Modern Maturity
Phil. 3:15-16
Here are the Top 10 ways to know you’re growing older:
10. Everything hurts and what doesn’t hurt, doesn’t work.
9. The gleam in your eye is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
8. You know all the answers, but nobody asks you the questions.
7. You look forward to a dull evening.
6. You sit in a rocking chair and can’t get it going.
5. Your knees buckle but your belt won’t.
4. Your back goes out more than you do.
3. You sink your teeth in a juicy steak and they stay there.
2. You see a pretty girl walk by and your pacemaker opens all the garage doors in town.
1. You bend over to tie your shoes and wonder if there’s anything else you should be doing while you’re down there. Can anybody relate?
We’re discovering how to be content in Christ. Turn to Phil. 3:15-16.
Today, we look at the idea of spiritual, rather than physical, maturity.
•It’s not about getting older, it’s about getting better – spiritually speaking.
Paul has already been speaking a lot about spiritual maturity/growing in Christ.
Phil. 1:9 AND THIS IS MY PRAYER: THAT YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND MORE AND MORE IN KNOWLEDGE AND DEPTH OF INSIGHT, 10SO THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DISCERN WHAT IS BEST AND MAY BE PURE AND BLAMELESS UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST, 11FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST—TO THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD.
Phil. 2:14-16 DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, 15SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION, IN WHICH YOU SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE 16AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE…
Phil. 3:14 I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME HEAVENWARD IN CHRIST JESUS.
Now, he continues with this same idea of maturity.
Prayer
15ALL OF US WHO ARE MATURE SHOULD TAKE SUCH A VIEW OF THINGS.
Lit. “Those of us who are perfect, let us have this attitude, think this way.”
Hold it. Paul just said he hadn’t been made perfect yet, he was still striving for it.
•Now he seems to say he is perfect. Which is it?
Actually, Paul is using a play on words here to emphasize his point.
•In fact, he uses the same word in 1 Cor. 14:20 and Col. 1:28.
1 Cor. 14:20 BROTHERS, STOP THINKING LIKE CHILDREN. IN REGARD TO EVIL BE INFANTS, BUT IN YOUR THINKING BE ADULTS (perfect).
Col. 1:28 WE PROCLAIM HIM, ADMONISHING AND TEACHING EVERYONE WITH ALL WISDOM, SO THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERYONE PERFECT IN CHRIST.
The perfection he speaks about isn’t absolute; it’s a process of becoming fully mature.
So what does it mean to be mature?
Maturity is…
1. Realizing that we’re not complete yet.
I use the word “complete” here rather than perfect because it hits us harder.
•Most people would freely admit they’re not perfect.
•But there are some who say “I’m not perfect, but I’m good enough, I’m mature enough. I don’t need to really grow any more.”
•That’s simply a clear sign that they are in fact immature.
Illus. After a year of intense Bible training, I thought I had a good handle on the Word.
•So I took my knowledge and went out and did some door-to-door evangelism.
•I came across a Jehovah’s Witness who used my Bible to make his point.
•I knew he was wrong, but I didn’t know how to answer him. It was very humbling.
•I didn’t really know as much as I thought I did.
Later, after 4 years of Bible study, I thought I had a good handle on Bible doctrine.
•Once again, when I entered Seminary, I quickly learned how little I really knew.
Illus. Have you ever met a know-it-all? How about a Christian know-it-all?
•They know all the verses/doctrines; everything fits into their perfect black/white box.
Paul was a renowned theologian. If anyone knew the Word, it was him.
•And yet he realized he didn’t know it all yet. He hadn’t attained real perfection.
The first mark of maturity is realizing that we’re not there yet. We don’t know it all.
•We’re still immature and incomplete in our Christian journey.
How can someone be perfect and yet not yet perfect?
The irony of spiritual maturity is that those who think they’ve reached it, in fact haven’t, while those who are reaching for it, may have already achieved it.
The second mark of maturity is…
2. Pressing on in our pursuit of Christ.
15ALL OF US WHO ARE MATURE SHOULD TAKE SUCH A VIEW OF THINGS. What things?
•The things of vv. 7-14; pressing on/pursuing Christ with all our hearts.
Paul realized that all his background was nothing compared to knowing/pursuing Christ.
In other words, he says, “those of us who are mature enough to realize that we’re not fully mature yet, should continue to pursue complete maturity.”
Constantly pursuing Christ is a key mark of spiritual maturity.
There’s a key reason why Paul emphasizes this point of pursuing perfection.
•Some false teachers were saying that we could attain perfection in this life.
•This was an early form of Gnosticism, which basically combined Christianity with pagan philosophy/earthly wisdom, kind of like “nirvana” of Hinduism.
•When we attained perfection, we wouldn’t need to pursue or grow anymore.
•Some went so far as to say that when we had attained “perfection”, what we did with our bodies became irrelevant, which only led to gross immorality.
This heresy was prevalent in Corinth and quite possibly had reached Philippi as well.
Paul sets the record straight by saying that we must constantly strive for spiritual maturity/perfection, all the while realizing that it could never be attained in this life.
Why do we need to pursue Christ if we’re already mature in Christ?
True maturity realizes that we are never completely mature, which implies that we must always continue to pursue Christ.
•We can never rest on our laurels (as we mentioned last week).
A third mark of maturity is found in the second half of v. 15.
3. Asking God for clarity.
AND IF ON SOME POINT YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY (if you have a different attitude), THAT TOO GOD WILL MAKE CLEAR TO YOU.
In other words, if you believe that you already are perfect, God will set you straight.
•Just like He’s done to me again and again.
