Growing Up In Christ. Part 5

Stages of Spiritual Development. Part 2

Deacon Adekunle Adenuga

Childhood. The understanding of the stage of your growth will help you to know what you need to do to go up to the next stage of growth.

Ephesians 4:14 KJV "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"

Our Father God does not intend for us to continue to be children on our understanding of His will for our lives. He desires that we be founded and established in the truth of His Word so that we shall not be deceived. His will for you is to be grounded and rooted in love. He wants you to come to the point where you will not be easily deceived or not be deceived at all. And you can only come to this place by growing up in the Word by the Holy Spirit and by His grace. This growing up requires thorough teaching in sound doctrines and giving your full, undivided attention to the Word of truth.

Characteristics of Childhood.

(1) Unsteadiness. Children are not steady and stable. They are tossed to and fro. They do whatever they like to do. Whatever comes into their mind, they do. They live and act according to their feeling, seeing and understanding. They are easily influenced. They are prone to changes and every kind of vogue. If let alone, children can do anything they feel like doing and they will go away with it. Because of this, children are expected to be trained and instructed. Children are not qualified to run their own lives because they may damage and blow apart their lives.

1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
In order for you to grow up, you have to change the way you speak, understand [or reason] and think. You have to stop speaking and talking like a child. You have to stop understanding and reasoning as a child. You have to stop thinking as a child. But how do you do this? By becoming a matured man. For instance, as a believer in Christ you cannot be talking like an unbeliever. You cannot even talk some certain things because you feel like talking it.

You cannot be reasoning like the world nor can you reason in a certain way because you feel like reasoning that way. You have to let your thinking line up with the thoughts of God. You have to let your words line up with Gods Word. Anything contrary to this is a childish way.

(2) Curiosity. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 KJV And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
(12) That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

You have to learn to mind your business. Whatever God has called you to do, stay at it. Stop looking into other peoples business, especially if you are not invited. Dont go about looking for peoples faults and failures and thinking you are better than them. Dont be a nose poker! Dont be a backbiter.

2 Thessalonians 3:11 KJV For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Children are expert busybodies. Busybody person is a disorderly person. And children are simply disorderly. When you give children work to do, they do something else. They are simply disorderly. They are not self-disciplined. They can be very rebellious. They are not self-motivated. They just like doing whatever they like. This could be detrimental and damaging to their development. Most times, their curiosity gets them into problems with other people. They eventually mess and muddle things up.

(3) Talkativeness. Proverbs 10:19 KJV In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

When I was a child, I spake as a child Children are real talkers. They are talkative. You can call them chatterbox. Talkative Christians are big mouthed people. They eventually turn out to be gossipers. People who are always talking even when there is no need for them to talk are always with sin. Too much talking will lead to offense. Multitude of words opens the door to error. It is foolish to be a talkative. Dont be a word waster. Be a word doer. The Scripture commands us to be slow to speak and quick to hear. God intended for you to be more of a good listener than to just be a word idler. Every word you speak you will give account of it. Your words have the authority to justify you or condemn you. It is up to you.

Generally, people who are talking all the time are usually guilty of at least three sins:
a. Evil Speaking-talking about and discussing the faults and failures of people not present. Psalm 34: 11-14.

b. Vain Speaking-always talking about themselves. Titus 1: 10; James 1: 26. Let us talk of God and His Word. Malachi 3: 16-18; Psalm 71.

c. Foolish Speaking-jesting, joking and things that are unprofitable. Ephesians 5: 4; Proverbs 26: 18-19; whatever does not add value to my life, it is not necessary to be part of my life. 1 Timothy 1: 4; 1 Timothy 4: 7.

Growing Up As Children.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Children are not to be left alone to run their lives, because they are not qualified to do it. Children need to be trained in order for them to develop into matured men in Christ Jesus. The Bible says train up a child in the way he should go. Take note: not in the way he wants to go. They must be train up in the way they should go. Children must be train up to grow up. There is a way to go. It is that way they should be discipline for them to go. Train means to narrow, initiate, discipline, dedicate. So children must be disciplined and dedicated to walk in the way of the Word of God.

Proverbs 22:15 KJV Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Children need to be corrected. Correction is part of the training. Correction is a way of telling them, you cannot just get away with anything or rule you violate. Children must be taught that obedience will bring reward, while disobedience will bring punishment or chastisement. We are children of God hence each time we deviate from His Word; He chastised us because we are His Children. Despising the chastening of the Lord is to risk rejection. To be without chastening is to be like bastards or illegitimate children. But we are sons of God, therefore we must be chastised each time we miss the mark. Hebrews 12: 5-11. Chastisement is means to correct us and put us back into the will of God where we belong. Gods chastisement is done by His Word.

Heb 11:24-25 KJV By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
(25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

It takes faith to come to maturity. Faith comes by the hearing of the Word of God. Therefore, it takes the hearing and the doing of the Word of God to come to spiritual maturity. It takes faith in the Word of God to refuse to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. It takes faith to walk with God even when it is not convenient to do so. It takes faith in the Word of God to refuse to go with the world, and remain in God. It takes faith to love God and turn ones back to the lust of the world. By faith, I have made up my mind that I wont turn back because I know that I will see my Jesus one day.

By faith, Christ dwells in my heart therefore I am being rooted and grounded in love. By faith, I dwell in love. I am growing up in love way. This is the way to grow up and become matured in Christ. Walking in love is a sure way to grow up I Christ. Abiding in love is to abide in God for God is love. Jesus is love. The Word of God is love word.

Ephesians 4: 32 and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. It takes a love heart to be kind. It takes a love heart to be tender-hearted, and to forgive one another as God forgave us in Christ. The Love way is the way to grow up unto a matured man, unto the measure of the fullness of Christ.