5 Keys to Spiritual Maturity
Jan 19, 2010 Faith
Spiritual maturity, or spiritual formation, is God’s call to every believer (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are “no longer to be children,” but are to “grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15).
Five key areas are essential to the development of spiritual maturity:
First, biblical knowledge. No verse better sums up the reason we need to know Scripture than II Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Based upon that verse, we find our charge as Christians in II Timothy 2:15: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”
Second, godly character. In chapters such as Matthew 5-7, I Corinthians 13, and Romans 12, we find entire dissertations on the nature of a godly life. Yet Galatians 5:22-23 captures the whole: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Third, sanctified mind. As we work out our salvation, it touches all parts of us, and the mind is key. Colossians 3:2 states simply, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” And Romans 12:2 exhorts us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Fourth, spiritual discernment. In I Thessalonians 5:21-22, we find these closing words: “Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” And again in Hebrews 5:14, we find spiritual maturity linked to discernment: “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
Fifth, willing obedience. Jesus stated simply in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
These points can be summed up further: spiritual maturity is living a life characterized by right teaching and right living. The truth of the Bible should be demonstrated in every area of our lives: in our thoughts, our speech, our hearts, and our actions. When we do so, we will truly achieve “the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Note: All Scripture references are from the NAS translation.
© Paula Marolewski
Tags: christian facts, Joy to the World, mahonnathuda, silent night, telugu christian songs, telugu songs, The True Story of Santa Claus
Mahonnathuda Promo
Jan 17, 2010 Christian Video Songs
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkUWhgoyRGA]
Tags: christian songs, Freedom through christ, hema john, indian christian music, Joy to the World, kripal mohan, mahonnathuda, telugu christian devotional songs, The True Story of Santa Claus
Joy to the World
Dec 16, 2009 Christmas Carols
Joy to the World
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.
Tags: Christmas Carols, Christmas is Coming, indian christian music, Joy to the World
