How Do We Mature?
TalkbyMatthewTingblad,adaptedforPrintAtJoshMcDowellMinistry,wedomorethansimplygivereasonstohelpothersbeconfidentthatthe Christianmessageistrue.WealsoseektohelpbelieversaligntheirlivestoGod'snatureandcharacter. Inotherwords,wewanttohelppeoplebecomemorelikeChrist. Butifourgoalisspiritualmaturity,wemustask:How?HowdowematureasChristians?What isthejourney?
Thesequestions,thoughforsomeseeminglysimpletoanswer,canbecomeverychallengingon apracticallevel.Imaginethatyouareinleadershipatyourlocalchurch.Afriendcomesuptoyouand says,"Ineedhelp.Idon'tloveGodasIshould.Ifeellikemyfaithisweak.Ihavethesethoughtsand behaviorsandattitudesthatarenotgood.I'vebeentryingtofixmyselfandbecomeabetterChristian, butit'sjustnotworking.WhatdoIdo?"
PerhapsyouransweristoreadtheBible.That’snotabadresponse.Indeed,Godtransformsus throughHisWord.Butwhathappensifyourfriendrespondsbysaying,"I'malreadyreadingmyBible!" Howmightyoureply?ReadyourBiblemore?Readitmoreintensely?Memorizeversesorpassages?
ReadingtheBibledoesnotguaranteespiritualgrowthormaturity.Thereareatheistand agnosticprofessorsteachingatsecularuniversitieswhomakeittheirlife'sworktoreadandinterpret theBible.Butdespitetheiracquaintancewithit,theymaymoveevenfurtherfromGod.It’spossibleto readtheBibleinan“unChristian”way.ThereisavastdifferencebetweenreadingtheBibleasan ancienthistoricalbook,andreadingtheBibleasScripture .
PerhapsyoutellyourstrugglingfriendtoprayandaskGodtohelphimgrowinhisfaith.Again, that’sagoodanswer.Butwhatdoyoudoifyourfriendreplies,“I'malreadypraying!”Doyousaypray more,prayharder,praymorefervently?Whathappenswhenwefinishourprayersandsay,“Amen”? DowethenwaitonGod?Ordowetakeaction?
AnothersuggestionforyourstrugglingChristianfriendisfellowship.Youcouldadvisehimto gotochurchandserveothers.This,too,isagoodanswer.ManyChristiansdon'tunderstandthe importanceofChristianfellowship;theytrytogrowtheirspiritualmaturityintheirownlittleworlds. Butwhatifyourfriendisalreadyinvolvedinthechurchcommunity?Afterall,therearepeople whogrewupexperiencinggoodcommunityingoodchurches,yetstillfeelfarfromGod.Whyisthat?
According to the Spirit
Scripture,prayer,andgatheringinfellowshipwithotherbelieversareessentialcomponentsof Christiangrowth.Butwecandothesethingsintheflesh(byourownhumanefforts,apartfromGod), ratherthanintheSpirit.Itisunfortunatewhenanewbelieverisimmediatelygivenato-dolistof spiritualpractices,withoutanyexplanationofhowtoengageinthesepracticesinawaythat stimulatesspiritualmaturity.
PracticeslikeprayerandScripturereading,thoughessentialforChristiangrowth,canbeeasily turnedintolegalism.ThishappenedtotheGalatians,whobecamelegalisticwithJewishpractices. ConsiderPaul’sstrongrebuketothem:
“YoufoolishGalatians!Whohasbewitchedyou?BeforeyourveryeyesJesusChristwasclearly portrayedascrucified.Iwouldliketolearnjustonethingfromyou:DidyoureceivetheSpirit bytheworksofthelaw,orbybelievingwhatyouheard?Areyousofoolish?Afterbeginningby meansoftheSpirit,areyounowtryingtofinishbymeansoftheflesh?”Galatians3:1–3(NIV)
WeallstruggleinourwalkwithGod.Sometimestheseverityofourstruggleresultsfromour upbringinginchurch.Generallyspeaking,Protestantslikemyselftendto“front-load”theGospel.That is,wetendtofocusonwhathappensatthebeginningoftheGospel,themomentitsbeautyfirst penetratesourlivesandweacceptChrist.Thisisn’tnecessarilywrong;alothappensthemomentwe acceptChristintoourlives!ButwemustnotlosesightofwhattheGospelmeansforourongoinglife asChristians,intheSpirit,aswebecomemoreandmorelikeChrist. ThispaperaimstoclarifyhowChristianmaturityworks,sothatwegrowinChristaccordingto God’sdesign.Mypresentationisdividedintothreesections.First,wewillbrieflysurveyfour
inadequateapproachestohowspiritualmaturitydevelops.Second,wewilldiscusswhatIbelievetobe thebiblicalunderstandingofhowspiritualmaturityworks.Andthird,wewillconcludebyexamining howprayer,readingtheBible,andotherspiritualpracticesfitintothismodelofspiritualmaturity.
