The Road to Maturity in Christ III

The Road to Maturity in Christ

1 Corinthians 3:1–4

Theme: The Christian journey leads to maturity in the Word, discernment, and righteous decision-making.

Relevance: God designed the Christian life to grow continuously into obedience dominated by His Spirit and will.

Introduction:

During Paul's ministry in Corinth, he tried to feed his spiritual children and help them mature in the Faith. Much like a normal family, everybody helps the new baby grow and mature, so in the family of God we must encourage spiritual maturity. We want to observe this progress in three movements.

Message:

I.   “Walk as Men” (1 Cor. 3:3).

II. “Ye are Yet Carnal” (1 Cor 3:1, 3).

III.  “As Unto Spiritual” (1 Cor. 3:1).

A.   Mature in Christ

                                                   i.     Spiritual refers to saved individuals who are dominated by the Holy Spirt and Obey the Word. This is exactly where the Lord would have us to be, but not many ‘believers’ actually appreciate this kind of commitment. We are basically selfish creatures so we think a large part of ‘maturity’ accommodates our desire for comfort, convenience, and quick fixes.

                                                 ii.     A Christian matures by allowing the Spirit to teach him and direct him by feeding on the Word. True wisdom from God is revealed by the Spirit (1Cor. 2:6–13) to those who are “mature.” This maturity is like a fruit which has developed to completion and perfection; it is ripe. Such believers are fulfilled by their employment by Christ, they are daily listening to the Spirit…they study, memorize, and meditate on Scripture as a means of securing and executing God’s plan. They cherish the idea of God’s Word richly indwelling them and guiding their hearts and minds.

                                               iii.     The usual observation is that "milk" represents the easy things in the Word, while "meat" represents the hard doctrines. But according to Heb 5:10-14, "milk" represents what Jesus Christ did on earth, while "meat" speaks of Christ’s present ministry in heaven. The current heavenly priesthood of Jesus Christ should be explored and relied on, but immaturity will prevent this (Heb. 6:1-3). Christ is ascended, received, enthroned, empowered, reigning, interceding in heaven now, and anticipating his return to earth. The mature Christian not only rejoices in these truths, but they hang on to them as holy comfort from God during harnesses and persecutions. 

B.   Feed on the Word

                                                   i.     Spiritual maturity involves many things. Hebrews 5:11–14 teaches three principles about spiritual maturity as compared with spiritual immaturity:

1.    First, maturity takes time (v. 12). The believers need to be exposed to the truth of the Word and see it modeled in others over time. They rely on others to teach and explain the Bible to them. God will apply it to the individual life.

2.    Second, maturity involves growth in the knowledge of the Word of God (v. 13). Babies in Christ can only handle the simple things of the gospel (1 Pet. 2:2). Spiritual development (or deformity) is directly related to the amount of intake of the Word. These believers can feed themselves from the Bible.

3.    Finally, spiritual maturity involves experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and bad, or truth and error (vv. 13, 14). This is to be a disciplined exercise in spiritual discernment. Such believers can teach others and engage in spiritual warfare successfully. (W. W. Wiersbe)

                                                 ii.     The Word of God is our spiritual food: milk (1 Peter 2:2), bread (Matt 4:4), meat (Heb 5:11-14), and even honey (Ps 119:103) just as the physical man needs a balanced diet if his body is to be healthy, so the inner man needs a balanced diet of spiritual food. The baby begins with milk, but as he grows and his teeth develop, he needs solid food.

1.    It is not difficult to determine a believer's spiritual maturity, or immaturity, if you discover what kind of “diet” he enjoys.

2.    The immature believer knows little about the present ministry of Christ in heaven. He knows the facts about our Lord's life and ministry on earth, but not the truths about His present ministry in heaven. He lives on "Bible stories" and not Bible doctrines. He has no understanding of 1 Cor 2:6-7. Unfortunately, they are more focused on themselves than the Lord Jesus. (W. W. Wiersbe)

C.   Makes Bible Based Decisions

                                                   i.     In my ministry, I have preached in hundreds of churches and conferences; and I have always been grateful for congregations that wanted to be enlightened and edified, not entertained.

