SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS LACKING

  SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS LACKING

                                                          By W. G. Guy

          Why is spiritual maturity lacking today in most of those who claim to be Christians? What is spiritual maturity? Spiritual maturity is when the image of Christ is formed, and seen, in believers.

Colossians 1:27 – To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Romans 8:29 – For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

          Is Christ really seen in Christians today? Is His character and nature manifesting in those who claim Him as Lord and Savior? If not, why not? Jesus set certain specific types of ministers in His church for the very purpose of developing spiritual maturity in believers. This maturity is to bring us to the full measure of the stature (or form and image) of Christ.

Ephesians 4:10-15 – He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. (When did Jesus give these ministry gifts? ....after He ascended.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Their purpose is) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (by false preacers, teachers and prophets – wolves in sheep’s clothing); But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, (in spiritual maturity) which is the head, even Christ:

          The problem that has caused this lack of spiritual maturity in Christians is the Institutionalized Religious System, (or I.R.S.), the church that man built and has rejected, or dismissed, the purpose and function of these God ordained ministries of Apostles and Prophets, and reduced Teachers to Sunday School and left the Evangelist to be on their own and not a function within the church. The only ones left in the IRS are the priests or pastors; but these are not equipped to complete the work that Jesus and the Father require.

          Thus believers are not being taught the full council of God, leaving them limited in the knowledge of God and His Word. This is not something new, but goes back in time as recorded in the Book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 5:11-14 – Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 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, (spiritually mature) even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

(Note: being properly equipped in the Word gives you the ability to better discern what is of God, and what is of the devil: or good and evil.)

          In my own experience, I remember the many years I spent in my Independent Baptist Church; every Sunday hearing a message on salvation, as if that was the only thing that the Word of God teaches us. I, and many others, were starving for more of God and His Word. Coming to Jesus is only the beginning of a grand and wonderful relationship; but my church did not take us any deeper in the Word or things of God. All we ever got was “first principle”, and not even enough of those. In order to go deeper with the Lord I had to do on my own with the leading of the Holy Spirit, (like it says inJohn 16:13).

Hebrews 6:1-2 – Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (completion); not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

          Why is going onto spiritual maturity so important? Because this is what God, our Heavenly Father, is looking for in us. He provided total redemption for us and that is what He wants to see in us. The word redemption means “to restore to the original state”. This means to bring man back to the way he was when God first made him in His own image and likeness.

          The glory of God’s image and likeness was lost in man due to sin.

Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

  Jesus came to redeem man from that fallen state and restore what was lost. What was lost? The glory of God that was His likeness and image that He put into man. That glory is God’s own character and nature which is holy and righteous, and has no darkness, God’s character and nature is also known as the Fruit of the Spirit as listed in the Book of Galatians.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

          Just image if everyone on earth had all the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit; it would be like heaven on earth. These qualities will be fully seen in heaven.

Man’s sinful character and nature conflict with that of God’s character and natures, which is why we need to become a disciple of Christ and follow Him so we can become like Him, just as Jesus declared:

Luke 9:23 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
          Man’s sinful character and nature needs to be put away, identified with what Jesus did on the cross, and accept the Spirit of Jesus to be born-again, and allow that new nature to abide in each of us.

Galatians 5:24 – And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

          God, the Father, is looking for the Fruit of the Spirit, His character and nature formed in us, as Jesus clearly stated:

John 15:1-5 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

          Note: this fruit is not man’s works but only what can be produced by the life of Christ living in and through the true believer. It is only His life that produces this fruit.

          We believers are looking for Christ’s return which is also the time of what is known as the final harvest. When is the time of the harvest? When the fruit is ripe, present and clearly seen! God has been very patient waiting for this fruit to be fully developed.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

          However, we have an enemy who hates man, especially when the character and nature of God is restored to Him, because it shows his defeat by what Jesus did on the cross for us. This enemy, Satan, has been working with his evil forces to try to block the spiritual maturity and developing this Fruit of the Spirit in the saints, by infiltrating the church (IRS), with false ministers and doctrines, saying many of these things of God and Christ are not for today. Thus nullifying a lot of what God has provided: the Fruit of the Spirit; the Gifts of the Spirit; the Baptism in the Holy Spirit; the Gift ministries; healing, prophecy, and so much more of what God provided.

          Satan fears those who become mature in the Lord and are filled to the fullness of Christ with the Holy Spirit along with the Gifts and Fruit, when the character and nature of God restored. That is why he is so opposed and resists the true and pure Word of God being given to us and the power of the Holy Spirit.

          Note that the five gift ministries of Ephesians 4:11, when allowed to operate, will expose the false doctrines of men and demons:

Ephesians 4:14 – That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

          Receiving the Word of God and the true doctrines of Christ are affected in each of us by situations and circumstances that we face daily; including the efforts of our enemy, just as Jesus stated in the parable of the sowing of the seed. This parable is about growing to full maturity in Christ and associated struggles we all face in the process.

Matthew 13:18-23 – Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold (100% of Christ), some sixty 60% of Christ), some thirty (30% of Christ).

          I have not heard any preachers speak on the topic of spiritual maturity, or even mention the need for the Fruit of the Spirit. Obviously we need a revival: to re-make alive, to bring forth what was lost, and in many cases is still missing; what Satan has hidden, and what Jesus died to restore. We need the Holy Spirit to again move mightily to show us God’s power and love, to bring us to spiritual maturity, and ready for the final harvest. We must have the latter rain outpouring of thy Holy Spirit.

James 5:7-8 – Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.