Friday, October 23, 2015
Seek Maturity
Ed Stetzer writes of the lack of discipleship in the church and that spiritual maturity should be the goal. Amen and Amen. But then what constitutes "Spiritual maturity?
Spiritual maturity includes, among other things, child-likeness. No child can read Grudem. Spiritual maturity is characteristics, not knowledge. For many, knowledge will help us develop those characteristics, but there are also many among us for whom such intellectual endeavors are impossible, and yet they can be spiritually mature. Characteristics are mentored, not taught. But more that mentoring has to be serious and real and intimate. That means, among other things, that it is a two-way street - the mentor has to be as exposed as the mentee and often learns as much. It is dangerous stuff.
I could not agree more that we need to seek maturity. I just think we need to be serious about what maturity is, and how we obtain it.
characteristics mentoring spiritual maturity
True spiritual depth is about understanding the Word of God and living out its truths. That should be the goal for all of us.Well, yes and no. Later in the piece, he uses the example of reading Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" To which I respond - C'MON, BE REAL! Let's assume for the smallest moment you could get more than a few nerds interested in such a project. Will that result in maturity? I cannot tell you how many seminary graduates I know that remain spiritually immature. I cannot tell you how many times I have had scripture quoted to me, from memory, in the most immature of manners. That does not mean those things are not good, it simply means that they are not necessarily related to spiritual maturity.
Spiritual maturity includes, among other things, child-likeness. No child can read Grudem. Spiritual maturity is characteristics, not knowledge. For many, knowledge will help us develop those characteristics, but there are also many among us for whom such intellectual endeavors are impossible, and yet they can be spiritually mature. Characteristics are mentored, not taught. But more that mentoring has to be serious and real and intimate. That means, among other things, that it is a two-way street - the mentor has to be as exposed as the mentee and often learns as much. It is dangerous stuff.
I could not agree more that we need to seek maturity. I just think we need to be serious about what maturity is, and how we obtain it.
characteristics mentoring spiritual maturity
