It’s Time to Grow Up!

Most of as children can’t wait to grow up. We can’t enjoy today, for wondering what it will be like to be all grown up, making our own decisions, doing our own thing, having no one to report to. It seems so great, until we do grow up – at least grow into adult age! After we have a little time being a so-called adult, we find that there are more decisions than we can handle, we rarely get to do our own thing, and we have countless people to have to report to.

While on the natural side of life, growing up is one phenomenon, on the spiritual side – there is never really a question about growing up – we never want to do it! If growing up means that we are to emulate the life and character of Christ at all times and in all situations – then that for sure is not what we signed up for:

No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. Ephesians 4:15 (MSG)

In the above passage of scripture we see the Apostle Paul instructing the Ephesians to grow up! He lets them know that prolonged infancy is not the way of those who follow Christ. It is essential that we become mature so we won’t be deceived and so we won’t negatively impact the body of Christ. 

 Paul gave a startling rebuke to the Corinthians for their immature behavior as well. The bottom line is immaturity leads to strife, to divisions, to an open forum for the enemy to wreck havoc upon the church that Jesus paid for with His blood.

^1-4 But for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I’ll nurse you since you don’t seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything’s going your way? When one of you says, "I’m on Paul’s side," and another says, "I’m for Apollos," aren’t you being totally infantile? 1 Corinthians 3:2-4 (MSG)

Growing up is not easy, but it is essential to realize;

But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

Let us think on these things..

Maria