Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection…Heb 6:1 (KJV)
The word rendered ‘perfection’ in the above text is called “adult understanding, spiritual maturity & mature teaching” by some other translations. That is to say every saint is required to make spiritual progress. After the new birth experience, you become a baby in Christ no matter your age, but you should not remain a baby forever, you must grow. No one gives a Mercedes Benz key to a 3 year old kindergarten. He will kill himself. He will use that same key to open his grave.
Galatians 4:1(J.B.Phillips)
But you must realize that so long as an heir is a child, though he is destined to be the master of everything. He is in practice, no difference from a servant.
Children cannot handle valuable properties. In the physical, kids are not allowed to use breakable plates – they may destroy the plate and wound themselves with the broken pieces. Similarly spiritual treasures are breakable, they cannot be handled by spiritual kindergarten
Eccl. 10:16
Woe to thee, O Land when thy king is a child…
Babies are automatically disqualified from the throne unless the land is under a curse. Anyone who want to get to his throne and receive the key to heavenly treasures, therefore, must labour to grow.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…
A child is a gift, a son is a reward. In order words sonship in the kingdom is worked for. It is an attainment for every one who want to make spiritual progress.Do you want to grow? Then you must make some specific effort .
HOW DO YOU MEASURE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS?
1. Knowledge of the will of God
Spiritual kindergartens are most times confused when important steps are to be taken. They find it difficult to know the mind of God. It is a sign of progress to be able to discern and walk in the perfect will of God.
Heb 5:13-14
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness. For he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Spiritual Adults have enough exposure to know what the father wants and what he dislikes. Apostle John in one of his epistles was addressing spiritual fathers and he said “they have known him”.
If any saint still goes about giving prayer points in order that he might know and do the will of God, he is a babe and not worthy of honour. Children are not honoured even if they win an award (like the first baby of the year):rather it is presented to their parents. Give a cash award or cheque to a month old baby,he will put it in his mouth and tear it into pieces.
2. Crisis Management
The story was told by a preacher of a young school boy who is only accustomed to local athletic competition where the officials use whistle. At a particular time he was to be involved in a more advanced competition and the official shot a gun into the air signifying “Go”, the poor boy ran away thinking it was a gun-shot aimed at hurting them!
Babes, inexperienced saints, not used to the sound of the gun will easily collapse in crisis.
How much pressure you can withstand before you crumble and cry is a pointer to your spiritual level.
Prov 24:10
If thou faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small
The days of adversity exists to test your strength. It takes maturity to relax and sing genuine praises when thieves burgle your house and cart away many valuables. Spiritual babes will cry, murmur and even be tempted to stop going to church. In practical sense, your spiritual maturity could be measured by what make you cry, get angry or lose your temper. Kids weep when you step on their toes. It will be pure folly for an housewife to start wailing because somebody kicked her legs.If insignificant things make you cry,you are a baby in Christ even if you gave your life to Jesus 20years ago!
3. Level of Holiness
Matt 5:20
For I say unto you except your righteousness shall EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
Holiness is in levels, righteousness is in degrees. The scripture above used the word exceed, meaning righteousness exceed righteousness. True growth will be characterized by increasing level of holy living – which is a function of some factors
i. Ability to Control Ones Tongue:The tongue is a unique world of iniquity, it is the secret agent of Satan in man’s habitation. Anyone who could master the tongue will live a life that satisfies God
James 3:2
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in world, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Every word uttered by man either adds to or remove from his spiritual value. Most words spoken however have negative impact. In fact, much words amount to much sins."for in the multitude of words there wanteth no sin".
ii. Ability to live above Spiritual Sins: Sins such as gluttony, envy, laziness, pride, anger, hatred, may not immediately remove your name from the book of life but they no doubt reduce your heavenly status and serve to strip you of spiritual dignity.
Holiness is not living without heavy weight sins as stealing, murder, adultery etc but the ability to live above the “little foxes”
2Cor 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all the filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfection holiness in the fear of God.
Holiness is not holiness until the filthiness of the spirit, which may not be visible to fellow human beings are taken care of.
iii. Ability to Separate from Worldly Friends and Association:"Those who walk with wise shall be wise, but companions of fools shall b destroyed". No one can live a holy life without separating from the world. There is a corrupting influence in the world and the extent to which you are separated, to that extent, will you be able to deny ungodliness.
The more you move towards God, the greater will be your distance from mortal men. Your distance from the "world" will tell others how close you are to God.
4. God Given Responsibility
No one will send children on important errands. God will give you responsibilities commensurate to your spiritual weight. If you tell a 2year old kid to carry a cement block, he will fall and be wounded. But he can safely give him a rubber plate to carry.
In Haggai 2:4, we understand that those who are strong will work.
Daniel 11:32
… But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploit.
The degree of exploits you are assigned to do depends on your spiritual strength.
5. Knowledge of the Devices of the Devil
Spiritual grownups will easily discern whenever the devil is in operation. A little quarrel, a seemingly harmless argument may go without notice and degenerate into strife and church division.It will take those who are closer to God who knows the handiwork of the enemy to go quickly into action to counteract it.
2Cor 2:11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Kindergartens in Christ will always find somebody to blame if anything unpalatable happens without recognizing the presence of the “third personality”.(1Cor 14:20, 1Chr 13:11)
6. Intensity of Love
It takes real spiritual maturity to exhibit genuine love. If you find it difficult to forgive your enemies and forget their misdeeds you are still a baby no matter your spiritual position.
At the verge of death from the hand of his adversaries, Stephen could still pray: Lord lay not this sin to their charge. That’s maturity. Kids in God cannot pray for their enemies, neither would they be able to bless their persecutors.
7. Degree of Fruitfulness
2Cor 9:10
. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
You can only measure yourself by how easy it is for you to overcome temptation. It takes spiritual maturity to run from from ladies as Joseph did in the house of Potiphar his master.
Friends, how often are you tempted? How often do you come out of temptation smiling and giving praise to God? I adjure you to put yourself in Gods spiritual mass balance and measure yourself.
2Cor 13:5
Examine yourself, whether ye be in faith, prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
As you examine yourselves, make up your mind to grow. If you don’t grow in God, you will groan in life. May His grace remain on you.
