How Do we Grow Up?
June 5, 2005
Introduction
In the past month, we have had two to confess their faith in Christ and be baptized. What does the Bible have to say to these, and to all of us about growing up, or continuing in the Christian life?
Body
I. The Bible says, “Go on!”
(Heb 6:1-3 NKJV) 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.
A. What do we need in order to grow.
1. The desire. What normal healthy kid have you ever know who didn’t want to grow up--except the “Toys-R-Us Kid”
a. You have to want to be better. How much do you have to want it?
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
b. You have to have an humble attitude.
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . . 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
2. Growth activities.
(1 Peter 2:1-3 NKJV) "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, (2) as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, (3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
a. We can grow through personal study.
b. We can grow as we study together.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV) "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, (25) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching
B. We need to learn to put into practice the things that we have learned.
(James 1:21-27 NKJV) Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. {22} But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
C. The blessing is in the doing of the word.
James 1:25 "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
D. We need to watch what we say.
(James 1:26) If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
1. Watch the words that you use.
a. Obviously, we are not to curse one another.
(James 3:9-10 NKJV) With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. {10} Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
b. Some are tempted to use watered down curse words:
Some use darn for damn.
They use goodness, gosh, or golly for God’s name,
And, of course, heck substitutes for hell. I have been around people and heard them say, “Oh hell,” then
immediately say, “Oh, I meant oh heck.” Turn it around, and they would have it right.
2. Watch the tone of voice that we use to say things.
3. Life consists of doing the good and abstaining from the evil
a. Help those who have needs as we have opportunity.
James 1:27 “ Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
b. The second part of the verse is keep ourselves pure: “and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
II. Yes, the Bible does say, “Grow up.”
A. Christ gave an example of an area of our lives where we need to grow up.
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,45 “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?48 “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.1
1teleios, complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.) completeness:--of full age, man, perfect
B. Paul spoke of growing up as pressing on to the goal.
Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
II. How is spiritual “perfection,” or maturity achieved?
A. As with growing physically, it is progressive.
1. Paul speaks of “perfecting holiness.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
B. Perhaps the growth process is best explained in Ephesians 4:11-16.
Ephesians 4:11 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,13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;14 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,15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
1. till we all come. . . to a perfect man, v. 13
2. that we should no longer be children, v. 14
3. may grow up in all things into Him v. 15.
4. We are to all work for the growth of others. “every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” v. 16
2. If you think you’re already okay, you’re in serious trouble.
1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Conclusion
What about you?
Are your growing?
Are you getting better, or just getting older?
Are you a Christian?
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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