Friday, 20 September 2024
PERFECT AND FULL-GROWN
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you (Philippians 3:15).
Some people believe that spiritual maturity is only attainable when we get to heaven, and that on earth, we can only keep growing. But that’s not true. God’s Word encourages Christians to strive for maturity and full growth in their spiritual journey. In our opening verse, Paul uses the Greek word "teleos" to describe those who are spiritually mature and full-grown.
The goal is for every Christian to attain this level of spiritual maturity. Ephesians 4:11-12 emphasises this truth as Paul highlights the five-fold ministry offices or gifts within the Church and their distinct purposes. It says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
The ensuing verse 13 tells us the purpose for all that we read in verses 11-12; it’s for us all to come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, perfect and full-grown: “…until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him” (Ephesians 4:13 AMPC).
his is not in heaven but in the earth! He expects us to grow to the full measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ here on earth. It is about embodying Christ's fullness in every aspect of life, reflecting His glory through your words, actions, and character.
Make this your vision of growth. Make up your mind that this would be your experience. Be determined to walk in this light—to walk in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Christ in you is the hope of glory, in reality, and in totality. Praise God!
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for the assurance that spiritual maturity is attainable now. Through your Word, I’m being raised by the Spirit to be perfect and full-grown, walking in the fullness of your Spirit. Thank you for the leadership ministry gifts you have established in the Church so that we may be built up, edified, strengthened and nurtured unto maturity, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Hebrews 5:12-14; James 1:4; Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 4:11-13
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Galatians 4:21-5:1-15 & Isaiah 3-5
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 1 Timothy 5:1-10 & Jeremiah 38