BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: SPIRITUAL MATURITY

SPIRITUAL MATURITY

[Dr. John Danish, Pastor, Berean Memorial Church, Irving, Tx, Audio Tape #15, The Error of Angelic Worship, 03/16/03 AM]:

I) [Col 2:6-7]:

(v. 6) "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,

(v. 7) rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

The foundation of this life is this maturity structure which is built....

There are five basic ideas that constitute this spiritual maturity. It is really a pentagon that we build in the soul. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, but the knowledge that we have from the Word of God, when it is received becomes the epignosis = full knowledge, and that is the basis of building spiritual maturity. It's not just what you know of Scripture. A lot of Christians have that. But it is what you obey....

The goal of the Christian life then is to build maturity inside the soul. God wants to build something inside our soul that glorifies Him. When you are a spiritually mature Christian that's when you glorify the Lord, that's when you worship Him, that's when you praise Him.

A) [Eph 1:11-12]:

(v. 11) "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

(v. 12) in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory."

II) [Compare 2 Cor 12:9-10]:

(v. 9) '''But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

(v. 10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distress [hardships], in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." '''

Here the Apostle Paul, who has in the context been reviewing that God has given him a physical ailment that he has borne for many years... and has been asking God, 'Please heal me of this.' .... But the Lord does not want to remove this from Paul. And therefore in verse 9, the Father says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.". It is when you come to the end of your rope that you will go someplace with God; because you quit depending upon your cleverness, your efforts and what you can do. When you come to the bottom of the barrel then you're going to start looking up, because there is no place to go now...

So Paul says, 'Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.' Then he mentions five things that constitute strength. Things that a Christian, who does not look for confidence in himself. That's what he means by weaknesses. He says, 'These five things are what I want God to build in my life.' Here they are, the basic defence of the Christian life.

First of all, he says, 'I want to deal with weaknesses'. We call this the capacity to orient to the grace of God. - His capacity with our weakness.

Secondly with insults... a relaxed mental attitude as we go through life.... an attitude of Christian affection toward one another.

Then he speaks of distresses, the pressures of life dealing with the details of life, i.e., the mastery of the details of life.

And then, persecution, i.e., the capacity of the love of God to carry us through when people want us to deny who we are and Who our Lord is.

And then finally, the word 'difficulties', i.e., the problems that pop up in our lives and we are able to take those difficulties - we call that inner happiness - the happiness that is within our soul.

This is what our heavenly Father wants to prepare for us.

A) GRACE ORIENTATION

Grace orientation is the capacity to know how to live by the freedoms of letting God the Holy Spirit carry us through. Grace gives God the credit for what we do, not to ourselves. We are carried along by His capacity. And as grace oriented Christians we respect the priesthood of other believers. We are there for their assistance. We do not [invade] the privacy of other believers. The grace of God is always there to carry us through that crucial moment of our life.

1) [Compare 2 Pet 3:18]:

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

2) [Compare Heb 13:9]:

"Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them."

You do not depend upon the sensual, [like food], if you want to walk with God. Grace means you are dependent upon Him entirely. Very often you'll say, 'Father, I'm in this situation in life, if You don't carry me through as Your gift to me, I won't make it.' And I'm dependent upon the kindness of Your grace.' That's what he means by weakness.

B) RELAXED MENTAL ATTITUDE

Secondly, he talks about insults... The relaxed mental attitude is having that love that, that phileo love which is emotional. People insult me, and yet in my heart, I choose to go out to them. It's different than agape love... This is really an emotional attachment to someone who is in misery or in need or who has offended you. And yet you take that insult with kindnesss and grace.

1) [Mt 10:37]:

''' "Anyone who loves ["philOn"] his father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" '''

He is talking about.. emotional attitudes here. This is phileo love. He is talking about people who are more emotional toward their parents or toward their children then they are toward the Lord are not worthy of Jesus Christ. That's pretty tough... They are making it very clear that the GodMan Jesus Christ comes number one on your hit parade of enthusiasm....

2) [Jn 15:19]:

" 'If you belonged to the world, it would love ["EphilEi" = emotional love] you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.' "

There's the same word - the phileo word - if you were part of living the world's way of life, they would be excited over you, emotionally high over you.. But because you are not of the world, cause I chose you out of the world, the world hates you...

What good is it to have the world's love.. these are the devil's people... They love you because they think you are their kind... If the world receives you to its bosom, it's not a compliment.

