| The Earthly Cost of Failing to Mature | |
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There are current consequences a Christian faces if they resist maturing. Prolonged spiritual immaturity opens the door to many negative things. The believer may not lose their salvation, but they will become increasingly caught up and entangled in their spiritual life, and suffer greatly because of it. If a believer is persistently immature they can expect to experience some or all of the following: anxiety, worry, fear, sleeplessness, fatigue, despondency, hopelessness, guilt, frustration, disease, low self image, disorientation, confusion, gloom, boredom, lack of passion, timidity, and humiliation. The immature believer misses the sense of God’s closeness, becomes spiritually stagnant, suffers decreased spiritual power, gives up the experience of miracles, forfeits blessings, surrenders ministry opportunities, is trapped in addictions, succumbs to temptations, is deprived of joy, misses out on important relationships, and displeases the Lord. Although it is hard and costly to grow up in Christ, it is ultimately harder and more costly to not grow up in Christ. Introductory Scriptures Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and
blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in
their deceitful scheming. (Commentary - There must be no symptoms of arrested development among believers, who are to abandon childish attitudes and be their age (1Cor 13:11). Paul switches from one metaphor to another as he depicts the features of spiritual infantilism. Its victims will be tossed to and fro like a cork in a surging sea (James 1:6) and whirled around by every chance gust of fashionable heterodoxy. "Blown here and there" (peripheromenoi) is literally "swung around." It is used of spinning tops and feeling dizzy. Such is the confusing effect of false doctrine. – Expositor’s Bible Commentary) 1Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know
that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (Commentary - Belief in the sovereignty of God and in his fatherly concern for us does not permit us to sit back and do nothing. We are to "work out [our] salvation" because "it is God who works in [us]" (Philippians 2:12-13). So here Peter warns his flock of the danger of making the fact of God's sovereign care an excuse for inactivity. "Be sober, be watchful" perhaps reflects Peter's own experience in which Satan had "sifted" him (Luke 22:31) and he had failed to "watch" (Matt 26:38; Mark 14:34). God's sovereignty does not preclude peril to the Christian life. Peter calls Satan "your enemy the devil" and likens him to a lion in search of prey. The word "enemy" (antidikos, "adversary") meant an opponent in a lawsuit (cf. Job 1:6 ff.; Zech 3:1; Rev 12:10). "Devil" (diabolos) is the Greek translation of the Hebrew "Satan" (1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 2:1), which means `slanderer'. According to Scripture, he has great power on earth, "being the prince of this world" (John 14:30) and "the ruler of the kingdom of the air" (Eph 2:2). But God has limited his activity. Through his captive subjects (Eph 2:2; 2Tim 2:25-26), the devil attempted to destroy the infant church by persecution.) 1Corinthians 3:1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in
Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are
still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. (Commentary - Paul calls the Corinthians "brothers" before reprimanding them for their spiritual immaturity. Not only had he not preached to them with persuasive words (2:1-5), but here he states he could not even speak to them as to those with spiritual maturity. They were acting immaturely as those motivated by the world's thoughts and actions. The word "spiritual"…applies to believers who are spiritually mature Christians—i.e., those led into maturity by the Spirit in contrast with the immature ones still controlled by the fleshly prejudices and viewpoints dominating the unsaved of the world. …He could not teach them deeper doctrines "solid food" because as infants in Christ they could not spiritually digest them. "Indeed you are still not ready," v. 2), emphasizes their continuing immaturity. The descriptive term "fleshly" further indicates that these Christians showed characteristics of spiritual immaturity. …To walk "according to man" (NIV, "acting like mere men") means to live only the way the ordinary sinful man lives—in selfishness, pride, and envy. – Expositor’s Bible Commentary) Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. (Commentary - With the great gallery of witnesses about us, it is important for us to run well. So we are to"Let us throw off everything that hinders." "Everything that hinders" may mean any kind of weight. Athletes carried nothing with them in a race, and the writer is suggesting that the Christian should "travel light." He is not referring to sin, for that follows in the next clause. Some things that are not wrong in themselves hinder us in putting forward our best effort. So the writer tells us to get rid of them. Christians must also put off every sin. Sin forms a crippling hindrance to good running. Christians then, are to lay aside all that could hinder them in their race and are to "run with perseverance." The author is not thinking of a short, sharp sprint but of a distance race that requires endurance and persistence. Everyone has from time to time a mild inclination to do good. The author is not talking about this but about the kind of sustained effort required of the long-distance runner who keeps on with great determination over the long course. That is what the heroes of faith did in their day, and it is that to which we are called. – Expositor’s Bible Commentary) Further Scriptures Mark 9:17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." Hebrews 10:38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." Matthew 8:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Matthew 21:18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." 1Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. |
| The Eternal Cost of Failing to Mature | |
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There are eternal consequences for failing to mature as a Christian. God rewards people in eternity and places people in positions of responsibility there according to the faithfulness they demonstrated during their earthly life here. If we do not live the life God is calling us to live then we may forfeit reward in heaven. The New Testament teaches that all Christians will have to give an account of themselves before the Lord. At that time there will be no opportunities to go back and do our life over again. What we have done with our lives will be judged and evaluated. If we have not done what God wanted us to do then we may lose our reward. If we have shown ourselves to not be trustworthy with what was entrusted to us here, then we may find ourselves not being given much to be trusted with in eternity. Introductory Scriptures 1st Corinthians 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly
stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the
Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the
quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his
reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only
as one escaping through the flames. ( Commentary: Those Christians whose works stand the test of fire (v. 14; cf. 1 Peter 1:7) will be rewarded (cf. Matt 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27). Those whose works are consumed by the fire will themselves escape the flames (as if they were to jump out of the burning wooden structure they had built) and will be saved alone, without any works of praise to present to Christ.” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary “The result of this will be the gain or loss of eternal rewards. … Our works are what we have done with our resources – time, energy, talent, money, possessions. The fire of God’s holiness will reveal the quality of these works, the eternal significance of what we’ve done with our God given assets and opportunities. … When we commit sins or neglect to do righteous acts we should have done, we are not doing what we could to lay up precious stones on the foundation of Christ. Therefore, these sins contribute to our “suffering loss.” Through this loss of reward the believer is considered to be receiving “due” for his works, whether good or bad. Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and Eternity, p.116-117 “Because the foundation is Jesus Christ, everyone who builds on that foundation will be saved. But these believers will present to God the lives they have lived for him. Some of them will present lives of gold, silver, and jewels – lives built on the truth of the gospel and spent in sacrifice and service to God. These builders will receive a reward. Some will present lives that amount to no more than wood, hay, and straw, and all that they did and accomplished in this world will be burned up. These builders will be saved, but only as if they jumped out of a burning building and lost everything but their lives. They will enter heaven but will not receive the same reward as those who built well.” - The Life Application New Testament Commentary, p. 658) 2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body,
whether good or bad. Commentary “We will be judged by him according to our works, both good and bad. … God’s word treats this judgment with great sobriety. It does not portray it as a meaningless formality or going through the motions before we get on to the real business of heavenly bliss. Rather, scripture presents it as a monumental event in which things of eternal significance are brought to light and things of eternal consequence are put into effect. … “Whether good or bad” in the above verse may be the most disturbing phrase in the New Testament. It’s so disturbing, in fact, that I’ve found any honest attempts to deal with it are met with tremendous resistance.” - Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and Eternity, p.116-117. “The purpose of the judgment seat of Christ is to properly evaluate us, to grade us so that our position in the coming kingdom is made clear. This life is like a college entrance exam that helps us know where we shall be slotted in the kingdom of the coming King. To quote Hughes again, this judgment “is not a declaration of gloom, but an assessment of worth, with the assignment of rewards to those who because of their faithfulness deserve them and a loss or withholding of rewards in the case of those who do not deserve them.” Erwin Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward, p.35 “Eternal life is a free gift given on the basis of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), but Christians’ lives will be judged by Christ. Salvation is never obtained by works (Romans 4:4-5), and this judgment before Christ will not determine believers’ eternal destiny. Instead, at this judgment, Christ will reward Christians for how they have lived in this body…..The passage warns the Corinthians…that they would received whatever they deserved for the good or evil they had done in their bodies. This is a sober reminder to all Christians that we must evaluate all we do from God’s perspective.” Life Application New Testament Commentary, p.727 “No one who accepts the authority of Christ and authenticity of His Words can doubt that there is a judgment to come. But there is a vast difference between the judgment of believers and non-believers. For the believer there lies ahead the “bema” or judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). For the impenitent, there is the inescapable prospect of standing before the great white throne of judgment (Revelation 20:5, 11-12). - J. Oswald Sanders (Note: The judgment seat is also referred to in Romans 14:10-12 “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:" `As surely as I live,' says the Lord,`every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”) Further Scriptures Luke 19:11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. `Put this money to work,' he said, `until I come back.' 14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, `We don't want this man to be our king.'15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.16 "The first one came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'17 " `Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. `Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'18 "The second came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned five more.'19 "His master answered, `You take charge of five cities.'20 "Then another servant came and said, `Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' 22 "His master replied, `I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? 24 "Then he said to those standing by, `Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'25 " `Sir,' they said, `he already has ten!'26 "He replied, `I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring them here and kill them in front of me.' " Observation: Not all of the servants received a “well done” from the master. The servants who did well with what they were given were rewarded accordingly in the master’s kingdom when he returned. A similar lesson in taught in the Parable of the Talents, in Matthew 25: 14-30. 