A Rhythm of Spiritual Maturity
Spiritual Maturity
Colossians 2:6-7 (CSB) says, “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.” Christ is the one who matures us and the one we’re matured into. The ongoing process of walking with Christ is part of your progressive sanctification, or spiritual maturity. The older I get, the more like my dad I become. The same is true for the Christian. The longer you spend with Jesus, by God’s grace and for God’s glory, the more you will become like him.
If you have read this letter before, or bonus points if you have read commentaries on it, you’d learn pretty easily that Colossians is all about Christ. In fact, if there is a phrase that I’d want you to walk away with, it’s this: “Christ is supreme over all things, sufficient for all things, and satisfying in all things.” As you mature in Christ, I pray those three things would harmonize more with your life. The letter of Colossians is bookended with maturity. At the beginning of the letter, Paul writes in 1:28 (CSB), “We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” Then at the end of the letter, Paul writes in 4:12 (CSB), “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.” So while the letter is saturated with Christ, it’s also surrounded with a call to maturity. Hopefully now you see that there is a link between spiritual maturity and Christlikeness. I want to offer you a rhythm between the two.
As far as I see it, there are three aspects of a Christian. Knowledge, obedience, and affection. And as we are maturing in our walk with Christ, each of those should be growing. We should be deepening our knowledge of Christ, our obedience to Christ, and our affections for Christ. These are not three steps to reach maturity, they are three stages in a cycle of maturity. Jesus says in John 14:15 (CSB), “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
If you love me, affection. You will keep, obedience. My commandments, knowledge.
These will be our three points: (1) knowledge, (2) obedience, and (3) affection.
First, Knowledge
As you mature, there is a direct correlation with how much you know about the one you’re maturing into and your affection toward him and your obedience to him. To put it another way: your affections for Christ are reflected by your obedience to the knowledge of Christ. The name for a person who obeys God and loves God, but doesn’t know him is superficial.
A pastor named J.I. Packer wrote a book called Knowing God. In it, Packer asks, “How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each Truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.” Basically, Packer is saying that knowledge shouldn’t exist on its own, but as a pathway to deeper worship. This same truth is extracted from Colossians 1:28 (CSB), “We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” Warning, teaching, and wisdom all speak to knowledge. And the purpose of learning is maturing in Christ. This same truth is parallel in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (CSB), “All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Knowledge of God leads to maturity.
Here’s my question: Is your knowledge of Christ deepening? Or is it stagnant? Keep in mind that this is a rhythm so there will be seasons of depth and seasons of shallowness. So it’ll be a recurring question. Because if your emotions are high and your actions are high, but you have no biblical or theological foundation that inform or instruct what you’re doing, how can you have any sense of assurance that you are doing what God wants you to do? If you base your life solely off of what feels right, that’s emotionalism. If you base your life solely off of what works well, that’s pragmatism. Sacrificial giving doesn’t always feels right, but we know it pleases the Lord. Meekness and humility doesn’t always get us the promotion, but it pleases the Lord. We need to consider what God wants from us so that we can accurately worship and serve him. Otherwise we’re what Paul described in Romans 10:2 (CSB), “They have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” We could also take knowledge to it’s extreme. Because if we base our lives solely on doctrinal duty, that’s legalism. We should be careful not to give in to legalism, or pragmatism, or emotionalism. None of these are healthy or good.
Let’s say my wife has told me over and over again how much she loves it when I buy her flowers. Let’s also pretend like I know she’s allergic to chocolate. Would it be loving if I came home from work with a box of chocolates and no flowers? No, it would be dumb. I could have the heart in it, I could have put the work in, but I exposed myself for not knowing my wife as well as I should. The same is true with God. We have the opportunity to learn about God through his word so we could love him deeper and serve him better. So consider what you think about God. Be mindful with how you learn and what you learn and who teaches you. The first aspect of your spiritual maturity is knowledge because how do you obey commandments that you do not know? Or love someone you know nothing about? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about information alone; but information that leads to affection.
Here are a few ways that we can strengthen your knowledge of God:
Read and study the Bible. This is the primary and proven way to know God more.
Listen to sermons by trustworthy preachers. Strengthen your mind and stir you heart.
Surround yourself with wise godly counsel. This shatters the lie of individualism.
Ask God to convict you of folly and fill you with wisdom. You want knowledge, ask.
This will work. But it will work like training, not shaving. If you hate your beard or leg hair, you just have to shave. Easy, quick, and immediate results. Training on the other hand is difficult, slow, and you won’t notice a difference (other than soreness) for weeks. Don’t expect to become a professor in a day. Take the pressure off and just enjoy the process. Enjoy getting to know God as you read his word and spend time in prayer.