1.    It is important that we preach the Gospel to the lost, but it is also important that we interpret the Gospel to the saved.

2.    The entire New Testament is an interpretation and application of the Gospel. Romans, for example, does not tell us how to be saved - because they were already believers. It explains what was really involved in our salvation. It is an explanation of the "deep things of God" and how they apply to daily life. Sound Bible-based knowledge is key.

                                                 ii.     There is another way to determine maturity; the mature Christian practices love and seeks to get along with others. Children like to disagree and fuss. And children like to identify with heroes, whether sports heroes or Hollywood heroes. The "babes" in Corinth were fighting over which preacher was the greatest - Paul, Apollos, or Peter. It sounded like children on the playground or adults on a “Monday after the big game”! 

Conclusion:

When immature Christians, without spiritual discernment, get into places of leadership in the church, the results will be disastrous. Such compromises regarding commitment levels are a formula for disappointment and disingenuous behavior. More than one brokenhearted pastor has lamented wondering what to do with church officers or significant church members who talk big but live small. Also, sometimes it is the officers who wonder what to do with an immature pastor!

The Christian must drive forward focusing on maturity in the Word, discernment in life, and righteous decision-making pursuant of God’s plan. We will make mistakes and experience serious failures along the way, but you are not the first one. Still…go on with the Lord. It is costly and painful breaking away from ‘fleshly’ carnal living. Staying tune to God’s will gets extremely uncomfortable at times, but we must stay focused on the Lord to sustain us. God literally designed us to grow continuously into a lifestyle of obedience dominated increasingly by His Spirit and will. Many fellow ‘believers’ will not necessarily appreciate this because they desire traditions far more than truth. ‘Comfort’ and ‘happiness’ cannot be a mature Christian’s determining factors.

     1.    Again, some need to be saved today—I mean really 'get the goods' being born again. Stop putting it off and trust Christ as your Savior and Lord now.

     2.    Others need to make the choice to pursue spiritual development and real progress. Stop faking divine advancements; refuse to be like the Pharisees any longer. Study the Word, apply God’s truth, use God-given discernment, and make decisions that reflect God’s rule in your life and ministry.

     3.  Yet others need to keep their eyes fixed on our risen, enthroned, interceding, and soon coming Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. He is your everything and He can meet your every need. Look unto him continually! 

God is Glorious

 

God is Glorious

There are qualities about God that defy descriptions and languages. The fact that God is glorious is accurate, but our appreciation of this concept falls extremely short of the intentions of the Word. Really language bends and even trembles attempting to define the ‘glory of God.’ It is here that I attempt the nearly impossible.

Glorious can describe God rather generally and provide a more explicit declaration on other occasions. Often the context provides the correct clues. In Exodus 33, Moses makes a very specific request to view the ‘glory’ of God. After being with the Lord on the mountain for this time and now routinely receiving directions and commandments from Him, Moses finally gets up the nerve to ask for the fascinating—"shew me thy glory”. We all yearn with Moses to know God more deeply and intimately.

Exodus 33:18-23, And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. ¹⁹ And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. ²⁰ And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. ²¹ And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: ²² And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: ²³ And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Moses asked to see God’s glory, and the Lord responded by revealing His “goodness,” character, and “name”, instead of a direct visual image, because seeing God’s “face” would be deadly. In loving mercy, God protected Moses in a cleft of the rock, allowing him to see only His trailing presence. Beloved, while God is holy and beyond our understanding in tremendous ways, He reveals Himself personally to us as we seek Him, offering glimpses of His nature/character in the Word and Christ while lovingly protecting us in our frailness. Moses…emerged from that experience with God ‘brilliantly shining with awesome glory!’

From this and other passages, we may describe the “glory of God” as supreme magnificence, brilliant manifestation, and the radiant splendor of His holiness and power. We might say it’s a visible, overwhelming greatness of divine character and presence. God is the ultimate embodiment of honor, power, divine beauty, and perfection. Accordingly, He is deserving and yes, worthy of our complete praise and worship (Exodus 33:18-23; Isaiah 6:3).

