CHRISTIAN MATURITY

[Reginald Lee]

             2 Timothy 2:15 – If you feed upon the word of God, the power of his spirit will enable you to make use of your inherited strength and gifts in Christ. We can grow in grace and knowledge with the continued practice of the truth through obedience to God's word. We can practice the word of God like a workman without shame. We study the word of truth to know Christ and to make him known to others. Your testimony is a witness of the living word and its power in your life. By rightly dividing the word of truth, our lives will line up with the word of God and we will reap the promises because we have met the conditions.
            1 John 1:1-3 – Sharing in fellowship with other believers is important in Christian maturity. Sharing worship, Education, Evangelism and Service will cause the believer to grow in the truth, the wisdom and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Jesus shared wisdom and knowledge with his disciples in the living personality of one who walked and talked with them.  John 1:1 – "We have heard ... We have seen ... our hands have handles." These men were changed by what they saw in the life of Jesus. Matthew 5:16 – "Let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works and glorify  your Father which is in heaven." A man is molded into the likeness of the lives that come nearest him. A man may make many a friendship to his own hurt. But the isolated life is a greater danger still. The secret of sharing is the secret of all spiritual blessing: the way to get is to give. As we share others are inspired by the light they see.
     James 2:14-18 – Through service faith is made visible as we meet the needs of others.  What kind of faith is it that will not serve others in the face of obvious need? In prayer we meet Christ. In service we meet people. Prayer leads to a deeper unity with Christ in serving the oppressed. We serve God by serving others. In this way, we lay down our lives to take up the cross. Christian maturity begins inwardly by faith, knowledge, love and suffering. Maturity is outwardly manifested by proclaiming the gospel and serving the world. It has been said that "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing".