Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity
Becoming A Part of God’s Family
Our purpose is to make you a healthy Christian; a healthy Christian will grow
– When a baby is first born, it needs nourishment (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 1 Peter 2: 2-3)
– God expects you to grow and help; He supplies leaders (Ephesians 4: 11-14)
– Maturity does not just happen; it must be worked at (Hebrews 5:12)
Remember, to be saved or born again is only a beginning.
– There is no fast food (Philippians 3:12)
– When Paul wrote this he had been a Christian for 25 years, completed 3 missionary trips and wrote 9 books of the New Testament
Just like physical fitness requires many types of exercise, so does spiritual fitness
– Patience (James 1: 2-5)
– Dealing with sin (1 John 1: 9-10)
The New Birth
When you are saved or born again, you are born in to the Family (John 3: 5-6; II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:19; John 1:12; Galatians 4: 5-6)
Change in Life
– Once saved, your citizenship changes even though in this World we will long for home (John 15:19; John 17: 11-14)
– What do we do? (Romans 13: 1-7)
– What helps us? (I Peter 1: 3-9; Philippians 3: 17-21; I Corinthians 4: 16-18)
– Is Heaven’s treasure really mine? Holy Spirit is a deposit (Ephesians 1: 14; II Corinthians 5:5)
– How do I get that Spirit? (Acts 2: 38-39)
– How do I feed it? (Ephesians 5: 18-21; I Thessalonians 5:18; Philippians 4: 4-7; Colossians 3: 16-17)
The Lordship of Christ
Lord is mentioned 717 times in the New Testament. To call Him Lord is to say “SIR”. It’s an expression of respect, an acknowledgement of submission, Title of Honor for a King. To become a Christian or a part of God’s family, you must confess Jesus a Lord with your mouth (Romans 10:9)