1 Cor. 3:18 DO NOT DECEIVE YOURSELVES. IF ANY ONE OF YOU THINKS HE IS WISE BY THE STANDARDS OF THIS AGE, HE SHOULD BECOME A “FOOL” SO THAT HE MAY BECOME WISE. 19FOR THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IS FOOLISHNESS IN GOD’S SIGHT.
1 Jn. 1:8 IF WE CLAIM TO BE WITHOUT SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US.
Again, some believers would admit that they’re still sinners, but they really don’t do anything to improve on that.
Real maturity means that we’re humble enough to ask God for clarity.
Illus. Dodge Durango commercial.
•“Honey, don’t you love the extra space and the hemi and the money we saved?”
•“Then why won’t you use the Navigation System?” “Because we’re not lost.”
Guess what? We are lost apart from the grace and wisdom of God.
•That’s why it’s not only okay, it’s critical that we ask God for directions.
A key mark of maturity is asking God for clarity, wisdom, direction, insight.
Let’s take this point a step further.
As you know, there are many denominations and even more doctrines out there.
•Brighter scholars than I am have come up with completely different interpretations.
•Of course, they’re still wrong(!)
How do we deal with those who have different doctrines than we do?
The point is, we must always be asking God to make His Word clear to us.
Acts 17:11 NOW THE BEREANS WERE OF MORE NOBLE CHARACTER THAN THE THESSALONIANS, FOR THEY RECEIVED THE MESSAGE WITH GREAT EAGERNESS AND EXAMINED THE SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY TO SEE IF WHAT PAUL SAID WAS TRUE.
Jas. 1:5 IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, HE SHOULD ASK GOD, WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM.
Don’t take my word or any other scholar’s word for it without searching the Scriptures and asking God.
“Question authority, unless it’s God’s authority.”
For the mature, keep pursuing maturity.
•For the others, ask God for wisdom (which is also pursuing maturity).
Never stop being a student of the Word.
The fourth mark of maturity is found in v. 16.
4. Living up to what we’ve already received.
No matter where you fall in the spectrum of maturity…
16ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED. (memory verse for January)
“Let us walk by/follow the same rule that we have already achieved.”
Phil. 1:27 CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Gal. 5:22-26 The same verb is used in Gal. 5:25. SINCE WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET US KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT. How do we do that? By bearing the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 22ff).
BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, 23GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW.
Paul says keep living according to what you’ve already been taught.
•Keep walking in the same path. Keep pursuing Christ. Keep pursuing maturity.
•Don’t get misled by false teachers who would have you think you’ve already made it.
No matter how mature you are, live up to what you’ve already attained.
Let me take this a step further. What is it we have attained? What have we received?
•For starters, we’ve received eternal life by giving our lives to Jesus Christ.
•We’ve received complete forgiveness for our sins.
•We’ve received the Holy Spirit as our guide/intercessor and deposit of our salvation.
•We’ve received blessing after blessing, the peace that passes understanding.
•We’ve received the joy of the Lord, the hope of glory.
•We’ve received comfort, encouragement, mercy, grace, and wisdom from above.
Look at all we have attained thus far! What are we doing in return?
Illus. Have you seen the new Verizon commercial?
•Dad comes to the kitchen and talks with his 2 kids.
•“Let’s review. You got the new cherry chocolate cell phone with MP3 player.”
•“And you got the new EnV with text messaging.”
•“And you both got the network. What did Dad get?”
•“After shave?” “No, Dad got hosed!”
Doesn’t sound like an even trade, does it?
•I wonder what would happen if we applied that to our spiritual lives?
•With all that God has given us, what have we given Him in return?
Too many believers have the idea that Christianity is all about receiving.
•“I come here to have my needs met, to make me feel good.”
•“I follow Christ so He can protect me and encourage me and give me eternal life.”
The Christian life is also about giving – being a living sacrifice for Him.
•Putting others needs and His desires above our own.
•About being His hands, His voice in this lost world.
What have we given Him?
•Have we given Him our whole heart?
•Have we given Him first place in every area of our lives?
•Are we pursuing Him like He pursued us?
•Are we straining ahead and pressing on to know Him more and more?
•Are we constantly seeking wisdom from His Word?
•Are we giving Him the best of our time, our talents, and our treasures?
•Are we living up to what we have already attained?
I wonder if God’s getting hosed. If He’s getting the short end of the stick.
15ALL OF US WHO ARE MATURE SHOULD TAKE SUCH A VIEW OF THINGS. AND IF ON SOME POINT YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY, THAT TOO GOD WILL MAKE CLEAR TO YOU. 16ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED.
This begs the question, am I mature? Of course, we’d all like to say we are.
No one likes to be told to grow up. But let me ask you this:
•Do you realize you’re not complete yet?
•Are you pressing on in your pursuit of Christ?
•Are you asking God for clarity?
•Are you living up to what you’ve already attained?
Those are the marks of real maturity.
No matter where we’re at in our spiritual maturity, there’s always room for more.
You see, real maturity really begins with humility.
•It begins with admitting we’re not there yet, that we need direction/guidance.
•It continues with living up to what we’ve already attained and received.
Let me challenge you with these three questions:
Am I mature? Or at least getting there? Am I making progress?
Am I living up to His standards for me? Am I conducting myself in a worthy manner?
What am I giving God? Is He getting hosed?
The Bottom Line: Maturity isn’t about being perfect, it’s about becoming perfect.
Prayer
Hymn 675 (Read first) I Gave My Life for Thee (vv. 1,4)
Power Point and Sermon Outline are available by emailing the author.