Part 1: Four Inadequate Approaches to Spiritual Maturity
Eachofusisaspiritualtheologian.Bythat,Imeanthatweallhaveanideainourhead,anunwritten contractofhowwethinkGodissupposedtointeractwithus.Wemight,consciouslyorunconsciously, beusingoneofthesefourinadequateapproacheswithGod:
The Passive Approach
ThefirstisthepassiveapproachtoGod.ThisisthebeliefthatGoddoesalltheworktochangeus,and weareentirelypassive.Weconsiderouractionstobeirrelevanttoourspiritualmaturity.Sowemight choosetoreadourBible—ornot .Wemightchoosetopray—ornot .BecausewebelieveGodproduces ourtransformation,wethinkwecanjustsitbackandliveourlife.
Ifthisapproachseemstoooutlandish,considerhowsomeChristiansfunctionallyholdtothis passiveapproach.Perhapstheyturntheireyestoheavenandsay,"God,takethissinawayfromme!" Buttheycontinueintheirsinfulways,expectingGodtofixthingsinHistiming.Perhapstheirsinis repeatedlyviewingpornography.TheyshrugtheirshouldersandexpectGodtoremovetheirdesireif Hethinksit’swrong.
ThisisnottosaythatGoddoesn’tdirectlychangeussometimes.WeobservethatHedoes workinpeople'slivesthisway,especiallyatthebeginningoftheirChristianwalk.Itiscommonplace forapersontoreceiveJesus,andthenacoupleofmonthsin,theyfindthemselvessurprisedathow muchtheychanged.ButthispassiveapproachisnotmeanttobenormativefortheChristianlife.At somepointinourspiritualjourney,Godexpectsustomovefromspiritualmilktosolidfood(seeHeb. 5:11–14).
The Willpower Approach
ThesecondisthewillpowerapproachtoGod.Thisistheoppositeofthepassiveapproach.Here,God doesnothingtochangeus,andwedoeverything.Itisourjobtobecomespirituallymature.Weread ourBibleandpray,butwetreattheseactivitiesasifweareatthegym.Ifweidentifyasinissueinour lives,itisourjobtofixit.
Thisapproachreducesspiritualmaturitytobecominga“moral”person.Butwhenholiness becomesbehaviormodification,whatisthepointofGod?Atbest,Godbecomesourpersonaltrainer, pointingoutstuffweneedtodealwithinourownpower.Manyatheistsarekeenonthisbankrupt approachtoGod."Youdon'tneedGodtobeamoralperson,"theyargue.
Indeed,manypeoplewhodon’tknowGodliveinwaysourworldviewsasvirtuous.Butiflife withGodisgoingtohaveanydegreeofmeaning,itmustdifferfromwhatispossiblewithoutHim. ThewillpowerapproachisscarybecauseChristianscanbereallygoodatit—evenastheir heartsarefarfromGod.Withoutproperdiscernment,wemightlookuptothesepeople.Wemight admirethem.Wemightevengivethempromotionsatchurch.
Butwemustnotassumeaperson’sspiritualmaturitybyoutwardappearance.
Let’snotforgetJesus'scriticismtothePhariseesinMatthew23:27:“Woetoyou,teachersofthe lawandPharisees,youhypocrites!Youarelikewhitewashedtombs,whichlookbeautifulonthe outsidebutontheinsidearefullofthebonesofthedeadandeverythingunclean.”
WhatashockHiscriticismmusthavebeentothem.Fromtheiringrainedcultureoflegalistic moralism,thePhariseesviewedthemselvesasthetrulyrighteousones.Theylookedspiritual,butthey werespirituallydeadinside.
The Mind-Power Approach
Thethirdisthemind-powerapproachtoGod.Thoseusingthisapproachthink:"IfIcanjustknow enoughaboutGod,I'llbecomespirituallymature.”“IfIcrackthecodebetweenGod'ssovereigntyand freewillI’llbespirituallymature.”“IfImemorizethebookofJamesI’llbespirituallymature.”“IfIwrite atheologicalessaydescribinghowvariousChristologicalheresiesinfluencedtheChalcedonian definitionof451A.D.,thenI'llbespirituallymature.”
Themindpowerapproachisverytemptingformyselfandotherswhohavetheprivilegeto studytheology.ItcertainlybecameanissueforthePhariseesandJewishteachersinthetimeofJesus. HiscriticismoftheminJohn5:39–40:"YoustudytheScripturesdiligentlybecauseyouthinkthatin themyouhaveeternallife.ThesearetheveryScripturesthattestifyaboutme,yetyourefusetocome tometohavelife."
Manywhoholdthemind-powerapproachassumethatthespirituallyeducatedmustbe spirituallymature.PerhapsthisiswhysomanyareshakenwhenbrilliantChristianleadersfallinto sin.KnowledgeofGodisgood,butitisnotthesameasspiritualmaturity.
Iamnotadvocatingthatweshouldcarryapessimisticsuspicionofeveryone'sspirituality. Jesustaughtustorecognizefalseprophetsbytheirfruit(Matt.17:15–20).Wejustneedtomakesure we’relookingattherightfruit.
The Quid Pro Quo Approach
ThefourthisthequidproquoapproachtoGod.“Quidproquo”isaLatintermthatmeans“thisfor that.”It’stheI-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mineapproachtoGod.It’sablendingofthepassiveand willpowerapproachestoGod.
PeoplefollowingthisapproachusetheirwillpowertoreadtheirBible,pray,andgotochurch— asafavortoGod .TheyworktogetonGod'sgoodsidesothatHewillrewardthemwithspiritual maturity.I'vebeengood.Godwillrewardme.Hemustrewardme.Godowesme.
GodbasicallybecomesSantaClause.WeseeanexampleofthisapproachintheBibleparable oftheprodigalson,orwhatIliketocallthe“parableofthetwolostsons.”
InLuke15,Jesusteachesaboutasonwhotookhisfather'sinheritance,ranaway,and squanderedit.Later,steepedinpovertyandshame,hereturnshome.Seeinghissonatadistance,the fatherrunstohim,embraceshim,andcelebrateshisreturn.Buthisolderbrotherrefusestojointhe celebration.Heangrilysaystohisfather,“Look!AlltheseyearsI’vebeenslavingforyouandnever disobeyedyourorders.YetyounevergavemeevenayounggoatsoIcouldcelebratewithmyfriends.”
Theoldersonassumedhehadaquidproquorelationshipwithhisfather,whomhefeltwas nowfailingtoupholdhisend.Hisfatherreplies,“Myson…youarealwayswithme,andeverythingI
haveisyours.”Clearly,somethingwasn’trightwiththequid-pro-quoapproach,andthefatherwas pleadingwithhissontorelatetohiminanotherway.
Part 2: How Does Spiritual Maturity Really Work?
Onereasonwesoeasilyfallintotheseinadequateapproachesisthatwehavenotgivenmuchthought tothefundamentalissuesofspiritualmaturity.Beforewejumpintotheproperapproach,let’sdiscuss howspiritualtransformationactuallyworksinthelivesofBelievers.
The Biblical Paradigm of Transformation
WhenIthinkofbecomingabetterdoerofGod'sword,Ifindinmyownheartthat“truth”and“grace” tendtofighteachother.I’mlefttryingnottoleantoofarineitherdirection.Thisbalancingactis commonamongBelievers.
Ontheonehand,wefeelthepulltodosomethings—andstopdoingothers.Butwealsodon’t wanttobetoohardonourselvesbecauseweknowthatJesusforgivesoursins.It’slikeweimagineGod tellingus,“Dothesethings!Butdon’tbealegalistaboutit,becausethere’sgrace!Butyoushouldstill dothesethings!Butthere’smercy!”Backandforthwetilt.
Wedonotsolvethisstrugglebyfindingaperfect“sweetspot”betweengraceandtruth.When weseePaulandothersinScripturebeckoningthechurchtoliveinaparticularway,theydon'tdish outcommandsandthen“levelitout”bytackingongrace.ConsiderthispassageinColossians:
SinceyouhavebeenraisedtonewlifewithChrist,setyoursightsontherealitiesofheaven, whereChristsitsintheplaceofhonoratGod’srighthand.Thinkaboutthethingsofheaven, notthethingsofearth.Foryoudiedtothislife,andyourreallifeishiddenwithChristinGod.
(Colossians3:1–3NLT)
Wemaywonderwhatitmeanstosetoursightsontherealitiesofheaven.Forourpurposes, noticehowPaulpresentshisappealtotheColossianchurch.First,Paulsays,“setyoursightsonthe realitiesofheaven.”Whydoeshesaythis?
