Building The Body Study 13 - Maturity in the Body
- 2 days ago
- 23 min read
Ephesians 4:7-16 NIV
[7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” [9] (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? [10] He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) [11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.7-16.NIV)
Nowadays, entertainment is huge business. And not only TV and movies. In many cities, there are batting cages where people get to play out their fantasies of being sports players, or ComicCon events, where they get to pretend to be superheroes, or gaming cafes, where they will role-play their fantasies.
It’s not just children in there either. Those for whom real life is unsatisfactory or unfulfilled will often participate to play out their fantasies.
The sheer power of digital and online games and fantasy sports leagues should tell you everything you need to know.
Adults often remain in childhood fantasies for many years after their childhood ended.
Not to mention those who are obsessed with TV shows and movies as if they were real life.
Which brings us into a very important, but very challenging question:
How can maturity be measured?
Many would point to these obsessions with fictions and say this is clearly a sign of immaturity. They may even quote this Bible verse:
1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV
[11] When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.13.11.NIV)
But what they forget is that this verse was never meant to refer to obsessions with fantasies and fictions, because in those days it really wasn’t anywhere as issue of an issue as it is now.
That verse, and other verses like it in the Bible that discuss immaturity, point to something much more challenging.
If you want to tell how mature a tree is, you can just cut it in half and count the rings. You can’t do that with a Christian. If you want to know how mature a cheese is, you can smell it. If you want to know how mature a wine is, you can taste it.
I don’t recommend doing either of these to a Christian.
So how can we tell when we are mature?
This passage, and the truths we studies in the previous study, contain four traits of a mature Christian.
Before I get into them, I realise that some of these are very controversial and challenging. They may well rub up against long histories of battles, long struggles to establish identities and many years of grudges and pain. I can’t express any regret if that is the case because this is simply what the Word of God says. All I ask is that you take this for what it is, and then carefully and prayerfully apply it to your situation.
The first sign or trait of a mature Christian is Our Attitude Towards Other People.
Our Attitude Towards Other People
Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV
[1] As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.1-3.NIV)
My wife likes to travel, but if there’s one thing she doesn’t normally like doing, it’s going back to a place we've been to before. I say ‘not usually’ because there are some places where she makes an exception, but most of the time when she is looking for somewhere to visit she says, ‘I want to go somewhere new’.
You may wonder, then, why I have stated this study by backing up, without announcing, ‘Attention! This study is reversing!’.
Whether we like it or not, whether we admit it or not, our attitude towards other people is a bug indicator of our spiritual maturity. Look at what Paul said to the divided Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 NIV
[1] Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. [2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. [3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? [4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.3.1-4.NIV)
Paul made the link between unity and maturity. Our passage in Ephesus 4 is not about unity and maturity, it is about maturity, because unity is a clear sign of maturity.
This has to be the case, since we are commanded to love (Matthew 22:37-40; John 13:34-35).
Maturity is not possible without obedience. Obedience is not possible without love.
In fact, 1 Corinthians 13:11, which we saw earlier, is in a very famous chapter of the Bible that is all about love.
So what conclusions can we reach about this?
Well, they are quite startling.
It doesn’t matter how many years we have been a Christian. It doesn’t matter how many theology degrees we have. It doesn’t matter what experiences God has led us through. If we do not love our brother or sister and we do not seek to be united with them then we are immature. It is as simple as that.
If we are united behind great Christian figures, but divided against each other, then we are also immature. There can be no room for cults of personality on the Body of Christ. We follow Jesus Christ. No-one else.
Given the centuries of division in the church, and the long history of battles, sometimes even violent, over theological minutiae, you might wonder how I can say something so startling. Look again at Scripture:
Galatians 3:26-28 NIV
[26] So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.3.26-28.NIV)
Colossians 3:11 NIV
[11] Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/col.3.11.NIV)
There is no excuse for division in the church on peripheral, minor issues, and particularly around personal or personality issues. Those who indulge such matters are proving their own immaturity.
