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January 31, 2010
“Growing Past Spiritual Childhood”
Ephesians 4:11-16
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (Ephesians 4:14 NKJ)
I. It is wonderful to be a child of God!
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12 NKJ)
1. This is life or death important …
A. We are either children of the Devil – John 8:44 or of God – John 1:12
B. We are either alive by His grace or dead in trespasses in sins – Ephesians 2:1
C. We are either “sons of disobedience” “children of wrath” Ephesians 2:2-3 or we are “His workmanship” “created in Christ Jesus for good works … “ Ephesians 2:10
2. Being God’s adopted sons (and daughters) comes with great blessings and benefits – Ephesians 1:3-14
II. Yet, even if you are “saved” being childish in your walk with God is not a good thing! Ephesians 4 is all about our walk and here GROWTH / Maturity in Christ! There are levels of growth taught in Scripture -
1. Growth is the norm for Christians:
I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:13-14 NKJ)
2. Lack of growth exposes us to all sorts of dangers, vulnerabilities - Ephesians 2:14
III. How do we GROW / MATURE as Christians?
1. We grow by being wholehearted in our relationship with God! We cannot grow or mature in our walks with Christ if we are half-hearted or lukewarm in our pursuit of Him –
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJ)
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:25-27 NKJ)
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJ)
A. We need to be passionate about Christ
B. We need to give Him time, money, our all!
C. We need to put in effort to grow and mature or go forward in Christ
Why? He did these things for us; He took up the cross and died for our sins! - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1 NKJ)
Why? Luke warm Christianity MAKES HIM SICK –
"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:16 NKJ)
We need to “abide” in Christ to grow – John 15:5, we are not abiding if we are lukewarm.
2. We grow by resisting sin! Sin stunts our spiritual growth. If we are going to grow spiritually we cannot coddle sin –
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. (Psalm 66:18 NKJ)
Sometimes we treat sin like we would a cute little kitten or puppy … but it is just a “little one”
“Not this man but Barabbas!” We choose sin over Christ! The seeming pleasures of sin make us forget the PAIN they cost our Lord!
Our presuming of God’s great GRACE makes us forget the damage sin does US-
"Sin is the living worm, the lasting fire;
Hell seen would lose its heat, could sin expire.
Better sinless is hell, than to be where
Heaven is, and to be found a sinner there.
One sinless with infernals might do well,
But sin would make of heaven a very hell.
Look to thyself then, keep it out of door,
Lest it get in and never leave thee more.
"Fools make a mock at sin, will not believe
It carries such a dagger in its sleeve;
How can it be, say they, that such a thing,
So full of sweetness, err should wear a sting?
They know not that it is the very spell
Of sin, to make them laugh themselves to hell.
Look to thyself, then, deal with sin no more,
Lest He who saves, against thee shuts the door. "—BUNYAN.
A. Confess it – 1 John 1:9
B. Repent – `Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. (Revelation 2:16 NKJ)
C. Mortify it - Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. (Romans 6:11-12 NKJ)
D. Battle with it - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18 NKJ)
We need to realize our sin GRIEVES the Holy Spirit – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30 NKJ)
3. We grow spiritually by FEEDING upon God’s Word –
A. That is why the primary job of God’s servants is teaching the Word - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJ)
B. The Word of God is the spiritual bread we cannot live without –
But He answered and said, "It is written,`Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4 NKJ)
C. The Word of God is “MILK” for babes in Christ -
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, (1 Peter 2:2 NKJ)
D. The Word of God is “SOLID FOOD” for the more mature in Christ
- 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. (Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJ)
E. God’s Word GIVES JOY to the mature in Christ –
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJ)
IV. If we are going to mature (be perfect) in Christ we need to understand God’s purpose in trials –
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (James 1:2-3 NKJ) …
Spiritual Grown- ups understand that TRIALS, even fierce trials can be part of God’s plan for our lives –
With Job we learn to say:
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:20-21 NKJ)
But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10 NKJ)
Disappointments His appointments; no good thing does He withhold …