It’sbecausewe“havebeenraisedtonewlifewithChrist,”andheavenistheplace“whereChrist sits.”PaulistellingustosetoursightsontherealitiesofheavenbecausethatiswhereChristhas placeduswithHimself.
Thesecondimperativeofthispassageisto“thinkaboutthethingsofheaven,notthethingsof earth.”Whyshouldwethinkaboutthethingsofheaven?Putbluntly,it’sbecausewearedead!“Foryou diedtothislife,andyourreallifeishiddenwithChristinGod.”
Connecting Identity With Action
Thisapproachtotransformationisquitedifferentfromfeelingtheweightofacommandtodo something,andtryingtobalancetheweightwithahealthysenseofGod’sgrace.Wemaywonder:How doesPaul'slogicevenfollow?WhywouldbeingwithChristinheavenimplythatweshouldsetour sightsonheaven?
TheanswerhastodowithouridentityasChristians.Identityiswhoyouareinlightofwho GodisandwhatHehasdoneforyou.IntheBible,identityisnotbestowedonustoimproveourselfimage(thoughitcertainlycan!).Identityfunctionsasaprincipleandmotivatorforhowwearetolive. ConsiderhowPaulreferencesidentityinthebookofColossiansasawhole.Chapter1isoneof themoststunningpassagesonthesupremacyofChrist(whoGodis).Heisthe“imageoftheinvisible God,”andthe“firstbornoverallcreation.”Chapter2tellsuswhoweareinlightofwhoGodis. Colossians2:10(ESV)says,“andyouhavebeenfilledinHim,whoistheheadofallruleandauthority.”
PauladdsthatwearecircumcisedwiththecircumcisionofChrist(v.11),weareraisedwithChrist throughfaith(v.12),andwearemadealivewithChrist(v.13).FromtheendofChapter2,untiltheend oftheletter,wearetoldhowtoliveasChristians.
ThisistheBiblicalapproachtotransformation.Whenyouknowwhoyouare,youstartto behaveaccordingly.
ThetransformativepowerofidentityisnotuniquetoColossians.Thereareastrikingnumber ofimperativestatementsintheNewTestamentthatareintentionallysituatedrightnexttoidentity
statements.Forinstance,1Thessalonians5:5-6(NIV)says,"Youareallchildrenofthelightand childrenoftheday.Wedonotbelongtothenightortothedarkness.Sothen,letusnotbelikeothers, whoareasleep,butletusbeawakeandsober.”Theconnection:aswearepeopleoftheday,let’slive likepeopleoftheday.
AnotherexampleisEphesians4:1whichsays,"AsaprisonerfortheLord,then,Iurgeyoutolive alifeworthyofthecallingyouhavereceived.”AnotherexampleisGalatians5:25:"Sincewelivebythe Spirit,letuskeepinstepwiththeSpirit."
AsJoshMcDowellhasnoted,"Youdon'tbecomeanewpersonbychangingyourbehavior;you discoverthepersonyoualreadyareinChristandbehaveaccordingly."
Thelinkagebetweenidentityandapplicationmakessenseevenonthenaturallevel.For example,ifItrulybelievethatthegameofsoccerisinmyblood,thatIamanathlete,andthatsocceris abigpartofmyidentity,youcouldexpectthatIwillplaymyheartoutonthesoccerfield.If,onthe otherhand,Idon’tbelievethatIcanplaywell,eventhoughIpossessthephysicalspeedand coordination,howwelldoyouthinkIwouldperformgivenmynegativeattitude?
Transformed Through Identity
OurknowledgeofhowGodusesidentitytochangeuscanbeappliedtopracticallyanyscenariowhere wefindourselvestemptedtosin.
Whatifthenexttimeyoufelttemptedtolookatpornography,yousaidtoyourself,"Whata minute.Goddidnotcreatemetotakepleasureinthis.WhatamIdoing?”Whatifthenexttimeyou feltimpatientwithacustomeratwork,yousaidtoyourself,“Whataminute.IhavetheSpiritofpeace insideme.”Whatifthenexttimeyoufelttemptedtocheat,steal,lie,oractfromprideorgreedor jealousy,yousaid,“Holdup!”andquotedRomans6:2(ESV):“Howcanwewhodiedtosinstilllivein it?”
AsChristians,ouridentityissoimportant.InJoshMcDowell’sbookSeeYourselfasGodSees
You,threepagesarededicatedtolistingoutthetruthofouridentityastaughtinScripture.Asample:
IhavepeacewithGod(Rom.5:1).