That is what the Bible teaches.
So we have seen, then, that the first step to maturity is being willing to be, and working at being, united with your fellow brother and sister in Christ.
The second is Our Attitude Towards Jesus.
Our Attitude Towards Jesus
Ephesians 4:7-10 NIV
[7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” [9] (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? [10] He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.7-10.NIV)
When I was a missionary in Romania, I would sometimes travel to the south-east of the country. In the planes between Bucharest and the Black Sea Coast at Constanța, as well as between Constanța and the Danube Delta at Tulcea and Galați, you would often see sunflower fields, with the huge sunflowers heads tilted towards the sun. These plants seem to have set an example for solar panel builders everywhere.
It makes sense for the head of a sunflower to be tilted towards the sun. That’s where they get their energy to grow.
It also makes sense for a Christian to be tilted towards Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself explained using a different metaphor:
John 15:5 NIV
[5] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.15.5.NIV)
And the reason why is outlined here in Ephesians: because through Him we receive the grace we need to grow, just as a sunflower receives the energy it needs to grow from the sun.
Paul even explained how it works, using the vivid picture we explored in the first study of a conquering king returning home with plunder.
This, as we saw, was a picture that came from Psalm 68:
Psalms 68:15-18 NIV
[15] Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain, [16] why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever? [17] The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. [18] When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.68.15-18.NIV)
This picture was of a conquering king entering a high city (Jerusalem) and receiving gifts from people. Paul flipped this, using a translation that is also acceptable, of a conquering king distributing gifts.
This tells us four core truths about Jesus that are core to our spiritual growth.
Firstly, we see that Jesus has conquered. Jesus is victorious. Jesus has won! Death and hell and sin are all defeated.
1 Corinthians 15:55, 57 NIV
[55] “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
[57] But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.15.55-57.NIV)
There is no-one greater. There is no-one stronger There is no-one more powerful. There is only Jesus.
And this is something we cannot forget.
The battle He won, we could not have won. The foe He defeated, we could not have defeated. The victory He won, we would have lost.
Right away, before we explore this any further, we need to understand that spiritual maturity is not possible without recognising the unsurpassed and unsurpassable greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ
There is no-one else.
And it is an act of chronic immaturity to present anything as a rival to Him. Worse, it is an act of wilful, sinful disobedience, spiritual treason and blasphemy. After all, is this not commanded of us?
Exodus 20:3 NIV
[3] “You shall have no other gods before me.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/exo.20.3.NIV)
And neither should there ever be.
We cannot be spiritually mature until Christ has no rivals for supremacy in our lives. He has conquered sin and death and hell. He fully deserves first place in our affections.
We also see that Jesus descended. This truth is the very essence of the Gospel, as Paul stated in Philippians:
Philippians 2:6-8 NIV
[6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.2.6-8.NIV)
However, this glorious truth must have an impact on our lives that maybe we wish it wouldn’t:
Philippians 2:5 NIV
[5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.2.5.NIV)
Following Jesus means to seek to think like Him. As He was meek and humble, so must we be. He surrendered heaven to come to earth to die and save us undeserving souls. For every Christian, this simple Gospel truth presents a strong and unrelenting challenge:
What does it look like to have the same mindset of Christ in our everyday lives?
If we aren’t asking ourselves this question and seeking His guidance every day so that we can live like Him, then we aren’t on the path to spiritual maturity.
We also see that Jesus ascended.
Again, in Philippians we see this:
Philippians 2:9-11 NIV
[9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.2.9-11.NIV)
Christ ascended because He first descended. Christ received His just reward because He submitted to injustice to save those who justice demanded would be punished. That is a truth that shakes us to the core.
The implications of this are serious:
1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV
[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1pe.5.6-7.NIV)
There are situations that we cannot change; pain that will not go away; injustice we cannot make go away. In these situations, raising our fists to Heaven will do no earthly good. These are the situations when we must entrust ourselves to God, believe that He is working all things to our good and that there will be justice one day.