II cont.) [Compare 2 Cor 12:9-10 cont.]:

(v. 10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distress [hardships], in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." '''

C) MASTERY OF THE DETAILS OF LIFE

This comes from the word "distress". The Spiritual Christian is grace oriented. He takes things not on the Mosaic Law, trying harder but he looks to God and he walks that stride. He has a relaxed mental attitude, he extends out in an emotional contact of concern and affection for those before him. And he has a mastery of the details of life. [This is what the word "distress" is all about]. It is dealing with your money, your house, your business, getting a good grade in school, and many important things which should not be number one... [they should not distress you]

[One who has these concerns as number one] is enslaved to the details of life.

1) [Lk 12:15; 29-31]:

'''Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." '''

[People think that if they've got a lot of money, then they have it all....

If you have nothing but money and are not rich toward Christ in heaven in divine good service works, you've got nothing....]

(v. 29) And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.

(v. 30) For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.

[God's grace is not going to let you down unless you are out of fellowship with Him]

(v. 31) But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." '''

Do the Lord's work and these things will be added to you...

A lot of Christians know that this is true but they won't rise to it. They have not matured in controlling the things of life.

2) [1 Tim 6:6-10]:

(v. 6) "But godliness with contentment is great gain.

(v. 7) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

(v. 8) But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

(v. 9) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

[Paul deals with the same thing, the mastery of the details of life: But godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either....

And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich, fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.]

(v. 10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

This is not a condemnation of becoming rich... of legitimate means to become prosperous. The condemnation is when it takes precedence when you do get it over what you could do with it in fulfilling your Christian service....

Many Christians can handle with great grace, their poverty. But when it comes to their prosperity and the mastery of the details of life, it gets very tricky... When good things come your way, be on your guard... the temptation to walk a different way gets greater. That's what the mastery of the details of life is to prevent you from going astray.

D) THE CAPACITY TO AGAPE LOVE

This comes from the word "persecutions". This calls for agape love, the capacity to love. Agape love you cannot produce. Only God can give you that....

1) [Jn 13:34-35]:

(v. 34) ''' "[Jesus says to His disciples] A new command I give you: Love ["agapatE"] one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

(v. 35) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." '''

This is the love that the book of Galatians says is part of the fruit of the Spirit. You can't produce agape love... this love which is sacrificial, which is without bitterness... That's a kind of love that only God can give that person. [People will say] 'I don't deserve this kind of love. What I've done is very offensive and yet this person has the capacity to love me with the love of God???'

2) [Compare Lk 6:35]:

'''But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.'''

God can give you the capacity to love the enemy.

3) [Eph 4:2]:

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

Christians need to treat each other with patience, forbearance.

4) [Phil 1:9-11]:

(v. 9) '''And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge [EpignOsEi = full knowledge of the doctrines of the faith] and depth of insight,

[Note that you are not going to have mature knowledge without being taught mature doctrines of the faith and you have been positive to it. Without "EpitnOsEi", there is no way you are going to have the love of God]

(v. 10) so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [=the Rapture],

[You are not going to lean toward things purely out of human compassion that the world's system goes for but out of those things that are out of an agape, self-sacrificial love.]

(v. 11) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.'''

5) [Compare Col 3:12-14]:

(v. 12) '''Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

(v. 13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

[It takes agape love to be willing to do this.]

(v. 14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.'''

This is a tough facet of maturity. You don't often find it among Christians.

E) INNER HAPPINESS

From 2 Cor 12:10 "difficulties" comes the facet of inner happiness. Whatever hits you, there's a millennium in your soul. You don't go beserk, it's all in the providential hands of your heavenly Father. Dissappointments, stress, unbelievable circumstances: take it to the Lord and leave it there.

1) [Compare Jn 15:11]:

'' "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." '''

It is the will of God that we be happy. When we are not joyful, when we are sad, then we are showing that we have a lack of maturity in our soul. It is his purpose that there should be the joy of the Lord within our maturity.

2) [Compare Phil 4:4-7]:

(v. 4) '''Rejoice [this is a command] in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

(v. 5) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

[His return to take us to heaven in imminent]

(v. 6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

(v. 7 ) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.'''

When you have the peace of God in your experience you are a happy warrior. When you do not you are not happy, because you have nothing to carry you through.

3) [Compare 1 Pet 1:8]:

(v. 8) '''Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

(v. 9) for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. '''

How do you receive this kind of inexpressible and glorious joy? Because God gives it to you, the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

4) [Compare 1 Pet 4:13]:

'''But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.'''

Keep on rejoicing to the degree that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

You share the sufferings of Christ by what the world system does to you that you don't deserve. But because you have inner happiness, there is peace within the soul.

Now spiritual maturity is an edification, a building structure in your soul. It must be built and the Builder is the Spirit of God. It is to be administered in your daily walk. At the heart of it all is the edification through the mind of Christ which all believers have.