Christian Education Pre-K-12
Richmond Academy

Growing Up is Hard to Do - part 3 of 3

How do we grow up or put on the new man?

Eph 4:25-32 (KJV) "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. {26} Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: {27} Neither give place to the devil. {28} Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. {29} Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. {30} And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. {31} Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: {32} And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Eight steps to grow up:

Tell the truth; do not lie.
Be angry; do not sin. This is to say, deal with the anger quickly and do not give place to the devil.
Work so that you may give; do not steal.
Speak what is edifying and give grace; do not speak corruption.
Be marked and protected by the Holy Spirit; do not grieve Him.
Be kind to each other; do not be bitter or fierce.
Be tenderhearted; do not be violent, vengeful, or demanding.
Forgive each other; do not speak evil or desire to hurt another.

The three greatest hindrances to spiritual immaturity are lack of:

repentance
remissions (forgiveness)
restitution (giving back what was taken)

Some might say they can repent. Some might say they can forgive. The way we know is if we have restored what was taken.

Church, it is time to grow up. Is this how we want to end our life here on earth? Are we happy with where we are right now? Do we want another chance? Do we want restoration in the home?

Eph 5:1 (KJV) "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;"

When Paul says be like children, he speaks of purity, the heart. When he says do not be like children, he speaks of maturity, the mind.

1 Cor. 13:11 (KJV) ¹¹When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

We want the church to move on, but it can’t if the families of the church have the brakes on. We must release ourselves to Christ, becoming and doing what God has called us to right now. God wants His Son’s body whole. Christ wants a body that will be proportionate and symmetrical to Him. He is calling for maturity.

-Pr. S. Chad Ross

May Newsletter 2005 | Drawing Water | Recognizing the Blessings

Pastor's Journal May 2004 | Growing Up is Hard to Do part 3 of 3 | The Suddenlies of God part 2 of 3

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