How do I Reach Mature Faith?

There is no reason why 21st century Christians cannot reach Mature Faith. It is the will of God that His children strive for maturity and any child who wants to please the Father will be dedicated to the process of reaching maturity. So what is necessary for maturing one's faith?

There are six scriptures we will be studying in this chapter that illuminate the path to Mature Faith. In the process of explaining the other four levels of faith we have discussed many steps that lead us to maturity. The steps of growth soon to be discussed would be good advice for any disciple regardless of their level of faith, but the points in this chapter are specifically for those who have obtained Solidifying Faith and are prepared to take faith to that next and highest level.

The first key to reaching Mature Faith is found in a passage we have already discussed. When the Hebrew writer rebuked the Israelite Christians for their immaturity, he explained that,

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

- Hebrews 5:12

He is drawing a direct correlation between spiritual maturity and becoming a teacher of the gospel.

At some point in your spiritual progress, you ought to be able to teach others about Jesus. Some are gifted at teaching large groups. Some have a passion for teaching one on one. Some work great with children. Whatever works or whatever the greatest need is where you are, find some way to be a teacher of the Word.

One sign of physical maturity is reaching the point where you no longer have to be spoon-fed, but rather are able to feed yourself and to help others eat. As a baby you are dependent on others to make sure you get the proper nourishment, but as you grow older you learn how to feed and look after yourself. A greater stage of maturity is when you are able to feed and care for others. In the same way, being able to feed spiritual food to others is a mature thing to do. A teacher has to have something he or she can teach and so teaching makes you study and learn. Being a teacher causes you to care about the well-being of your pupils, or at least it should. If you want to be mature, learn to teach the gospel to someone.

One of the most enriching studies of God's Word I have ever done is a study of the concept of being fruitful. On the one hand, bearing fruit sounds like something you do within yourself; the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. On the other hand, fruitfulness seems to have an evangelistic meaning to it "just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing," Colossians 1:6. When you put both hands together, the conclusion is that bearing fruit has to do with reproducing Christ, both in your own life and also in the lives of others. Being mature involves being fruitful in the fullest since of the word. If you want to have Mature Faith, it is essential that you find a way to teach God's Word to yourself, and by all means, develop the habit of teaching it to others as well.

Secondly, this same chapter says,

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

- Hebrews 5:14

Another key to maturity is training yourself to know right from wrong. You do this by "practice," continually trying and applying your faith over and over. Train yourself by your daily experience to perpetually seek that which is good and true while at the same time pushing evil out of your life. Think of an athlete in training. Athletes work on their skills over and over until the motion becomes second nature. They cast off habits and motions which hinder their effectiveness. To become a mature Christian, you must be able to distinguish good from evil in your own life and also in the lives of others.

The third facet leading to Mature Faith is letting go of worldly passions. As long as you are emotionally attached to your worldly possessions, Satan has a way to distract and frustrate you.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

- I John 2:15

Love for the world pushes out love for the Father. There is not enough room for both.

If you love your money, boats, cars, houses, etc. and place them above God and His kingdom, they will be a constant thorn in your side as you strive for a closer walk with God. Eventually you will stop striving to know God. In my research I have talked to many Christian who are considered by their peers as having Mature Faith. They are, without exception, the most unworldly people you will ever meet. Some are rich and some are poor, but each sees the things of this world for what they truly are; just items that will someday perish.

In case you missed that point, let me state it again. Some mature Christians today are unworldly and rich at the same time. It is not that you have to get rid of money, boats, cars, ... You may need to if you can't keep your priorities straight. But it is not money that is the root of all evil but rather the love of money that is the root of all evil, I Timothy 6:10. Jesus told the rich young man to sell his possessions because he was too attached to them, but he did not tell others with wealth to give up their possessions. Zaccheus was a rich man. He offered to give up his possessions. All Jesus said was that salvation had already come to his house, Luke 19:1-9. If you have the gift of being wealthy without giving into the temptations of selfishness and independence then may God bless you as you use that gift to His glory.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

- I John 2:16

We certainly should pay attention to our jobs, schooling and handling of earthly matters, but if your primary focus is on this world then it is not on God. "The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." I John 2:17. You have to be smart enough to look down the road to the end of your life and think about what is going to matter in the end. The immature have to play with toys. If you are still emotionally attached to your toys, it's time to put things in perspective and start growing up in your faith.

This leads to our fourth key to maturing in your faith. If you want to have Mature Faith you need to stop acting like a child. That is what Paul was teaching in I Corinthians 13:11.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

This sounds so obvious, but if you want to be mature you have to stop thinking like a child. If you want to be mature you need to stop acting like a spoiled kid whenever you don't get your way.

The leaders of your church are not responsible for appeasing everyone and keeping all the members content, like babies in a nursery. Their job is to help you grow up.

¹¹And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

- Ephesians 4:11-12

Mature disciples are the ones who figure out they don't always have to get their way. We work together

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

- Ephesians 4:13

God is calling you to be the "mature man"/woman. Maybe you would prefer to stay a spiritual baby your whole life. That is certainly not the will of your Father.

An eagle will push her eaglets out of the nest when the right time comes. It sounds cruel but it is necessary or the eaglets will not learn how to fly. Do you have a church leader who is nudging you to try out your wings? Rather than giving that minister or elder a hard time you should be thanking God for them. Put the childish ways behind you.

A fifth facet of maturing spiritually is that you have to forget the past and press on. As Paul was striving for maturity he had a difficult time forgetting his haunting past. He shares

even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;

- I Timothy 1:13

For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

- I Corinthians 15:9

Paul ordered Christians to their death. Try living with that on your conscience. He had to put that all behind him in order to be a useful vessel in the hands of God.

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

- Philippians 3:13

Paul once devoted his life to putting a stop to the Christian movement. He ordered the imprisonment, torture and death of many believers. (And you thought your past was difficult to overcome.)

The past weighs us down. We all have skeletons in the closet reminding us of a time when we lived in disobedience to our Creator. There is nothing you or I can do about the past. If we don't forgive ourselves for things we have done, the past will become a ball and chain preventing us from running the race like we should. If you say you have done things you cannot forgive yourself for, here is something to think about. Are your righteous standards higher than God's? God is able to forgive you. He says He will and He does. Are your righteous standards so high that you cannot forgive that which God can forgive? That is immature thinking. Grow up. It is time to get past your past and move forward with your life.

The sixth and final biblical facet of maturity is somewhat a repeat of the first point. It has to do with learning to share our faith. All the examples of spiritual maturity that I know of in the Bible are soul-winners. Paul's goal was to "win as many as possible." I Corinthians 9:19, (NIV). Of the Christians I have talked to who are considered the most mature by their congregations, every one of them is active in leading others to Christ. I believe there is a cyclic reason for this.

On one side, there is nothing more faith building and encouraging than watching someone you have shared the gospel with come to Christ. When you teach the gospel to others it stimulates your faith. On the other side, the more mature you are in your faith the more desire you have to want to see others partake of the salvation you have found. This pattern spirals upward as your faith in God grows stronger. As you become more mature spiritually you naturally become more evangelistic. Sharing your faith spawns a cycle of growth that is a wonder to behold.

God's Word shows you a clear path to the spiritual plain He wants you to be on. Most of us as Christians have no idea how strong our walk with God could be. We hold back, for God-only-knows what reason. If you will patiently and persistently follow these biblical guidelines you can and will reach Mature Faith. You know it is God's will for you to become more mature. Now you need to make it your will to do His will.