That hope, that blessed guarantee, that faith in the character of God that will bring justice one day is what prevents us from falling into the sins of grudges bearing and revenge:
Romans 12:17-19 NIV
[17] Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. [18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.12.17-19.NIV)
Being able to handle those moments when other people let us down and hurt us without giving in to spite and hatred is only possible when we believe that Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God and will one day judge the living and the dead with justice.
Otherwise, what do we have?
These aren’t fringe, minority truths. They are instead the very foundations of the Gospel, the bedrock of all we say we believe. When we take these truths and turn them from theological theory into foundational beliefs then they inform our attitudes and our actions and change our lives.
Without them, spiritual maturity is simply impossible.
Apart from our attitude to each other and to Jesus, the third trait is perhaps something we have never thought of before: Our Attitude to Ourselves.
Our Attitude To Ourselves
Ephesians 4:7-8, 11-13 NIV
[7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”
[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.7-13.NIV)
Maybe it’s because it’s more obvious nowadays, but I don’t think there has been a time in history when mental health and a proper appreciation for who you really are has been so lacking for almost an entire generation. We hear our young people talking with either breath-taking arrogance, when they have achieved so little of note in life, or have such a poor self-esteem that they depend entirely on their looks or on other people to provide them with affirmation. Lose either of them and the downward spiral towards depression is steep.
These verses state three core truths that we need to bear in mind that keep us on track and enable us to have a correct view of who we are and where we stand.
The first thing we see is what God did for the Church, in that He won the battle and then He distributed gifts.
Now, the sense the words used for gift giving is very important. There are two aspects that we need to bear in mind.
The first of these is the aspect of a gift as something that is not deserved, as Paul explained to the Romans:
Romans 6:23 NIV
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.6.23.NIV)
We deserve our wages. We have earned them. Because we are sinners, the wages we receive – our just deserts – is death.
But instead those of us who believe in Jesus Christ receive the gift we don’t deserve, which is life.
And that’s just it. A true gift is given not out of obligation or reciprocation but freely and out of love to someone who could not earn it and cannot pay it back.
The point being that God has given all of us gifts. These gifts were not given because we were already good at something or had earned it or deserved it in any way. If they had been given for these reasons, they would be rewards. But they are not. They are gifts. They are not deserved.
And if they are not deserved, and we cannot earn them or deserve them, what else is there to boast about? That we somehow worked hard to perfect them? Maybe. But if we didn’t have the gift to start with, what would we have had to perfect?
So the glory for all of our gifts must go to God. Not in a false humility kind of way, but genuinely, because without Him we would be nothing.
We also see that a gift is something delegated. It isn’t ours. It doesn’t belong to us. It is given to us as a loaner and we are accountable to God for how we use it – like everything God gives us, as the Parable of the Talents teaches us (Matthew 25:14-30). In fact, the Greek word Paul used in Ephesians 4:7 and 11 carries the sense of a gift and that of something entrusted to us for safekeeping.
So we have a scenario where every gift we have from God is undeserved and is also not ours, but we are responsible for how we use them for the glory of God.
In Romans Paul not also taught this concept, but also showed how we are accountable to each other within the Body for how we use the gifts God has given us:
Romans 12:3-8 NIV
[3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.12.3-8.NIV)
Contrast this with the absolutely arrogant approach of the people of this world. Contrast it with their lack of accountability, their feelings of superiority when compared to ‘lesser mortals', their sense of invulnerability and invincibility – even though it has no basis at all.
Contrast it with what happens when they crash: broken relationships and lives, addiction, even death.
Gifts are such a special thing to have. We should very profoundly humbled by them and profoundly grateful for them.
But we must serve God using them inside this framework, or woe betide us.
We also see what we do for the church.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.11-13.NIV)
Do you see it? The intention is that we use these gifts to serve the church, not ourselves. There should never be a scenario where ministry is ran for profit. A Christian organisation should always be charitable, not a PLC or an LLC. Our primary responsibility is to God and the Body of Christ, not to shareholders.
