“Prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,..”
(Eph. 4: 12 – 13)
I must admit although I was a good student once I reached junior high school, I never looked forward to the day when school began. I was too busy enjoying my summer. When I was younger, my brother and I played ball with our neighbors, and it didn’t matter what kind of ball it was…anything that was round. Then, as I was in junior high school, I started working in yards and playing ball in the city league. I wasn’t very good at either one, but I learned how to get better.
At 15 years old, it was time to start working. I became a stock boy and paper sacker at my uncle’s grocery store. I would work during the week and all day Saturday. Sometimes, I got tired of the work until I received my paycheck at the end of the week. Everything changed then. I was making money. I couldn’t believe it. I got paid for the work I did. It allowed me to help the family, pay for my dates (which were very few), and eventually buy a car. I felt grown up. I wasn’t, but I felt like it.
Paul in this passage refers to the apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors’ responsibility to prepare the body of Christ to become mature in the faith. I’m afraid that is one area that we are lacking in our congregations today. Once a new believer accepts Christ, we, unfortunately, allow him/her to wither on the vine, rather than helping him/her become the person in Christ that He desires.
What are ways that we mature in our Christian faith? First of all, believers must seek God through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers (local church). This allows us to draw closer to the Lord.
Next, believers seek to understand God’s Word and put it into practice. Many of us know the Word and what it says, but the hard part is putting it into practice. Like a plant that grows through nourishment, we must grow through the nourishment of God’s Word and putting it into practice.
The third way to mature in our Christian faith is to develop a Christ-like character. This means growing in the fruit of the Spirit. There’s an old song that goes “The Fruit of the Spirit is…”. Almost always it starts with a watermelon. Well, a watermelon doesn’t help us grow a Christ-like character, but it is good on a hot day like today. These characteristics are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Wow! That’s a lot of character building. Yes, it is, but the Lord is doing this work in us through His Holy Spirit. Let’s allow Him to make us like Him!
Finally, let’s love others as Christ loved us. In John 13:34, Jesus said this is how the world would know that we are His if we loved one another. Well, let’s get about loving others, especially those that we dislike. Only Christ can teach us to do that.
May we continue to grow in our relationship with the Lord in order that we become mature in Him!!
Until Next Month,
Bro. Lyle