Spiritually Mature

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His goodness and faithfulness, and that even when troubles come our way, we can consider it “an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1v2-4, NLT).

Primary Text

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: …” 1 Corinthians 2v6 (KJV)

“Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), ...” 1 Corinthians 2v6 (AMP)

“We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, ...” 1 Corinthians 2v6 (MSG)

Paul here explains in his letter to the Church in Corinth that when they were perfect (mature, more spiritually grounded), he had more wisdom that he could share with them, albeit, when he had first come to them, he had kept the message simple – determining not to know any things “save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2v2, KJV). 1 Peter 2v2 (KJV) tells us to that “As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Child of God, are you still a child in the Lord, are you feeding on the Word, and trying to grow thereby? Are you mature and spiritually grown? Hebrews 5v12-14 (AMP) commenting on milk versus solid food with respect to spiritual growth says “For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.” Hebrews 5v14 (AMP). While we desire the Word as a newborn baby desires milk so we can grow, we need to get to the point where we are ready to chew the solid food of the Word as well.

Supplementary Text

“So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.” Philippians 3v15 (AMP)

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, we thank You so much for Your Word. We thank You for Your goodness, faithfulness, and loving-kindness. Blessed be Your holy name in Jesus name, amen. Father, we pray for the grace to grow and to attain spiritual maturity in Jesus name, amen.