Neither should it be run for personal gain in other ways. It should never be run to make us feel significant, like we ‘are somebody’, to boost our ego and our self-esteem, and definitely not to make us more attractive for other people. Our ministry should always be about God first and the Body of Christ second.
Look at the searing point Paul made with the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV
[12] So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.14.12.NIV)
We also see why our gifts were given to us. They have a clear purpose.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.11-13.NIV)
They are given to lead us to spiritual maturity. They are not simply for entertainment or self-aggrandisement.
And what is the key sign of that maturity?
Unity in faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
So what can we see here?
It’s good to be gifted. In the world around us, these gifts are a means to gain power, position and pecuniary wealth for yourself.
And there is, in essence, nothing wrong with that. We each need to make a living, to provide for our families. Deploying our gifts and abilities to do so is a legitimate use for them.
However, those who pursue only these goals will ultimately find themselves empty and unsatisfied, because that is not the ultimate purpose of these gifts.
They were given to help grow the church, both numerically and spiritually.
They were given to extend God’s Kingdom.
It’s absolutely right that we use our gifts and abilities in the church. You will never hear any argument about that from me. But the huge question we need to ask is: ‘Am I deploying my gifts to grow the church, or am I using them to grow my reputation?’
That is a serious challenge.
A few weeks ago, I was attempting a job in our garden that required a hammer. We had a hammer, so I followed the instructions to mount our clothes airer. But it didn’t work. I was using a small nail hammer. It needed a much bigger hammer. I had the wrong tool for the job.
Thankfully a neighbour had a bigger hammer and was able to help us out.
When we use our gifts to build our kingdom, we are using the right tool for the wrong job.
It’s only when we use them to build God’s Kingdom that we are using them correctly.
And that’s when we truly feel fulfilled.
Apart from our attitude to each other, Jesus Christ and ourselves, we also saw that these verses are about Our Attitude to the Truth.
Our Attitude To The Truth
Ephesians 4:14-16 NIV
[14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.14-16.NIV)
These days our politicians and thinkers have made up so many euphemisms to cover up lying. My favourite is probably ‘alternative facts’. We also have people talking about ‘telling my truth’ or engaging in ‘spin' or ‘taking creative liberties' or ‘mis-speaking'.
Friends, these are all lies. And as they are euphemisms, the people who use them are lying about their lies to try to cover the fact that they lied.
None of these have any place within the Christian community. Every single one of them is wrong. As Paul will state later:
Ephesians 4:25 NIV
[25] Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.25.NIV)
Colossians 3:9-10 NIV
[9] Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/col.3.9-10.NIV)
Our modern culture tolerates lies. It sometimes even honours them. Relativism has even denied the very existence of objective truth.
But the Bible has not. If we want to grow and become mature Christians, we must have a right relationship with the truth: both in terms of Biblical truth and non-Biblical truth.
There are three aspects to this relationship with the truth.
Firstly, we must know it. Hence all the emphasis in Ephesians 4:11-13 on those with the gifting, calling and responsibility to teach the truth.
Why do we need to know it?
John 8:31-32 NIV
[31] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.8.31-32.NIV)
If the truth sets us free, what is it that holds us captive?
The answer is: lies.
Lies bind us and prevent us from living life as it should he lived: in the light of honesty and integrity (1 John 1:5-10). The truth sets us free from all of that.
It is absolutely essential that we know the truth so that we can unmask the lie and avoid being trapped by deception – in particular lies that masquerade as the truth.
The truth is essential. It should be our rule and our norm. Think about it: if you're going to play football with your friends, what would you think of someone who argued that the ball should be square, or each goal he scores should be worth five of yours?
Without truth, rules make no sense and the world is nothing but anarchy. Truth gives us the structure and the boundaries we need. It’s the trellis on which the vine of our existence grows. Without it, we cannot live fruitful lives.
Which is why those who teach it are so badly needed in the Body of Christ.
