Mature disciples

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 1 Corinthians 14:20 

 

By historic standards, we are one of the most literate and educated societies to ever exist. What began with the printing press has now in many ways reached its culmination with the Internet. Knowledge and information is freely shared, easily accessible, and instantly distributed across the world to rich, poor, young and old alike. This shift has affected virtually every area of society, and Christianity is certainly not immune. Not only do most of us have hardbound copies of the Bible in our homes, we now carry in our pockets dozens of translations, commentaries, and devotional books, all a few simple clicks or swipes away on our smart phones with whatever bible app version one prefers.

 

Yet, has this increase in access and availability to Kingdom knowledge and Christian principles translated into genuine maturation in Christ and in faith?

 

If we limit our understanding of the faith to head knowledge about God and divorce it from Kingdom living, we will trick ourselves into thinking that we are spiritually mature while in reality we remain spiritual infants. It is entirely possible to know a great deal about God and yet be entirely unsure of how to live as a disciple of Christ. Put another way, it is one thing to know about Jesus, but it is something altogether different to be transformed by his love through relationship with Him. As one of the great authors and champions of the faith C.S. Lewis once said, “it is fatally easy to confuse an appreciation of the spiritual life with the life itself.”

 

Maturation in Christ is not instantaneous but a lifelong process of dying to self and being remade in the image of Christ. If you struggle in your walk with Christ, let these words be an encouragement to you. You aren’t expected to “get it right” overnight. Genuine maturity in Christ isn’t a one-week workout class but is more like months and months of training for a marathon.

 

When you go out of your way to love and serve your spouse, when you express genuine interest in the things your kids are passionate about, when you are transparent and vulnerable with a close group of trusted friends about your struggles and challenges in life, you are embracing daily practices that over time become life-long habits of virtuous living. It is here in the lived experience of our Christian faith that we move from mere knowledge about God to a genuine encounter of the living God, from spiritual infancy to maturity in Christ.

 

Our prayer:  Father help us each day to work towards becoming more mature in you, as we deepen our relationship with you Amen. 

 

Pastor Todd A. Brown
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Mission: Exalting, Evangelizing, Equipping, and Encouraging every soul in Christ

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.comwww.fbcc-va.org

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