Thread: Why Should I become a Mature Christian?

Was thinking about this question, and I have an idea of how I would answer it minimally, but what reasons would you give if someone came up to you and asked, "Why Should I become a Mature Christian? What benefit would there be in pursuing Christian maturation?"

Originally Posted by Romans922

Was thinking about this question, and I have an idea of how I would answer it minimally, but what reasons would you give if someone came up to you and asked, "Why Should I become a Mature Christian? What benefit would there be in pursuing Christian maturation?"

Believers will grow spiritually and thereby conform to the image of Christ.

This is the will of God:

"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." Romans 8:29

Thanks Josh. You've ruined everything!!!

In part I suppose my answer would have to include the fact that Biblically speaking there is no such thing as a stagnant Christian. The Bible describes growth - it may be slow, but the exhortation to growth is so clear as to be impossible to miss. What benefits are there? Among them, if I desire not to grow, I have to question whether I am truly a Christian at all, or merely a hypocrite. I'm not sure what can be said to someone who fails to recognize that the Bible speaks of great blessing in spirtual maturity... if someone is questioning whether they should pursue maturity and seeming to suspend that choice on whether there are sufficient benefits, then they're quite clearly aiming after the wrong ends... ugh. I don't envy you the conversation.

What would you do with the end of Hebrews 5 into 6:

"12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits."

-----Added 7/3/2009 at 12:55:53 EST-----

Originally Posted by Joshua

My bad.

I'm preaching on the warning of Christ against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 16: 5-12 this coming Sunday night. One of the things I think is absolutely crucial in this is the realization that false teaching is not only out there, it is rampant, and it is so, so plausible. We are not nearly as immune to false teaching as we would like to think. Satan loves to get us to think that we are sturdy and immovable in our faith, so that he can slip something quietly to us when our guard is down. It always sounds so reasonable, too! But this is why Jesus gave some to be ministers, some to be evangelists, etc., etc., so that we may not be blown about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4). Maturity equals stability in truth.

Equally, however, do we see the principle that more mature Christians also love people better. They are less likely to take offense at the smallest little thing. They let lots more things just roll off the back like water off a duck's oiled feathers. They develop in wisdom so that they know about the timing of a situation. I am convinced, by the way, that wisdom is often (not always) concerned about timing: how do you know when is the right time to answer a fool according to his folly, or not answer a fool according to his folly? You have to have wisdom so that you know which situation you're in. Wisdom and maturity in the faith go hand in hand. In other words, the two pillars of behavior are truth and love, and Christian maturity helps with both of them.

Of course, one must not neglect the means of grace (public or private) in seeking this maturity. Concomitantly, one must not think of maturity as having boasting rights. We, after all, achieve maturity through grace, specifically, the means of grace, public and private.

Lastly, and perhaps most simply, we must seek maturity because God commands it of us. He wants us to grow up. Just like a parent doesn't want to see their child be an infant forever, but rather grow up physically, spiritually, emotionally, so also does God want us to grow up spiritually. Any father wants his children to be able to be productive members of society. The only way to be productive in God's kingdom is to grow to maturity, and then seek to pass it on.

With full assent to the truth of Romans 8:28-30, I would also look toward John 15:5,6 in my desire for maturity under the sovereign hand of God.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

From J.C. Ryle's Holiness, a favorite quote says it all:

Let us know, above all, that "growth in grace" is not only a thing possible, but a thing for which believers are accountable. To tell an unconverted man, dead in sins, to 'grow in grace' would doubt-less be absurd. To tell a believer, who is quickened and alive to God, to grow is only summoning him to a plain scriptural duty. He has a new principle within him, and it is a solemn duty not to quench it. Neglect of growth robs him of privileges, grieves the Spirit, and makes the chariot wheels of his soul move heavily. Whose fault is it, I should like to know, if a believer does not grow in grace? The fault, I am sure, cannot be laid on God. He delights to "give more grace". He "hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants."(Jas.4:6, Ps 35:27) The fault, no doubt, is our own, We ourselves are to blame, and none else, if we do not grow.

Originally Posted by Romans922

Was thinking about this question, and I have an idea of how I would answer it minimally, but what reasons would you give if someone came up to you and asked, "Why Should I become a Mature Christian? What benefit would there be in pursuing Christian maturation?"

...So you can spout heresy and claim, "Oh, you just haven't gotten to the maturity I have to understand this blashemy as truth."

How many time have we all heard that?

Theognome

Originally Posted by christiana

From J.C. Ryle's Holiness, a favorite quote says it all:

Let us know, above all, that "growth in grace" is not only a thing possible, but a thing for which believers are accountable. To tell an unconverted man, dead in sins, to 'grow in grace' would doubt-less be absurd. To tell a believer, who is quickened and alive to God, to grow is only summoning him to a plain scriptural duty. He has a new principle within him, and it is a solemn duty not to quench it. Neglect of growth robs him of privileges, grieves the Spirit, and makes the chariot wheels of his soul move heavily. Whose fault is it, I should like to know, if a believer does not grow in grace? The fault, I am sure, cannot be laid on God. He delights to "give more grace". He "hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants."(Jas.4:6, Ps 35:27) The fault, no doubt, is our own, We ourselves are to blame, and none else, if we do not grow.

