Grow: Spiritual Maturity

“The average Christian is not the robust, radiant believer described in the New Testament.” A.W. Tozer

Hebrews 5:12-14 New King James Version

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Itchy Ears:

2 Timothy 4:3-4

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Itchy ears- Paul isn’t saying these people simply wanted to hear something interesting. The idea is that they have developed a craving for teaching that satisfies their desires.

 

Itchy ears quotes:

“God wants you to be happy”

Leaves out: deny yourself Luke 9:23

“God wants you to succeed”

But leaves out: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it.”

Luke 9:24

“God loves you just the way you are.”

But leaves out: Galatians 2:20

Living scarifies to God:

Romans 12:1-2

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

How to be a living sacrifice:

1. No Longer I

Galatians 2:20

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

2.Deny Yourself and take up your cross

Luke 9:23

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

3.Pursue holiness

1 Peter 1:15-16

¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Holy- set apart, sacred, consecrated, morally pure, or devoted to God.

Pursuing holiness is intentionally ordering every area of our lives around the character and will of a holy God, continually turning away from what dishonors Him and becoming increasingly like Christ.