Spiritual Maturity

“SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST NEEDS OF CHURCHES TODAY. TOO MANY CHURCHES ARE A PLAYPEN FOR BABIES INSTEAD OF WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS." - Warren Wiersbe

SPIRITUAL MATURITY WILL REQUIRE CHANGE, CHALLENGE AND DISCOMFORT.

James 1:4 - "Endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

James 1:1 - James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion.

BIBLICAL ILLITERACY IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY.

WE WILL HAVE TO continually & PERSISTENTLY PURSUE SPIRITUAL MATURITY.

5 MARKS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY

IMPATIENT IN TRIALS (James 1:2-3 & James 5:7-11)

ACTING BEFORE PRAYER (James 1:5 & James 5:13-18)

RESITANCE TO RULES & AUTHORITY (James 1:19-20 & James 4:1-10)

HEARING THE WORD BUT NOT LIVING IT (James 1:22 & James 2:14-26)

UNABLE TO CONTROL THE TONGUE (James 1:26 & James 3:2)

5 MARKS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Patient in Testing (addresses impatience during trials) James 1:2-3

prayerful In Trouble (addresses the need to pray before acting) James 1:5

Peacemakers not Trouble Makers (addresses issues with God’s Infallible Word and Authority of church) James 1:19-20

Practice Truth (addresses acting on the Word you heard) James 1:22

Power Over Tongue (addresses slander, gossip, tearing down others within the church) James 1:26

τέλειος teleios - Mature; Complete; Perfect; Fully Developed;

James 1:4 Then you will be mature and complete and will have everything you need.

James 2:22 - 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected.

James 3:2 - If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

Philippians 3:12-13 - 12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead…

MATURE CHRISTIANS ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING TOWARD PERFECTION THAT IS ONLY FOUND IN JESUS.

James 1:4 - "Endurance must complete its work, so you may be mature…

IF YOU WANT TO BE MATURE YOU MUST LEARN TO ENDURE.

DIVINE FAMILY OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Word & Spirit of God -- Our Spiritual Parents

Son of God (Jesus) -- Our Perfect Big Brother

People Of God (Church) -- Our Adopted Brothers & Sisters

SERIES COMMITMENTS/RESOLUTIONS:

1 – ATTEND EVERY WEEK OF THE SERIES.

2 – 5 MARKS BOOKLET: PURCHASE & COMMIT TO COMPLETING

3 – READ THROUGH BOOK OF JAMES, ONCE A WEEK FOR ENTIRE SERIES

4 – ATTEND BIBLE STUDY ON SUNDAY NIGHTS.