Matured in Love

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” -Ephesians 4:15 NIV

What does it mean to be mature in Christ?  The Bible says Jesus is coming back for a “spotless” bride.  (Eph 5:27) But, what does that mean? 

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, maturity is the quality or state of being mature, full development.(1) When we are mature, we are considered to be “grown-up”.  Also, when we are mature, we can reproduce ourselves, meaning, we can be a discipler and care giver of people younger in faith.

Just as we “grow up” in our natural development, we “grow up” in our spiritual development too.  The Bible says that the mature can distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:14) When we mature, the fruits of the Spirit are evident in our lives.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  These fruits include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  Conversely, when we do not mature, we fall into our old fleshly behavior.  “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” –Matthew 15:19

The problem with our human nature, our flesh, is that we want to stay comfortable- we don’t want to change and grow.  “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” -Luke 8:14  Things can happen to us in our early years that can cripple our emotional development, too.  Family is the place where good or poor habits are shaped and formed.  We may not know if a habit is good or bad until we grow up to be on our own. Then, as we mature we realize that perhaps that way wasn’t the best way to handle things.

But, as Jesus was, we are called to a high standard of maturity so that Christ’s life in us may be revealed.  “Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.”-Hebrews 5:7

Are you walking toward maturity in Christ today?