“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
In this verse, Paul encourages us to grow up in Christlikeness.
How does this happen? Here are four ways we grow in maturity to become more like Christ:
SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE
Speaking in love without speaking the truth is a decision to walk away from the truth. It is a blatant refusal to speak the truth. At the same time, speaking the truth without love is a decision to speak in such a way that the truth cannot be heard. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” If you have an important truth but refuse to speak in love, you are refusing to speak in a way that can be heard. A mark of Christian maturity is speaking the truth in love.
GROW UP IN EVERY WAY
A mark of Christian maturity means growing in Christlikeness. This does not mean we have it all together. Rather, it looks like someone who says, “By the grace of God, I am not what I used to be, and by the grace of God, I am not what I am going to be.” We strive every day to look more like Christ! We resist the urge to conclude that we are “mature enough” or that we have “arrived.” No. The only arrival is eternity. And until we get there, we still have room to grow. The most mature followers of Jesus have the greatest desire to be more like Christ.
LOOK TO JESUS AS THE HEAD
The head is the life of the body. The body is lifeless without the head. A mark of Christian maturity is living like it really is all about Jesus! A church that does not exalt Jesus in every way and advance his mission is a lifeless, dead church. In order to walk in a manner worthy of the calling, we focus our lives on Jesus as the one who guides everything in our life. He is the one who calls us and equips us with the power of His word. He is the one who holds it all together and sustains us to live for his glory.
BE ENGAGED IN THE MISSION OF GOD
There is no greater joy to be found in this life than living as a follower of Jesus Christ who has been equipped and empowered to live the mission and use what God has given us for His glory. Mature believers give, serve, share, and live sent for the sake of building up the body and sharing the good news they have received in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Paul David Tripp frames this reality in a beautiful way when he reminds us:
“Your life is much bigger than a good job, an understanding spouse, and non-delinquent kids. It is bigger than beautiful gardens, nice vacations, and fashionable clothes. In reality, you are part of something immense, something that began before you were born and will continue after you die. God is rescuing fallen humanity, transporting them into his kingdom, and progressively changing them into his likeness, and he wants you to be part of it.”
So, how about you? Based on these four ways, are you growing up in Christ?
Taken from a sermon by George Wright, Senior Pastor, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL
DIG DEEPER
Read “Growing in Christ: A Different Perspective” by Michael Kelley
