Building up the body of Christ

With focus on

Patterns of Christian Maturity

By: Francis Deng Nanjing International Christian Fellowship June 5th , 2016

1.Maturity growth 2.Humility growth3.Spiritual growth4.Be imitator of God: Following His example5. Jesus and obedience

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Introduction

I Corinthians 10:32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God

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Christian stages

I Peter 2:2 [baby Christians]2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

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Christian stages Ephesians 4:14 [Childhood Christian]

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

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Christian stages Hebrews 11:24-26[Manhood]24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosingrather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward

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Why Growth?

Ephesians 4:1313 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

Types of persons 1 Corinthians 2:14 [Natural man]

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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1 Corinthians 3:1-3 [Carnal mind ]1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

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EPHESIANS 1:3 [spiritual man]

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

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The Immature Believer Verse The Mature BelieverDull of Hearing Hebrews

5:11Paying close attention to what God says

Not able to teach others. Needs to be taught.

Hebrews 5:12

Able to teach others

Still learning the ABC's of God's truth

Hebrews 5:12

Has learned the ABC's of God's truth and moved on to the deeper things of God (1Cor. 2:10)

Needs milk - Not ready for meat. Hebrews 5:12

Feeding on strong meat

A spiritual baby Hebrews 5:13-14

Spiritually advanced and discerning

Great difficulty in discerning between good and evil, & often makes wrong moral choices.

Hebrews 5:14

Able to discern between good and evil (compare 1 Cor. 2:15), guided by God's Word (compare 1 Thess. 5:21)

Ignorant of God's will and ways due to neglect of the Bible

1 John. 2:14

Knowing God and living in His Word (compare 2 Pet. 3:18)

"Do as I say but not as I do" Phil. 4:9 "Follow me as I follow Christ." Able to be a model for others (compare 1 Cor. 11:1)

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Spiritual 1Cor.2:15-3:4 Carnal (fleshly)Feeding on milk and solid food 1st Corin.3:1-2 Still feeding on the baby bottle (milk) &

not able to handle solid foodWalking in the Spirit (compare Galatians 5:16)

1st Corin. 3:3 Carnality, walking in flesh, works of flesh (envy, strife, divisions, etc.)

Following Christ (1 Cor. 11:1) 1stCorin. 3:4-5 Following menAble to help a brother/ sister who is overcome by a fault

Galatians 6:1 In need of personal help with faults

Rooted and grounded in the knowledge of Christ

Eph. 4:13-14 Children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine

Protected by God's armour Eph. 6:10-17 Vulnerable to the enemy Absorbed with Christ and with the needs of others, humble

Philippians 3:3-5 Self-absorbed, proud

Regardless of the level of maturity reached, presses on to higher ground, never content with present level of attainment or spiritual accomplishment.

Philippians 3:12-13

Satisfied and, content with sub-par spiritual state.

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2. Humility growth 1 Peter 5:5-6

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

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MosesNumbers12:1-3 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

MaryLuke 1:48-49 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

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JesusPhilippians 2:8-10 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

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What is Humility?

Humility is the quality of being humble A.Modest B.not proud- C.doing something out of the goodness D.Doing something not for yourself E.Recognizing the limits of one's talents, ability, or authority.

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3. Spiritual growth

Luke 2:4040 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit,filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

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1Corinthians 4:1741 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

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Areas of the spirits growth

1 Corinthians 15:10 [Grace]10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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Romans 12:3[faith]3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith

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Acts 19:20 [Word] 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Proverbs 4:20-2220 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

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Psalms 45:7 [Righteous ] 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

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4. Be imitator of God: Following His example

Ephesians 5:1-71 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

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5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:•Walk in Love

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How can I walked the Ephesians walk?

1. Strive to imitators of God“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

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2. Remain in the light: 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ( 1 John 1:5-7)

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3. Make wisdom a priorityWisdom’s benefits are many (Proverbs 4:5-10).Wisdom keeps you from evil. (Proverbs 5:1-2).Wisdom changes life. (James 3:17)

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5. Jesus and obedienceJohn 8:31So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples.

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Luke 5:5-65 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

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A. Peter allowed Jesus to use His boat .B. Peter obeyed Jesus’ command to go to the deep water for a catch .C. Peter and his partners left their boats, nets and fish and followed Jesus

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Summary

John 1:12-14 [ salvation is the key ]

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