We see also that we should speak it – in love, but it should still be spoken.
Think of it for a second. Let’s say that you are out for a date with your spouse. You are eating Italian food. You have pasta sauce on your chin. The other customers are snickering at you behind your back. Your spouse realises, points it out to you, you take your napkin and you wipe it away.
Who spoke the truth: the other customers or your spouse?
The answer is that they both did, but only your spouse did so in love.
Speaking the truth in love is absolutely essential for life and growth in any Christian community. It keeps on the straight and narrow and corrects our course when we stray (Matthew 5:23-24). Often people I trust have spoken the truth into my life. It’s not always been easy to hear, but they have usually been right.
We really need people like this in our lives to help us to grow. ‘Yes men’ who agree with everything we say just won’t cut it.
Thirdly, we must also live it. A key aspect of living out the truth is to love, as Paul pointed out:
Ephesians 4:16 NIV
[16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.16.NIV)
There can be no growth to maturity without involvement in ministry. That much is clear from this verse. But involvement in ministry must be driven by love, not by a sense of duty or obligation. That is how we grow together as a Body.
Even in the middle of all this, there is something we must remember:
Luke 17:10 NIV
[10] So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.17.10.NIV)
Everything we have read about is beyond wonderful. It has that sense of being involved in something far bigger than ourselves that the people of this world long for. It has more meaning and purpose and reward than anything else we could ever do.
But at the heart of it, our very involvement comes from God and is an act of grace. We are not worthy, but because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, we are made worthy.
Knowing that is the first step to true maturity.
Conclusion
Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV
[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.11-16.NIV)
Our city centres in the UK are often beset by those who have powerful machines but lack the maturity to handle them. A car crash that cost the lives of seven people was caused because a teenage boy near to Middlesbrough was driving his car at speed the wrong way to film content for TikTok.
There is a lot of footage online of young thugs driving powerful e-bikes aggressively and sometimes almost knocking down pedestrians, just for kicks and clicks.
When you put something powerful in the hands of someone who is not responsible, what you get is trouble.
When you place someone in ministry, particularly upfront ministry, who does not have the maturity to deal with it, the result is often a mess.
What we see here is a pathway to maturity. I have to be honest: as someone who has been a Christian for more than forty-five years, I still find these verses to be a huge wake-up call. I know that even as a missionary I sometimes got aspects of this wrong. I'm sure many of my team-mates, if they have long enough memories, would likely be able to point out where I fell short.
Because, you see, our position does not make us mature. Longevity as a Christian does not make us mature. Even theological education does not make us mature.
What makes us mature is hearing the Word of God and obeying it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
It really is that simple.
Here we see four indicators of maturity.
The first is our attitude to others, where we are forced to realise that we can easily win the battle but lose the possibility for growth and maturity. The priority in the Body of Christ is not proving us to be right and glorifying ourselves, it is proving God to be right and glorifying Him.
The second is our attitude to Jesus. We must see Him as the victor over death and hell and the devil. He must have no equal. He must have no rival. If anything in our lives is more important than Him, we close the door to any chance of spiritual growth and maturity.
The third is our attitude to ourselves. No matter how gifted we are, we need to see our gifts as gifts from God, not ourselves. They are signs of God’s grace, not our greatness.
The fourth is our attitude to the truth. We must seek to know it, speak it and live it. Lies must be recognised and set aside. Love must be our desire.
There are so many guides and courses out there that promise growth, as if growing in the Lord was as easy as sprinkling plant food on a flower.
It isn’t. It requires faith. It requires love.
It requires obedience.
It cannot come overnight.
So tell me, Christian: do you want to grow?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I an very challenged by this chapter. I want to grow as a Christian and become more mature. Help me to change my attitude. Search my heart and show me where I need to change. I will obey Your call. Amen.
Questions for Contemplation
What do you think a mature Christian looks like?
What does Paul say are the four areas where maturity is shown? How do you compare in these areas?
How will you grow in the Loed and become more mature?
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