This just in from our global online tribe: I was taught growing up that God chooses good people and rejects bad people. Is spiritual maturity a form of that same accept/reject idea?
The best place to start answering this deep and extremely important question is to reject, in no uncertain terms, the notion that God chooses good people and rejects bad people. IT SIMPLY IS NOT TRUE. Here’s why:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
God saves SINNERS with no thought about their goodness. Instead, he chooses to offer salvation to ALL based on his kindness and grace. We do NOT deserve it and have no claim to it on our own.
When we accept that kindness and its gift, we are saved for eternity.
Spiritual maturity is how we allow God’s Word to penetrate our sinful soul and transform it in the likeness of Christ to serve him and his Kingdom in a way that gives him 100% of the glory.
In this growth process, the Holy Spirit increases the depth and significance of our faith.
God does not use a GOOD GATE/BAD GATE method to offer us to join him in heaven for eternity (John 3:16). But that does not mean he wants us to remain infant Christians. As we’ve discussed at length this month, he calls us to grow spiritually and not remain children in the faith.
“We are not meant to remain as children, but to grow up in every way into Christ.” Ephesians 4:14
He wants us to grow spiritually, not as a ticket for entrance to Heaven, but to glorify him in a way that will count forever. Here’s how Peter puts it:
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!” 2 Peter 3:18
I want all of my life lived on earth to count forever in eternity. I ask God continually to help me remain committed to that goal and give me the courage to fight for it when the world sweeps in to hijack the plan.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are you allowing God’s Word to penetrate you and transform your soul in the likeness of Christ to serve him and his Kingdom in a way that gives him 100% of the glory?
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9-10
