Levels of Maturity
1 John 2:12-14
Ill. The work of Japanese painter Hokusai spanned many years before his death in 1849 at age 89. But toward the end of his life, the artist dismissed as nothing all the work he had done before age 50. It was only after he reached 70 that he felt he was turning out anything worthy of note. On his deathbed Hokusai lamented, "If heaven had granted me five more years, I could have become a real painter."
If I can live five more years, maybe I could become a mature Christian. How can we determine how mature we are spiritually?
Pro 20:11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
1Jn 2:12-14 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
This lesson is important for leaders of a Church to grasp. I hope our focus today is not on other people. The goal of this lesson is not to test your insight in putting names to each maturity level. It is best served if we each look within ourselves, focus on what we need, and grow a little.
It is also hoped that we see the maturing of believers as a task of the Church and the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to offer what these growing ones need at every level.
The Significance of the Rolls in the Kingdom: (In order of maturity)
1. Paidion: Infants, verse 13. "Because you know the Father."
New converts who are just learning, compared to babies who have just learned to recognize the father.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
"I write to you, children, because you know the Father." These understand their parents, but not really their siblings. There are those in our congregation that don't know much theology. They cannot defend the faith, win over temptation, control their earthly passions. They are dependent upon others, need love and attention, but are helpless in the battle. But they believe their relationship with God is all they need, with no Church or little Church.
Gal 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
John was very affectionate towards these. They typically represent new converts, but in reality, there are many long-time Christians who have not matured beyond this phase. The Hebrews writer pointed out the lack of growth in some believers.
Heb 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
This one has no spiritual teeth to sink into meaty teachings. In a Bible class, this one may say they got nothing from it, and that may be true.
Interesting enough, the Apostle Paul said something similar.
1Co 3:1-3 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
An infant clings to Christianity, but also holds to the natural, carnal ways of dealing with life and offenses, and is powerless to the passions of this world. (Whitney Houston may be an example).
John's desire for these infants was to grow up. That is our desire, but to help mature these infants, we must bear offenses, model supernatural living power, teach the truth, pray for these and trust the Holy Spirit to spur them along.
Our thanksgiving about this level is this, that you do not have to understand it all to experience it. Praise God, for we were once all infants in Christ.
2. Teknon: Toddlers, verse 12. "because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake."
Toddlers still live in a self-centered world. They can, however, learn and respond to discipline in a rudimentary way. They are able to eat more types of foods, but you have to clean up after them. Toddlers are messy by nature and leave a mess where ever they go. Their childishness, antics, messes and selfishness are tolerated to a degree. They remain part of the family because by nature of rebirth, their sins are forgiven for Jesus' sake. They understand brothers and sisters and prefer them to strangers. They get Church. These toddlers need patience, sound and firm discipline, instruction, roll models, teaching and truth, and more patience.
In Acts 20, Paul was getting ready to return to Jerusalem. He speaks to the elders of the Church, describing the example he lived before them. Act 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Paul told the Romans, Rom 14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
Toddlers have a tendency to get into squabbles about rights, possessions, desires and anything else. They don't fight fair and tend to be selfish and irrational in their justification.
Here is a baby fight.
Jas 4:1-3 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
This is to be expected, but we are called to be patient and instructive.
Rom 15:1-4 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Pro 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
We must live by extra rules not to offend the weak: 1Co 8:9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
We are to grasp the depths of 2Co_12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Also, 1Th_5:14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
3. Neaniskos, young person (man) in verses 13 and 14.
"because you have overcome the evil one.... because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one."
Young men are growing towards maturity and are involved in the battle. They often have more enthusiasm and energy than they have wisdom. If they are strong because the Word abides in them, they have experienced victory over the rudimentary elements of the flesh and this world. They are gaining experience in "overcoming the evil one".
These are warriors, workers, and servants in the Church. These get the work done, and where there is an absence of these, the battle suffers. These can be excellent teachers if they continue to learn.
1Co 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
But there are cautions to go with these willing and eager Christians. A friend asked me why the military sent 18-22 year olds to war? He says, "Anyone over 25 has more sense than to storm up a hill filled with enemy combatants. Young people have more moxie than sense sometimes and our military takes advantage of this." I am not going to confirm this or refute this, but consider the one time God tells Christian soldiers to retreat.
2Ti 2:22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Obviously, Paul was telling Timothy that there were battles to avoid. We must watch out for our warriors because they will tend to get over their heads. They will focus on the battle and not their source of strength. We must be aware of this and guide them through this.
Obviously, the temptation to lust for a young person is a perfect example of this. Many a warrior has fallen to the power of lust, passion, sex, and romance. Fleeing that temptation to fight tomorrow is wise counsel.
The strength of this age group is found in the Scriptures. To encourage this one to commit to the Word is the greatest help we can give them. The more the Word abides in them, the more victorious they will be.
Also, like teenagers, these tend to believe they have arrived in maturity. They believe that a focus on the battle is the ultimate. They may be a little unteachable, especially by one who has pulled away from the battle. They may be judgmental of those beyond them and especially those who have not attained the "battle-focused" life.
4. Pater, matured believers in verses 13 and 14.
"because you know him who is from the beginning."
They know God through Jesus Christ. The Greek word, "Ginosko" indicates that they know educationally and by personal experience. They not only possess knowledge of Jesus Christ, but have become like Him.
People will not say of these, "They have always been like this." Instead, people will recognize the mutation of personality, love and maturity to remind people of God. That mutation is seen in all of the maturity levels.
These have matured passed the self-centered inward focus of the infant. They have matured passed the world focus of the toddler. They have matured passed the work and task focus of the warrior. They now focus on Him, knowing Him, being like Him.
Please grasp this; they have passed from focusing on being like Him, which is part of our battle. They want to know Him so well, He becomes their identity.
Rom 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
To know Him is to know His love. Eph 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
For this one, there are works, and there is fruit. The emphasis, however is not upon the works or the fruit, but on a longing to KNOW Him more. Those who believe they can know Him without fruit or getting involved in the battle of rescuing lives are deceived infants.
1Jn 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
Mature Christians want to stand by Christ's side in the battle every step of the way. Php 3:8-11 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
One word of caution. You can not force maturity. You cannot jump steps. You cannot say, "OK, I am going to forget everything but to know Christ."
There is a reason for every stage of Christian development or God would not have included it. You can seek to be more mature, but be patient with your own spiritual development. God can be trusted with your development. That is why Paul told the Philippians, "Php 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Ill.Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle's nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That's when the mother eagle begins "stirring up the nest." With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior.
