Stages of Spiritual Growth

 

My hubby is gifted as a leader. He likes the view from the top of a mountain. I would rather look at it from the base, maybe because I’m afraid of heights. While this view from wherever you are on the mountain is often used to illustrate spiritual growth, I’m thinking this might not be the best illustration.

Today’s devotional says that what I see and what my hubby sees from these two standpoints shows that where a person at in their spiritual  maturity will determine how they view the same landscape. This conveys the idea is that the closer one is to the top equals maturity and the climb illustrates a progressive learning of God’s truth. However, I’ve met new Christians who have a better grasp of some aspects of God’s nature than older and supposedly mature believers do of that same truth.

Of course I googled this topic and found a host of opinions on the various stages of spiritual growth. Some were short, like “babies, youth, adults” while others had 8 or 9 stages with varying names. Some examples:

• Curiosity and Wonder, Commitment-Initiation, Questioning-Doubt, Enlightenment, Separation, Identification, and Transformation-Manifestation.
• Seeker, Believer, Learner, Server, Leader.
• Purgative stage, the illuminative stage, and the unitive stage.
• Honeymoon, Experiential, Discovery, Purpose/Identity, Unison

Some say Jesus experienced growth using this verse: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

Others look at terms like babies, young, elder, mature, but whatever method or ideas we have about spiritual growth, I’m wondering if doing this reflects a human effort to put the work of God in a box? For example, compare the life and attitudes of a new Christian when they are filled with the Holy Spirit and bearing spiritual fruit — to the life and attitudes of a church elder when he or she is walking in the flesh and griping about a problem rather than praying. Who is the mature person in that situation?

Maybe maturity is about consistency? I know Christians who have never doubted God’s acceptance of them, regardless of their ‘good’ deeds and others who struggle most of the time to be ‘good enough’ — begging the same question: who is the mature one?

The NT indicates stages in human terms regarding physical age…

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:12–14)

Yet here, all of these know God’s forgiveness. The “children” and everyone else know the Father. All ages overcome the evil one because they are in the Word of God and it sticks with them. Perhaps this is the better measuring stick — the ability to fend off Satan because his tactics are recognized due to being immersed in Scripture, knowing about spiritual warfare, and learning that beating the enemy requires knowing and doing the will of God.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

One more thing seems plain; whatever we need to grow, God supplies it:

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. (Philippians 3:14–16)

And He also expects us to hang on to what He tells us so we will not fall backwards and tumble down that mountain!

PRAY: Jesus, I am always grateful that You are the Savior for that road to maturity means learning and relearning that I cannot save myself and must trust You, not only for eternal life, forgiveness, and new life, but in every area of life. It is humbling to remember that I’ll only be genuinely mature when I see You face to face in glory!

A different kind of wisdom

 

In these troublesome times, I’m hearing all sorts of ideas of how the world’s problems can be fixed. We must elect different politicians, throw more money into various projects and plans, and control climate by non-use of petroleum. The first passage I read this morning says this:

Deuteronomy 4:6. “Keep (my statutes and rules) and do them, for that will be your WISDOM and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ”

A novel idea: all the problems of the world could be solved if people obeyed God — a wiser source than all the philosophers or political and social media pundits.

In the OT, the word for wisdom has a wide variety of meanings and can be translated as “wisdom, aptitude, experience, good sense, skill.” But the majority use refers to intellect coupled with understanding and knowledge and the ability to skillfully use it. Such wisdom has its source in God and in the fear of the Lord.

 The psalmist writes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” knowing that being wise is not just knowledge, but life skills, the ability to heed advice and follow through with application. Proverbs 8 links wisdom to the heart of God in creation and much of the Bible urges readers to seek wisdom from Him.

The NT word for wisdom is the same. Sophia means not only understanding something but also to act accordingly, separating wisdom from mere knowledge. In other words, a peasant with no education could be wiser than a genius with a doctorate.

People can be instructed in wisdom as was Moses (instructed in the wisdom of Egypt) but that is not the special wisdom that comes only from God. So-called wise people can look good but are not doing good because their actions have no value in defeating their sinfulness:

Colossians 2:23. “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

God’s wisdom is revealed several ways, one of which is through preaching. Some ‘preaching’ is more like talks given by motivational speakers, but words from those who preach in the power of the Holy Spirit can change lives, even though the preacher is not marked as being particularly gifted. One of the great evangelists, Jonathan Edwards, leaned on the pulpit and read his sermons. However, listeners were moved to repentance and salvation by Holy Spirit wisdom, not any lofty elocution skills. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:17–19:

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

Clearly such wisdom is an attribute of God, seen in Jesus Christ and given to all who ask for it. These NT verses tell its power:

1 Corinthians 1:21. “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through (human) wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

Ephesians 3:10. “(Grace was given to preach) so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

Luke 2:52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

1 Corinthians 1:30. “ . . . . Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

James 1:5. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Colossians 1:28. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. It is in Christian maturity that wisdom shines because those who learn to apply what God teaches are considered wise. James 3:13–17 explains:

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

For that reason, I’m told to “Look carefully then how I walk, not as unwise but as wise” because God wants my “obedience known to all” and that I am “wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.”