Several passages join this one to portray the Lord God in this light as glorious:

1. Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”  
• All the natural creation is a persistent, silent witness to God’s fascinating existence, incredible power, and insightful wisdom. Creation reflects the Creator’s majesty, providing universal evidence of His craftmanship.
• David announced…a summary statement: the majestic Creation is evidence of the even more majestic Creator-God.^[1] Thus, the entire natural revelation is a potent declaration of how glorious God really is.
2. Isaiah 6:3: “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
• God’s holy presence and creative majesty is a pivotal declaration in Isaiah’s vision, emphasizing God’s absolute purity, majesty, and triune nature. The threefold repetition highlights the superlative holiness of God and His supreme sovereignty over all creation. 
• We are reminded that God’s unapproachable holiness is strengthened by the guarantee that His glory is present everywhere. He is viewed as high and exalted; this is how we need to view Him because it will deliver us from such small living. We would no longer make lax references to God or the Lord Jesus as ‘the Man upstairs.’
• They talk about Him as if He were a buddy and as if they could speak to Him in any way they please. My friend, you cannot rush into the presence of God. He doesn’t permit it. You come to the Father through Christ. This is the only way He can be approached. You can never come into the presence of the Father because of who you are. You come into His presence because you are in Christ. The Lord Jesus made that very clear when He said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” If you are His child, you can come with boldness to the throne of grace, but you cannot come to Him on any other basis.^[2]
3. Psalm 57:5: "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth."  
• King David’s profound cry of praise and faith while hiding in a cave from enemies.
• He plead for God’s supreme power to be manifested, prioritizing God’s glory over personal safety or deliverance. David acknowledges God as higher than the heavens and superior to all earthly, threatening situations. Even in desperate danger ("among lions"), David stops to declare that God’s honor is more important than his own problems.
4. 1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."  
• Every action in our life—from mundane tasks like eating and drinking to major decisions—should be done with the purpose of honoring and bringing glory to God.
• This is a kind of, “moral compass” for Christian living, emphasizing that worship is an all-inclusive lifestyle rather than just religious rituals.  We should be asking, “Will this bring glory to God?” before acting, ensuring our actions reflect God's character and lead others to Him.
5. Habakkuk 2:14: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."  
• The prophet promises that the knowledge of God’s glory will inevitably triumph with his righteousness, sovereignty, and truth over our wicked chaos. Our message of hope and comfort is that God will be universally recognized and glorified!
• We are encouraged to live with the expectation of this future reality, reflecting God’s glory in our lives today.
6. Romans 11:36: "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
1. God's absolute sovereignty is the Source (Creator), Sustainer (through whom all exists), and Ultimate Goal (for His glory) of all creation. Literally everything exists for His purpose. 
2. Therefore, our worship involves humbling ourselves to realize we exist for His glory, not our own.
7. Romans 3:23-26: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
1. God declares that everyone has sinned and fallen short of his glory, making everyone equally in need of salvation. Justification is a free gift of grace, achieved through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God offered as a propitiation (atonement) to satisfy justice.
2. Everyone without exception has broken God’s law and failed to measure up to His perfect standard of holiness. All people, regardless of background, are in a sinful state and cannot achieve righteousness on their own.
3. "Glory of God" points to God’s perfect, holy standard, which human actions, thoughts, and words fail to reflect. You see neither painstakingly following perfect rules nor belonging to an elite family makes you righteous in God’s eyes, but rather that everyone must be justified through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Beloved, God’s glory includes the immensity of creation (stars, planets, mountains, oceans), the person of Jesus Christ (incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension), supernatural appearances/manifestations like consuming fire or holy clouds, and the display of divine characteristics like sovereignty, love, mercy, and justice. All of these indicate God’s magnificence, holiness, brilliance, grandeur, and presence among us. 

The ultimate purpose of our existence along with all creation is to reflect His beauty, and we are instructed to do everything to His glory (1 Cor 10:31). Think about everything that was created: the universe, solar systems, suns, stars, the planets, moons, the ocean, the powerful lion, or the remarkable eagle in the sky, me and you–all creation demonstrates God’s glory. Nothing is exempt from his glory. 

Sometimes our choir sings a spectacular song detailing the fact that God is bigger, better, stronger, and greater! What a bold testimony of worship, exhortation, encouragement, and focus! Our Lord is indeed bigger, better, stronger, and greater! Another way to summarize all these qualities is to describe God as ‘glorious’!

