Mountain Movers

Week 3: Spiritual Maturity and Sanctification Scriptural References: 1 Corinthians 14:20, Hebrews 6:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 4:13-15, Hebrews 5:12-14, 1 Peter 2:1-3, 2 Peter 3:17-18, Ezekiel 39:7, John 17:17, 1 Corinthians 6: 8-11 Spiritual maturity must be an objective in our faith journey, as it is the natural result of faithful spiritual growth. Yet some Christians have been in the faith for many years while remaining spiritual infants. The writer of Hebrews laments his reader’s lack of spiritual maturity, though they’ve been in the faith for a reasonable period to demonstrate proper spiritual growth (Hebrews 5:12-14). One sign of spiritual maturity in Hebrews is a knowledge of scripture that provides the ability to teach others. In other words, they should have been disciple-makers at this stage of their faith journey rather than still requiring instruction in the elementary principles of faith. This is not to say that they should have been within the 5-fold office of ministry as a teacher, but that they should be making disciples of younger Christians. Clearly, the Book of Hebrew’s recipients were failing in maturity. A study conducted by Discipleship.org revealed that only 5% of evangelical churches have a disciple-making culture, with healthy reproduction through effective discipleship practices . It seems the modern evangelical church in America is likewise as spiritually immature as the audience of Hebrews. Think About It: How can you practice being a disciple-maker? Concerning the scripture references for this week, what areas in your life do you see opportunities to grow? Can you identify one person at your church who is newer to the faith that you can mentor? Paul goes on to tell the Corinthian Church to be mature in understanding while being babies to malice (1 Corinthians 14:20). In chapter 13, Paul shares that the child (immature) speaks and acts as a child in understanding. As Paul grew spiritually, he did away with immature spiritual thought, behavior, and words. This should likewise be a reality for us today as we grow in the knowledge of Christ. However, we will see all things fully when we are with Him. Just as a child does not know that their thoughts, behaviors, and words are childish and immature, many believers today lack understanding of their childish faith because they do not practice spiritual disciplines. Yet when they grow in understanding through spiritual disciplines, they see areas of their faith life where they’ve been immature in thought, word, and deed. This is the benefit of spiritual hindsight in the mature saint and the great value of having a mentor in the growth process. All believers need a spiritual mentor because all are still growing. From the senior saint to the newly reborn, no believer reaches full perfection until we cross over to our heavenly reward. Think About It: What things in your spiritual journey have you discovered to be spiritually immature (incorrect doctrine, thinking, behaviors, etc.) that were eventually done away with? How do you, or would you, respond when/if someone reveals an area of immaturity in your faith life? Are you mature enough to listen and act on constructive criticism? If not, perhaps this is where you can learn to trust a spiritual mentor to help you grow. Sanctification is closely related to spiritual maturity, as both are progressive works that act together toward the same purpose. In the Old Testament, we see different ways that items were sanctified. Material things are sanctified by anointing (Exodus 40:9-11). The Lord is the sanctifier (Exodus 31:13). The Tabernacle is sanctified by God’s presence (Exodus 29:42). The altar sanctifies the gift (Exodus 29:37). Further, the firstborn of the Israelites is sanctified to God (Exodus 13:2). The nation of Israel is also sanctified by the Lord (Exodus 19:10, 14). Many of these methods of sanctification are a direct result of the Lord’s presence and acceptance, an important consideration for those under the New Covenant today. The term “sanctify” is the Greek term ‘agiazo’, meaning “to hollow, to become holy, and to consecrate.” The base word for sanctification is the process of becoming holy, hallowed, and consecrated. Under the Old Covenant, the process of a gift becoming sanctified was placing it on the altar as a holy offering to the Lord. The Lord’s presence is the means of the Tabernacle becoming a hollowed place, for He dwelled within. Christians are sanctified (the Holy Spirit’s presence dwells in the heart instantly) and are becoming sanctified (their conduct is progressively changing to reflect Christ) when salvific faith activates God’s unfathomable grace. Thus, salvific faith demonstrates the process of sanctification through which an individual is set apart unto the Lord (consecrated, made holy, hallowed). In addition to sanctification, salvation is a believer’s justification before God. The Greek term used for a person being sanctified is ‘hagiazo’, the same word used for materials that are sanctified (Matthew 23:19, 1 Timothy 4:5, 1 Peter 3:15, Matthew 6:9). Regardless of the Greek form, the context is the same. All reference a person or item being set apart and accepted by God. By separating unto Him, a person, place, or thing becomes consecrated, hallowed, and holy. Do we consider our church building, sanctuary, worship time, teaching, preaching time, communion/Eucharistic worship, fellowship, one another, and ourselves holy unto the Lord? Think about what it means to be accepted by God. What an incredible work of grace! If we do not consider these sacred things as holy unto the Lord, we will approach them in an unworthy manner and fail to connect with our divine Savior through them. God is graciously waiting for us there, but we need to approach Him in a humble way, as a child, to meet with Him in the practices of faith. Sanctification is also a process of surrendering fully to the Holy Spirit’s direction in a believer’s life. Often, at salvation, a new believer is wrestling with the desires of self, though they have been made a new creation in Christ Jesus. As they grow in understanding, there comes a point when such a believer finally surrenders the entirety of their lives to Christ and is fully consecrated by purposeful intention at that point. Wrestling with one’s desires becomes significantly less as the individual has aligned their desires to God’s perfect will. Complete and total surrender is how a person dedicates their life to the Lord. In this way, their lives become the offering sanctified on the altar. The progressive nature of sanctification is revealed through the spiritual maturation of a newborn believer, facilitated by the committed practice of spiritual disciplines and a conscious total surrender. Thinking Deeper: Do we understand the weightiness of the implication of being consecrated, hallowed, and holy to God? Is your church attendance more of a social gathering or a holy convocation? How do we personally participate in the liturgical practices of a worship service (singing, communion, charitable giving, preaching/teaching, and prayer time)? Do we approach these things with reverential respect (Fear of the Lord) or as a casual obligation to fulfill a sense of weekly religious duty?