Mature faith
What does it mean to be a mature follower of Christ?
Is there a certain age you reach where it’s just expected your maturity matches your birth date?
Does it correlate to the length of years you have held a faith (if so me and Jesus are 21 this year and that’s a big birthday!)
What are the signs that someone is no longer a toddler for Christ stumbling through life or an emotionally charged pre-teen driven by feelings?
Does mature faith look serious, buried in concordances, deep diving into the subtext of scripture or does it look like blind trust, childlike faith?
I have reflected on these questions for some time until I came to this conclusion
Maturity is not a destination but an occupation.
Every day without effort we grow in age, but it takes active pursuit to grow in our faith.
It’s an occupation because it requires regular attention and activity.
There is no badge of maturity you receive once you get ‘there’ it’s a never-ending journey of discovery and trust in God.
It’s both serious and childlike, messy, and emotional and everything in between because growing pains don’t just apply to our physical bodies but our souls too.
However, one clear sign of maturity in faith is patience and love for others. Romans 15 v1&2 says-
“Now those who are mature in their faith can easily be recognised for they don’t live to please themselves but have learned to patiently embrace others in their immaturity.” (TPT)
Maturity looks like supporting those who are working it out even when you still are.
Maturity looks like choosing to love people when they are actively choosing not to love you.
Maturity looks like generously reflecting and being Jesus to people.
You can be mature and messy in your faith. Mid-aged and childlike, or young and wise. There is no earthy marker of maturity simply an active pursuit of being more Christ like.
If that isn’t enough for you though and you do love a deep dive into the subtext of scripture consider this-
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)
To be like Christ is to be active in your gifting and in unity with those active in theirs.
Christ at all times called people to action. To pray, help, heal, and share the Good News.
If you are looking to mature in your faith and become more Christ like, how can you support those around you and call them into action alongside you?
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1 v2-5
To be like Christ is to preserve. To walk through a hard situation instead of walking away and choosing to love people who test our limits.
If you are looking to mature in your faith and become more Christ like, ask for wisdom so you can love people freely without finding fault in them because He finds none in you.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
To be like Christ is to reflect and freely give what you have received back to people.
He has forgiven you, so you forgive others.
He has shown compassion to you, so you show compassion to others.
He has been kind to you, so you show kindness to others.
If you are looking to mature in your faith and become more Christ like, are you giving to people what you have received so freely through Christ?