characteristic that attracts us to a baby is its innocence.

Naturally

We never think of a baby….. as having a past.

• It doesn’t have one.

Spiritual

If you are a newborn babe,

having been born in Christ, you don’t have any past!

2 Cor 5:17 (NKJV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

You may have been

1. mean as the devil,

2. the worst person in town,

BUT

1. no matter how you may have lived,

2. when you were born again,

 you became a new man (or woman) in Christ Jesus,

 and you don’t have any past.

God looks at you as an innocent babe.

And we should look at each other that way.

Listen – A sobering thought!!!

1. We should never outgrow certain characteristics of spiritual babyhood.

2. in particular……. The state of innocence.

Think with me

New Christians are — ready and willing to learn!

We should always keep a teachable spirit.

James 1:21 …….and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Sometimes when people when they grow older chronologically,

• they have a know-it-all attitude—

• a “you-can’t-teach-me-anything” attitude.

• These people can’t be helped by anyone,

• including God Himself,

• because they won’t listen.

We should always keep a teachable spirit.

WHY

John 8:31-32 (KJV)

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

One time a person asked me a question on a certain Bible subject. righteousness

(He purposely tried to draw me into the conversation.)