SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY

SERIES: THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM

MESSAGE: SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY

TEXT: GALATIANS 3:29-4:1

INTRODUCTION

It is God’s will to prosper us spiritually, physically, economically etc. If we be in Christ we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise God gave to Abraham. Our Lord Jesus has gotten for us a better deal in salvation through his blood. We are destined for greater success in life than the Jews-the biological offspring of Abraham. When we are born again into the family of God we are destined greatness, smallness dies. Greatness is brought by God, for promotion does not come from man but from God. He puts up one and puts down another-Psalm 75:6-7. However, God expects a born again to grow from a spiritual infant to a mature believer. There are believers who remain infants through their life and never mature. The Bible says that if a believer is still a child spiritually, he is no better than a slave, his inheritance is kept by trustees until when he will grow up. What are the characteristics a spiritual baby?

BABIES DON’T EXERCISE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE.

Runners don’t complete marathon without training their bodies, conditioning them to go the distance. They must discipline themselves and put in hard work to reap the reward. Every runner must complete according the rules laid down-2 Tim 2:5. It is the same with our spiritual lives. We can’t become more like Christ by doing nothing. We must connect with Him through prayer, reading of scripture, meditation, fellowship etc. Spiritually immature Christians are controlled by their fleshly appetites, they live for the moment. Apostle Peter calls them creatures of instinct-2 Peter 2:12. Paul calls them desires of the flesh-Galatians 5:19-21. Spiritual babies live for the moment, they are satisfied with immediate gratification like Esau who sought to satisfy his immediate need and sold his future blessings-Gen. 25:32.

BABIES DON’T BUILD FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Nothing comes into being if one does not put effort to build and develop it. Growing in the faith, growing up spiritually is to walk more with the Holy Spirit. The desires of the flesh are against the Holy Spirit and the desires of the Holy Spirit against the flesh. The closer you are to the Holy Spirit the closer you are to Jesus our Lord and the closer you are to the father.

BABIES ARE SELFISH ALWAYS WANT TO BE SERVED.

To mature spiritually is to grow up to the level of starting to serve in the kingdom.

Christian service is more than giving offerings and tithes. On realizing what Jesus did on the cross, one must be touched to give something back to the Lord through serving in the body of Jesus Christ. Born again Christians are many but servants are few.

You grow up when you reach a level of wanting to serve and be fruitful in the work of the Lord. Our Lord said that the greatest is the one who serves. God rewards His servants-Phil. 2:4.

BABIES DON’T TAKE CORRECTION-Prov. 12:1

To be able to allow correction is a symbol of spiritual maturity. A mature Christian is the one that allows correction. A baby Christian hates correction, they see it as disapproval. However, even the scripture is given to us for reproof and correction-2 Tim. 3:16-17.

BABY CHRISTIANS DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

Baby Christians are gullible. They can’t articulate the pillars of their faith and they don’t show interest to know. They don’t know what they believe and what they don’t. They are easily swayed by cultic doctrines-Eph. 4:14.

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