SpirituaL Maturity or Infancy?

Specific Objectives

At the end of the session, the assembly the participants are expected to:

1. Understand that as Christians, we need to grow in spiritual maturity

2. Differentiate traits of mature and infant spirituality

3. Be able to examine themselves in their level of maturity

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

We started our spiritual lives as infants. But God did not desire for us to remain that way. God's plan is birth, growth, and maturity.

A human baby may do immature things and be cute, but it would not be so for an adult. Let us examine ourselves, in our spirituality, are we an infant or an adult?

• When we were young in our spiritual life, people will tend to give us more understanding as we are still growing in the faith.

• However, when we have spent significant time in community, much is expected of us in terms of our spiritual maturity.

II. From Infancy to Maturity

Paul addressed the church in Corinth as infants because they fail to walk in maturity in Christ.

Brothers, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving in an ordinary human way? Whenever someone says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not merely human? What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. (1 Corinthians 3:1-5)

• The Church in Corinth are struggling with their Christian life. There is jealousy and rivalry.

• There are also factions, some are for Paul and some are for Apollos.

During Paul's first stay in Corinth he could not address the Christians there as spiritually mature people. Instead, he had to address them as infants, as those who had failed to mature properly in their walk with Christ.

We too, in community could be experiencing the same thing. We might be suffering from spiritual maturity that affects our relationship with one another. Here are some indications:

1. Self versus Service

a. Spiritual infants are upset over the smallest things. Their focus is on themselves and how everyone else is treating them. If they do not get what they wanted, they throw a tantrum. Their feelings are easily hurt.

Spiritual infants are like bombs; they are always ready to explode. When in an unguarded environment, they cannot control their emotions. Thus, they live double lives.

• In community they are extra nice, but at home, explosive.

• In community they’re ideal, but at home impossible.

• In community they’re always praising, but at home always pouting.

An infant is a receiver not a giver.

The spiritual infant examines everything as a receiver. It is the spiritually immature who looks at the church, its people, and its programs through the eyes of a self-centered child. Their questions are: What will it do for me? What will I get out of this? How does this affect me?

b. The mature in Christ are supposed to:

• Be wronged rather than wrong another (1 Cor. 6:7).

• Humbly consider others better than themselves (Phil. 2:3).

• Be submissive one to another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21).

• Forgive as Christ has forgiven (Col. 3:13).

2. Argument versus action

a. Envying, strife, divisions are the occupation of the spiritual baby. This leads to arguments. Infighting is a trait of Christian immaturity.

• In, 1 Corinthians 3:3, Paul says jealousy and rivalry is a sign of spiritual immaturity.

• They whine and cry over what they cannot have, cannot do, or what they must do, or even what they must have. They fight over positions in community.

b. Mature Christians will let go of their right to be right and focus on the things the Lord wants done.

• They will have disagreements but they choose to move forward. Disagreements will not hinder them from serving and doing their work for the Lord. They focus more on WHAT is better for the community rather than WHO is better.

• Their focus is settle the disagreements in a loving Christian way and get the job done. They do not let their emotions hinder them from serving.

3. People versus Provider

a. It is not wrong to trust in human resources unless that is all you trust. Unless, your trust in them replaces your trust in Christ.

• The spiritual infant will survey their resources – human and financial resources and if they are lacking and inadequate, it will result for an event such as CLS to not push through.

• The focus on the problem of money and lack of volunteers before doing something. They easily gets discouraged.

b. For the mature in Christ, they look to the Provider.

• They believe that God will provide the right skills and people who will help.

• Resources is not a hindrance to them. They find ways. They trust God to provide what is lacking. Their action inspires people to follow them.

4. Personality versus Promise Keeper

a. The spiritual infant focuses on personality.

• Their attendance is based on who are the people present in the assembly and who will give the talk.

• They are difficult to pastor. They compare previous leaders and not teachable. They are difficult to correct. Moving them to another household is also a challenge.

• They take sides when conflicts occur depending on who they like or who is close to them.

b. A mature Christian looks to the Promise Keeper and God’s anointing to every leader. Their focus is on Jesus.

• They follow whoever leader is placed above them because they believe that leaders are God’s anointed people.

• They accept that every person is difference and refuse to compare one leader to another. If they have an issue with the current leader, they lovingly bring it up to him/her.

III. From Infancy to Maturity?

How do we move from being infant ins our spiritual life to being mature as Christians? Here are some tips:

1. Self-examination

The unfortunate thing is sometimes, we are not aware of the wrong actions or attitudes that we have. We do not know that we are already hurting the people around us - the persons who love us the most.

The best way to be self-aware of these situations where we lose control of our actions is through self-examination. We do this by reflecting at the end of the day on the actions that we did or people we might have hurt. An examination of conscience guide can be helpful for this activity.

2. Correction

If we cannot see our mistakes, sometimes God uses people around us to point it to us. That is where correction comes in. Correction is not to put us down or make us feel bad, but to alter our actions and behavior for the better. Correction is a pastoral tool that is used in Christian communities like what Paul is doing when he is addressing the issues and concerns of the Christians in Corinth.

3. Humility

After having been self-aware or being corrected by others, we must take on an attitude of humility to accept that we were wrong and needed to change. If there is no humility, there is no change. Humility is the way to other virtues. We must let go of pride that blinds us to the real situation that we are in.

4. Accountability

And lastly, for change to successfully happen, there should be accountability from other Christians in the community. A person aiming to change must seek the help of others to remind him/her of the goals one has set and to affirm the progress of that person. Change is easier when one is in a positive environment where growth is permitted.

IV. Conclusion

We need to grow to maturity. It is God’s desire for us.

1. Let us put service over self.

2. Let us act instead of argue

3. Let us rely more on the provider more than the people

4. Let us focus more on the Promise-keeper rather than personality.

Maturity allows us to do more things for God, makes us worthy witnesses of Jesus.