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Let Jesus Help You Grow Up
1. God's dealing with for grown children is different than for babes in Christ.
A. God nurtures babies and expects little of them until they grow. (1 Pet 2:1-2; 1 Cor. 3:1-3)
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (NIV).
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men.
B. John categorized believers into three levels of maturity. (1 John 2:13)
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
II. The benefits of growing up in Christ are worth all the pain involved in growing.
A. God speaks to you as friends sharing His plan with you. (John 15:13-16)
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
B. You bear fruit of the Spirit and experience amazing answers to prayer.
C. You grow in the use of your spiritual gifts and skills in the Spirit. (Hebrews 6:4-5)
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.
III. There are three things involved in "growing up as a believer.
A. Putting away childish things and taking responsibility in the church. (1 Corinthians 13:11)
B. Speaking the truth "in love."
C. Responding "intelligently" to the chastisement of the Lord. (Hebrews 12:5-15)