Historically in my travels to various churches, I once…maybe even twice witnessed a believer so full of respect for God and at a place of an unusual high in the worship service exclaimed out of that unprecedented fullness, “Glory…Glory…GLORY…GLORY!” He was desperately trying (but miserably failing) to contain what he was experiencing at that moment. I was reduced to tears when I finally realized what was happening years later. Now I cannot help wondering if he got ‘JUST a glimpse’ of the glorious nature of God!

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^[1] Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 807.

^[2] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 3 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 209.

Just A Thought

Just a Thought

 

It may take a few observations to express how important church life is to me. But please indulge me for just a few minutes.

Arriving at church on Sundays and Wednesdays has become something I anticipate and am thankful for. I find such thoughts help me walk in the Spirit throughout the week. Upon arriving at church, I am greeted by Deacon Tibbs most of the time; there are occasions when he is parking cars and caring for the church’s parking arrangements. But he typically greets with a smile, handshake, and a warm, “How’re you doing, Brother.” Deacon Tibbs can really make you feel important to the Lord and himself simply by his greetings. He and the other greeters literally ‘welcome you.’

When it’s time to pray; I am invited to enter the presence of God and given a prayer sheet. The church is counting on me to talk with God about the needs listed on the prayer sheet. These are items of great concern and some anxiety for several people. I sense my need to pray fervently. When it’s time to give, if it’s not my turn to usher, I typically silently observe that time because I give to CBC online. I also tend to listen carefully to the choir selections not only because they can really sing, but they often sing of a trait or quality about God I needed to be reminded of. As I sit in various locations in the church meetings, I am warmly welcome in those areas and those believers enthusiastically participate in the worship, congregational songs, specials by Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Anita, Brother Nathaniel, and the preaching. My how I have been corrected, inspired, and helped by their commitments to our Lord. They repeatedly provide the right kind of spiritual influence for me.

In Sunday School I am typically encouraged and informed from the Bible to keep living for the glory of God, by Deacon Hartwell. Many times, these same believers strengthen me greatly in the Lord. I love these occasions so much that I must restrain myself from adding my two cents when the class is prompted. This is a feature I cherish deeply in the church’s life as a Bible student.

My favorite part is the preaching of the Word which often follows the music leadership afforded by Brother Pascal. Pastor Baldwin always speaks from the Bible, and he favors expository explanations mingled with preaching that reproves, rebukes, exhorts, with a generous measure of patience and insight. I cannot count the number of times I have been helped from the Bible…. Sometimes I convince myself that my need is an explanation or reason and then I am reminded that what I really need is God. Sometimes I think an answer will solves my problem, but I am reminded what I really need is God. I may even be emphasizing a biblical idea so much that I forget about other equally important Bible concepts but preaching generally fixes that issue.

I know the most important time of all at church is during the invitation. It is a special joy to see people saved, baptized, and added to the church. Saint are also meeting with God in their seats and in the alter at invitation time. Every believer is encouraged to talk with our Lord. It is here that we all realize why we have come to church…it is to meet with our great and glorious God on his terms. The driving purpose in coming is to adjust by becoming more completely a living sacrifice to our Lord and His great will. Church is not church until I meet with my God in the assembly of the upright.

Yes, there will always be people who think too much of themselves and choose being a Pharisee instead of a humble servant. There will always be those who really think people come to see them…. There will always be some visitors and some members among us who just don’t get it. But praise the Lord for genuine saints who really pray for you and you for them, greeters who welcome you from their hearts, food preparers who will delight in feeding you, ushers who are poised to help, deacons who afford meaningful assistance and ministry, nursery workers who take care of your children like their own, members who love good music and cherish deeply solid preaching, a choir that sings for God’s glory, a preacher who proclaims God’s precious Word, and a God who meets with His children as we make ourselves available to him.

I am so thankful for my church family and do not want to take them for granted! They are a wonderful gift from my heavenly Father to me. I know that I am blessed! Yea even uniquely fortunate! I must do more to appreciate their service and sacrifices. I need to do more alongside them as we serve our Lord together.