IamachildofGod(John1:12).
IamindwelledbytheHolySpirit(1Cor.3:16).
IhaveaccesstoGod’swisdom(James1:5).
IamhelpedbyGod(Heb.4:16).
IamreconciledtoGod(Rom.5:11).
IamnotcondemnedbyGod(Rom.8:1).
Iamjustified(Rom5:1).
IhaveChrist’srighteousness(Rom.5:19;2Cor.5:21).
WhatifBelieverslivedintothesetruths?Howwouldthatchangethefabricofchurchlife?How wouldthatchangeourconfidencetoliveintoeverythingGodhascalledustobe?
Iremembergoingoutevangelizingasacollegestudent,buttheexperienceofsharingmyfaith withothersfeltterriblyforcedandunnaturaltome.ButthenIrecognizedmyidentity:Godhasmade meacitizenofHeavenandanambassadorforHisname(Phil.3:20;2Cor.5:18).WhenGodplacedthis truthinmyheart,InoticedaremarkabledifferenceasIsharedmyfaith.
Sometimeswehaveaself-degradingmindsetthatfiltershowweinterprettheBible.I sometimeshearChristiansfeelingbeatupbytheirmisunderstandingof1Corinthians6:9-10:
"OrdoyounotknowthattheunrighteouswillnotinheritthekingdomofGod?Donotbe deceived:neitherthesexuallyimmoral,noridolaters,noradulterers,normenwhopractice homosexuality,northieves,northegreedy,nordrunkards,norrevilers,norswindlerswill inheritthekingdomofGod."(ESV)
ManyChristiansreadthispassageandthink,"OhmyGosh!That’sme!I'msexuallyimmoral! I'mgreedy!I'madrunkard!"No.IfChristhasredeemedyou,thatisnotyou.Readthenextverse:"And suchweresomeofyou.Butyouwerewashed,youweresanctified,youwerejustifiedinthenameofthe LordJesusChristandbytheSpiritofourGod”(v.11).Thatisyouridentity!
SomeChristiancommunitieshavedevelopedaculturethatconsidersitappropriatetolobselfdemeaninglanguageuponthemselves.Theymightsay,“Iamapoor,wretched,broken,sinfulworm.” Thispostureseemsmotivatedbythenobledesiretoremainhumbleandrecognizehowsindeeply
affectshumanity.ButPaulpreferredtheword“saint”toaddresshisfellowBelievers(Eph.1:1;Phil1:1; Col.1:2).
WearenotpridefulinacknowledgingthatwhatScripturesaysaboutusistrue.Ouridentityis entirelyfundedbythefactthatweare“inChrist.”BecauseoftheamazinggraceofChrist,whodied andwasresurrected,Hisperfectlifebecomesourown.WearefilledwithHim. Dowecontinuetosin?Yes.Doweconfessthesethingsandreckonwithoursinfultendencies “thatsoeasilyentangles”(Heb12:1)?Yes,wedo.AsChristians,wedonotdenywhatisrealinourlives. Butwefixoureyesonwhatisevenmorereal.Wefixoureyesonthenewselfthatisraisedtonewlife withChrist.Wesetoutsightsontherealitiesofheaven!
How Does Identity Get Into Our Soul?
Ifknowledgeofouridentityiscrucialforourtransformation,arewetosimplylearneverythingwecan aboutidentity?Thismayseemsensible,butitalsosoundssuspiciouslylikethemind-powerapproach discussedearlier.Weneedtonotjustknowouridentity;weneedto“absorb”it.ConsiderwhatPaul saysin1Corinthians2:13–14(NLT):
Whenwetellyouthesethings,wedonotusewordsthatcomefromhumanwisdom.Instead, wespeakwordsgiventousbytheSpirit,usingtheSpirit’swordstoexplainspiritualtruths.But peoplewhoaren’tspiritualcan’treceivethesetruthsfromGod’sSpirit.Itallsoundsfoolishto themandtheycan’tunderstandit,foronlythosewhoarespiritualcanunderstandwhatthe Spiritmeans.
PaulissayingthatwhatheandotherapostlesproclaimwithChrist’sauthorityisspiritualby nature,soitmustbeunderstoodinaspiritualway.Youcannot“educate”yourselfintowhatPaulis teaching.Themind-powerapproachisaboutknowledgeinyourhead.Knowingandlivingyour identityisabouttruthinyourheart.
KnowledgeofGodandScriptureisgood,butitdoesnotmakeusmature.WeneedtheSpiritof GodtorevealthemindofChristinus.