2nd John 1:8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Observation: The warning here implies that we forfeit some level of reward if we become complacent in the way we live our life before God. Philippians 4:14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. Observation: Paul thanked the Philippians for their generosity to him in supporting his ministry. He says that the help they have given will be credited to their account. Apparently God is keeping an account open for us where deposits consist of those actions God delights in rewarding. Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Observation: The treasure we dedicate to God is not “lost” to us. Just the opposite is true. The treasure we don’t dedicate to God is lost to us eventually because of moth, rust, and robbers. The treasure we dedicate to God is safely laid up in eternity for us. John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, wrote, “Whatever good thing you do for Him, if done according to the Word, is laid up for you as treasure in chests and coffers, to be brought out to be rewarded before men and angels, to your eternal comfort.” (Quote from Bunyan taken from Money, Possessions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn, p.98) 1st Timothy 6:18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. Observation: The good deeds and generosity here result in treasure laid up and a firm foundation for eternity. The contrast seems to be that if we avoid serving God here and withhold generosity that we sacrifice something with regard to our treasure laid up and our firm foundation for eternity. Ephesians5:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Observation: We should be careful how we work for others, even when they treat us unfairly, because God is watching and willing to reward us for whatever good we do. 2nd Peter 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Observation: Receiving a rich welcome in the kingdom seems to be based on our dedicated efforts to actually live the life God is wanting us to live. Luke 16:1-13 Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' 3 "The manager said to himself, `What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg-- 4 I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' 5 "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' 6 " `Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' 7 "Then he asked the second, `And how much do you owe?' " `A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, `Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? Observation: The lesson here is that we should use the resources we have control over here with eternity in mind. Notice that worldly wealth is contrasted with “true riches.” Also notice how “someone else’s property” is contrasted with “property of your own.” Because the earth is God’s property there are no true riches or property which can belong to us. In eternity, however, God intends to reward according to trustworthiness shown on earth. God rewards in eternity with true riches and property that will actually belong to the receivers. If we have not been trustworthy here, then we should not be surprised if we are not trusted with much in eternity. Caution: God Doesn’t Owe Us Rewards God generously rewards according to His own prerogative and judgment, not because He is in debt to us because of our service to Him. We should not bargain with God for reward or begrudge God for rewarding some more generously than we think they ought to be rewarded. Luke 17:10 7 "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, `Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8 Would he not rather say, `Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " Observation: When we serve God we are only doing what we should and we do not earn any reward. All rewards are given because of God’s graciousness and not our worthiness. Matthew 20:1-16 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, `You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, `Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 7 " `Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, `You also go and work in my vineyard.' 8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, `Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' 9 "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 `These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, `and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' 13 "But he answered one of them, `Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Observation: Those who bargained with the landowner got exactly what they bargained for. Those who trusted the landowner to pay whatever was fair received more than they expected. The lesson is not that it doesn’t matter what we do because God rewards everyone equally no matter what. The lesson to be learned is that God can be as generous in rewarding as he wants. We are in no position to judge God’s generosity to another, even if it seems to us that they receive more than they deserve. Everyone will be rewarded fairly, but God reserves the right to be extravagant because everything belongs to Him. |
| The Call to Maturity | |
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The journey towards maturity in Christ is never presented in the New Testament as an optional part of God’s will for the believer. Maturing in Christ is considered the obvious, natural result of the believer accepting Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in their life. Through the indwelling power and spirit of God and through the concerted effort of the believer, a Christian naturally grows to maturity and produces spiritual fruit. The following scriptures point to the urgency and importance placed upon maturing in Christ. Introductory Scriptures Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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. Luke 8:14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Galatians 4:19 I am …in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you 1st Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Galatians 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 2Corinthians 3:18 we … are being transformed into his likeness James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete Colossians 4:12Epaphras… is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Further Scriptures Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity,
Leviticus 11:45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of because I am holy.
Leviticus 19:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
1Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Hebrews 12:10 …God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
1Thessalonians 4:3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
2Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
1Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
2Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2Peter 3:14 So then, dear friends, … make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. |