Having children who no longer need you to explain their origins and destinations is a sure sign of their maturation. 1 We are maturing as members of the body of Christ. Our level of sophistication increases as we become older. The understanding of God and Christ that comes through reading the Bible and praying regularly causes us to develop physically and spiritually.
Changes occur as we grow older. Each of us is unique and special in our own way. We may share the same salvation in Christ and have all answered God’s call, but that doesn’t make us carbon copies. We are not assembled in a factory; we are not a cult in which everyone wears the same clothes, uses the same language, and behaves in the same way.
Bible Verses About Growing Together
The church is well-organized, trained, and armed, but it lacks the uniformity and common language of a military force.
It takes time for us to grow up as members of Christ’s body. Becoming more like Christ is a developing process supported by the spiritual gifts distributed to the body.
Our look at “Living Together in Community” in Ephesians chapters 4 through 6 continues here. Both “Walking together in unity” (4:1-6), which we covered in the last essay, and “Growing together in maturity” (4:7-16) represent our communal practise as Christians.
1. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
2. Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Isaiah 54:2-3
3. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:1-3
4. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 1 Timothy 4:15
5. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:11
6. being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
7. …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 1:10
8. Brothers and sisters, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
9. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
10. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
When we become Christians, we enter into a relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that will cause us to grow. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to become more like Jesus and to become more holy. It is this spiritual growth that becomes a birthmark of our faith!
Verses on spiritual growth family
Ideas in 1 Corinthians 2:6
Nevertheless, among the seasoned, we do impart wisdom; it is not, however, the wisdom of this age or its ephemeral rulers.
Various Interpretations of 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, do not be immature in your thoughts; however, in wickedness, be like infants.
To receive a spirit of understanding and illumination in the knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17-18), from the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. May God open your eyes to see the glory of His inheritance in the Christians, the hope of His calling, and the richness of His glory.
Verse 9 and 10 of Colossians
Therefore, ever since the day we learned of it, we have ceased not to pray for you, asking that you may be filled to the brim with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all things; growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Ideas in Romans 12:2
And do not put your trust in the wisdom of this world, but test and approve what God’s will is by being changed by the renewing of your mind.
1-3 of 1 Corinthians
And I, brothers, was not able to address you as spiritual beings but as fleshly men, as though you were infants in Christ. Because you weren’t ready for solid meals, I only gave you milk to drink. You are still too fleshy to be capable right now. For if you are jealous of one another and arguing with one another, then you are acting like mere men.
To paraphrase Galatians 5:22-23
In contrast, the Spirit’s fruit includes such attributes as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
that you put to death your old self, which is being corrupted in conformity with its lusts, and that you be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Ephesians 4:22-23).
Verse 9-11 of Philippians
And this is my prayer for you: that your love would abound more and more in genuine understanding and all discernment, that you might give your approval to what is excellent; that you might be genuine and blameless before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; that you might be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is from God and comes by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Analysing the Meaning of 2 Thessalonians 1:3
It is fitting that we always give thanks to God for you, brothers, for your faith is growing and your love for one another is deepening;
Concepts in Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, one of you and a bondservant of Jesus Christ, sends greetings and assures you of his constant, fervent prayer for you, that you may be established, firm, and totally confident in all God’s will.
Scripture Reflections on Ephesians 4:14
Thus, we are to stop acting like children, being blown around by the many doctrines, the cunning of men, and the cunning of their schemes.
2 Peter 3:17-18
To avoid being led astray by the error of unprincipled men and falling from your own steadfastness, and instead to develop in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, you must be on watch, beloved, knowing this beforehand. All praise and honour are due to Him, now and forever. Amen.
Ideas in Romans 15:1
We who are powerful now must suffer the shortcomings of the weak, and not seek only our own gratification.
Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:1-2
If any among you is guilty of any sin, you who are spiritual should seek to reconcile with that person in a spirit of gentleness, looking within to avoid falling into the same trap. Help one another out, for this is the Christian commandment.
Psalms 66:13-15
I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it yet, brothers, but one thing I do: I forget what is behind me and I reach forward to what is ahead of me, pressing on towards the goal to win the prize of God’s call that is in Christ Jesus. So let us, all of us who are faultless, adopt this outlook; and if in anything you adopt a different outlook, God will make that clear to you as well;
Luke 8:14
Verse Concepts
Those who have listened are like the seed that landed among the thorns; on their route, they are suffocated by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this world, and they fail to bear fruit.
Ideas in 2 Corinthians 7:1
Given these assurances, dearly loved ones, let us devote ourselves to a life of total physical and spiritual purity, growing in the fear and awe of God.
Spiritual / Bible / Thesaurus (213 occurrences)
Citing the Bible’s themes
Spiritual Growth › Developing a Christlike character via consistent effort Spiritual Growth « By developing one’s intellectual and spiritual maturity As a result of putting away playthings
spiritually developed » By digesting the gospel’s more nuanced teachings, one can grow spiritually and mature. Maturity, spiritual development by overcoming temptation by emulating Christ’s ideal
We are to mature into Him who is the head, even Christ (Ephesians 4:15), yet we must always tell the truth in love.
New International Version (NIV)
Concepts in the Verse Until we reach complete maturity and the entire measure of Christ’s stature, we will not be united in our faith or in our understanding of God’s Son.
spiritually developed » Through the development of an appreciation
Various Interpretations of 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, do not be immature in your thoughts; however, in wickedness, be like infants.
Spiritual Maturity « Through the discarding of Immature Practises
Ideas in 1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was younger, I still thought and reasoned like a kid, but as I grew up, I got rid of those ways of thinking and speaking.
Spiritual Maturity « By absorbing the gospel’s hidden truths,
Heb. 5:14
Verse Concepts
But mature people, whose senses have been honed through experience, are ready for solid food.
Spiritual Maturity — 1 Through Defeating Temptation John 2:14
Verse Concepts
Because you already know Him who existed before the world was even created, I have written to you, fathers. Because you are courageous, and the Word of God lives in you, and because you have triumphed over the adversary, I have felt compelled to write to you.
The Bible, Knowing Jesus: Topics: Spiritual Maturity
1 Samuel 2:26
26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.
2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Hebrews 6:1
1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
Jeremiah 12:2
2 You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.
Luke 17:5
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Luke 8:14-15
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.
1 Peter 2:2-3
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Colossians 1:9-10
9 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, 10 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 2:6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Romans 5:20-21
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 5:12-14
12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Psalm 92:12-14
12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
1 Corinthians 13:10-12
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
2 Peter 1:5-8
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, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, 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.
Ephesians 4:13-16
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. 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 people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.