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The Progress of Maturity - part 1 of 2 Heb. 12:1-2 (KJV) “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The progress of spiritual maturity has six phases. However, life is certainly not limited to these six phases. We all live different lives, entering into the six phases from time to time in different circumstances that come our way. We may seem to have arrived in one area of our life, but God has ways of humbling His people and we may just find ourselves entering a phase that we thought we had passed. The Lost 1 Cor. 2:14 (KJV) “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.” The lost are those in this world who are not born again. The majority of the world is in this phase. These are the people who have not repented of their sins and turned from wickedness to be born into the kingdom of God. Leaving this phase and entering the next phase is not salvation. It is being born again. The new process in which the individual is entering is called “being saved.” Salvation is a process. The Carnal Christian 1 Cor. 3:1 (KJV) “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” The carnal Christians are the babes in Christ. The majority of the church is in this phase. These are the young believers that have not been trained in the things of God. These are not disciples. Many churches focus on evangelism and getting people saved in the church, but if they are not discipled, these converts remain weak and carnal in their understanding. These seem to have much mixture in their lifestyles. They have added Christ to their life but have not totally abandoned the worldly nature. The Bondservant Luke 14:27, 33 (KJV) “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple… So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Bondservants are the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the ones that believe that being born again isn’t enough. These believers want to know, understand and have relationship with Christ, so they enter into a new phase. They are ready to totally surrender their life and all that they have. They enter into intense training of the things of God. They are an apprentice. Life being a bondservant is not easy and few find their way through it. It takes great servanthood and abandonment to move on. The bondservant finds himself living at the foot of the cross. Christ, along with His ministers holds him accountable. But it is this time that the disciple learns about motivational gifts. These are the gifts that the Lord reveals to the disciple that he may know how to respond to needs. The disciple learns to meet needs of others through the motivation given to him. His focus only now begins to turn outward and away from himself. To be continued… -S. Chad Ross April Newsletter 2003 | Impurity | Get It Together part 1 | Progress of Maturity part 1 of 2 Pastor's Journal April 2002 | Present Day Fathers part 1 | Pillars and Posts part 1 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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