Becoming a Mature Christian

When one believes on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins and confesses with his mouth for his sins, Scripture informs that he will receive eternal life and be justified by the faith which he exercised (Romans 10:9; 5:1). However, it is not God's will for a Christian to remain a babe in Christ. Rather, just as a physical baby grows in wisdom, stature, and strength, the spiritual baby grows. Fortunately, God has provided the means whereby new-found believers can experience remarkable growth and grace. Furthermore, if a physical baby remains the same height and weight for his entire life, it does not take a renowned surgeon to detect and delineate the obvious problem. Similarly, in the Christian life, if one does not experience any spiritual growth, his debilitating condition will be conspicuous and his spiritual death will be imminent. Thus, for the furtherance of the kingdom of God and the betterment of the individual Christian, it is imperative that the church instructs its members to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

Hebrews 6:1 states, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." This literally means, "Go on to maturity" (Wiersbe, 1982).This verse breaks into the three distinct stages of the spiritual journey. First, notice the call to leave the ABCs of Christianity (Departure). Clearly, this does not lend support to the erroneous proposition of abandoning the teachings and accomplishments of Christ. On the contrary, instead of jettisoning these foundational truths of Christianity, the believer should use them as a foundation for the habitation he is making of himself (Exell, n.d.). The next step of this spiritual journey consists of an inward driving force (Drive). Without the overwhelming sense of growth, the believer will not be able to withstand to the powers which war against his soul. Matthew Henry remarked, "Spiritual growth is the surest way to prevent apostasy from the faith." To avoid slipping on the precipitous slope of life, believers should strive earnestly to use the tools which God has afforded in Scripture. Finally, this journey would be incomplete if it were not for a goal (Destination). Once the zealous Christian reaches this place in God, he will be like a mature physical adult. Certainly, mistakes still abound, but his frequency of committing them greatly lessens as he realizes the danger of living an immature life.

Exell, Joseph (n.d.) The Biblical Illustrator. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House.
Henry, Matthew (1960). Matthew Henry's Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.
Wiersbe, Warren (1982). Be Confident. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books


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