That's a very sobering quote Nancy! Thank you for sharing it!

Originally Posted by Romans922

Was thinking about this question, and I have an idea of how I would answer it minimally, but what reasons would you give if someone came up to you and asked, "Why Should I become a Mature Christian? What benefit would there be in pursuing Christian maturation?"

Why should someone who asks this even think they are a Christian?

I would think that someone who is "born" would "grow up". We can debate all the small nuances all day, but if you are alive....human.....you will grow. As a Christian we are to grow to be more Christ-like. If I haven't changed, I'd have to ask myself "are you called"?

Originally Posted by Romans922

Was thinking about this question, and I have an idea of how I would answer it minimally, but what reasons would you give if someone came up to you and asked, "Why Should I become a Mature Christian? What benefit would there be in pursuing Christian maturation?"

"BECAUSE GOD SAID TO. Your question re the 'benefit' of maturity displays an astonishing lack of interest in anything except yourself, when God and His glory should be the primary focus of your life."

I would continue my tirade except that I'm not addressing the person who asked the question and I think I've already hit on [some of] the important points.

Good question though.

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

I would think that someone who is "born" would "grow up". We can debate all the small nuances all day, but if you are alive....human.....you will grow. As a Christian we are to grow to be more Christ-like. If I haven't changed, I'd have to ask myself "are you called"?

I suspect that most who might ask "why should I seek maturation" probably haven't been taught to think in these terms - born again, changed, a new creation, etc. Hence the need, I think, to teach someone who asks such questions what the Bible says about those who are in Christ.

Originally Posted by toddpedlar

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

I would think that someone who is "born" would "grow up". We can debate all the small nuances all day, but if you are alive....human.....you will grow. As a Christian we are to grow to be more Christ-like. If I haven't changed, I'd have to ask myself "are you called"?

I suspect that most who might ask "why should I seek maturation" probably haven't been taught to think in these terms - born again, changed, a new creation, etc. Hence the need, I think, to teach someone who asks such questions what the Bible says about those who are in Christ.

That is really sad. I was basing my comments on natural revelation as applied to "born again 101" for lack of better terms. I would think that even the shallowest "walk the aisle, say a prayer" people understand being born. I guess I beat myself up with a presupposition on this one.

I am surprised that no one has supplied this passage:

I Corinthians 14:20 (ESV)

"Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be MATURE." Paul has told us, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we are to be mature. Very straightforward.

This passage, along with Hebrews chapters 5 and 6 as stated above and many other passages scattered throughout the NT, should lay to rest any other viewpoint or opinion.

If we are Christians, we have been given new desires. We now love Christ and see it as our highest joy to become more like Him. It's like any relationship; if you love someone, you will desire to please him or her. God has loved us, and in that love He commands us to "be holy". If we love Him, we will obey His commandments.

I'm kind of surprised. Yes, God does command us to be mature. But the obvious and simple reason is that it is glorifying to God.

Rev. Barnes, a Christian Hedonist would answer the question this way : There is joy unspeakable in knowing, submitting, and worshiping God. The joy that the world offers(to the Christian) is brief, fleeting, and weak, contrasted with the strong, ever lasting, boundless joy that God gives. And a Christian who refuses to pursue God to the fullest does not rob God of His glory and incur His wrath, but robs himself of the amazing joy that comes from knowing God.

That's what a Christian hedonist would say anyway.

Just a quick scan, but I didn't see much in the way of response to the second part of the question, "what are the benefits?"

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

I'm kind of surprised. Yes, God does command us to be mature. But the obvious and simple reason is that it is glorifying to God.

Kind of surprised that I asked the question or something else?

Originally Posted by christianyouth

Rev. Barnes, a Christian Hedonist would answer the question this way : There is joy unspeakable in knowing, submitting, and worshiping God. The joy that the world offers(to the Christian) is brief, fleeting, and weak, contrasted with the strong, ever lasting, boundless joy that God gives. And a Christian who refuses to pursue God to the fullest does not rob God of His glory and incur His wrath, but robs himself of the amazing joy that comes from knowing God.

That's what a Christian hedonist would say anyway.

Except that there is not such thing as a Christian hedonist.

Originally Posted by Edward

Originally Posted by christianyouth

Rev. Barnes, a Christian Hedonist would answer the question this way : There is joy unspeakable in knowing, submitting, and worshiping God. The joy that the world offers(to the Christian) is brief, fleeting, and weak, contrasted with the strong, ever lasting, boundless joy that God gives. And a Christian who refuses to pursue God to the fullest does not rob God of His glory and incur His wrath, but robs himself of the amazing joy that comes from knowing God.

That's what a Christian hedonist would say anyway.

Except that there is not such thing as a Christian hedonist.

I hate that term.

Meh, whatever. Most people are familiar with the term and what it represents, so it seems impractical to choose a different phrase to describe that particular teaching.