Second, Obedience
See, knowledge is a critical aspect of spiritual maturity, but so is obedience and affection. The question to ask is simple: What do we do with the information that we gather? The maturing Christian isn’t satisfied with knowing about God, but living for God. The name for a person who knows God and loves God but doesn’t obey God is a hypocrite. I’m not judging you—God knows I’ve fallen into that temptation more than I should. I’ve lived in ways that contradicted what I profess. But I shouldn’t shrug it off, I should be obedient. If your Instagram bio says “vegan” but you post pictures eating steak, something is off. Right? One of those things is obviously not true. The same can be said for any Christian saying all the right things but living inconsistently. Paul confronted Peter because his “conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14 ESV). No one is off limits. Anyone who calls themselves a Christian should live like a Christian. Why? Because Jesus tells us that whoever loves him will keep his commandments.
Look at Colossians 1:10 (CSB), “… walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” So the second aspect of spiritual maturity is obedience. It’s not a cuss word, it’s not legalism; it’s worship. The evidence of a heart for Jesus is a life for Jesus. Obedience is not easy, but it’s worth it. Jonathan Edwards, an 18th century American preacher, once said, “The obedience that God wants, and will accept, is not weak, dull, and lifeless, but joyful.” That’s an important distinction. If we just obeyed for obedience’s sake, we’re not actually pleasing the Lord. We don’t obey in order to be saved; we obey because we have been saved by God.
Consider what David tells us in Psalm 51 that, “[God doesn’t] want a sacrifice, or I would give it; [he isn’t] pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. [He won’t] despise a broken and humbled heart ” (51:16-17 CSB). This is a warning against empty sacrifice. God cares about the fruit of the heart just as much, maybe even more, than the fruit of the hands. God cares about obedience and intention. We know that someone can do the right thing with the wrong heart and be wrong. Why? Because callous obedience is not what God is after. He wants joyful obedience. How can obedience be joyful? Because it means that you are becoming more like Jesus.
I wonder: As you mature, does your life look more like Christ or less? Because if your emotions are high and your knowledge is high, but your life is not reflective of the things you profess… How does that honor the Lord or testify to the goodness of a life with Christ? “This is how we know that we know him,” John writes, “If we keep his commands. The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked” (1 John 2:3-6 CSB). John uses strong language here. He’s calling people liars who say they know God but don’t live like it. He’s calling us hypocrites. But we’re not hopeless. The opposite of hypocrisy is obedience. Instead of not doing what we say we believe, obedience behaving exactly as you should. Remain in Jesus, walk like Jesus.
This is reminiscent of Colossians 2:6 (CSB), “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him…” The Bible doesn’t really let up on Christian obedience. Which might be difficult as seasons come and go. Believe me, I understand the difficulty of keeping rhythms and routines. Babies, jobs, travel, sickness, holidays—you name it. I am well aware and sympathetic to the fact that life doesn’t really slow down. In fact, we drift toward complexity, not simplicity. That makes obedience difficult because instead of doing three things well, we’re doing thirty things poorly. So I don’t have any advice on how to fix it because everyone’s life is unique, but I know this to be true: The mature Christian adjusts their life around their obedience to God, they don’t try to fit obedience to God into their life. Let me say that one more time: The mature Christian adjusts their life around their obedience to God, they don’t try to fit obedience to God into their life.
Finally, Affection
We’ve talked about knowledge and obedience; but now, let’s talk about affection. Affection for Christ is not just sentimental emotion or an occasional spiritual high; it’s a deep and abiding love for Jesus that sustains and fuels both our knowledge and obedience. Without affection, knowledge can become cold and legalistic, and obedience can feel more like dreadful duty than delight. The name for a person who knows a lot about God and obeys God, but has no love for God is a Pharisee. And we know how Jesus spoke to those guys. If knowledge of God is the rebar, giving you structure, and obedience to God is the cinder block, giving you substance, then affection for God is the cement that binds it all together.
Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 CSB). Notice the order. Before the mind and the soul, Jesus commands our hearts. You cannot mature in your faith without a deepening love for God. Imagine a husband who works hard to provide for his family, doesn’t cheat, doesn’t stay out too late, always home for dinner and to tuck the kids in—but he has no affection for his wife. Would you consider that a healthy marriage? No, of course not. The same is true with God. We can obey his commands all day but still have a heart that is cold towards him.
Okay, serious question: Do you worship God because you love him or because you feel obligated? I don’t want to come across as though I’m criticizing you. I’m not. I truly want you to ask yourself. Are the songs you sing an overflow of your love for God or an obligatory regurgitation? Do you think it pleases the Lord when we drag ourselves to God’s word and rush to finish the chapter? Do you think it makes God happy when we complain about our church and cringe at having to give up an hour of our weekend? Do you think it brings joy to the Lord when our lips sing praise, but our hearts are stale?
Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 CSB). Remember Psalm 51: “The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.” Take the pressure off because God doesn’t need your worship. He deserves it, yes, so we should give it to him, but he is not desperate for it. He’s not clingy or cringey, he’s worthy, and he wants you. How amazing is that? That the God of the universe desires you. That the Creator of all things considers you. That the sovereign king calls you friend. Unreal.
So I ask again: Do you worship God because you feel obligated or because you love him? The heart that delights in Christ will never be tired of him. The more you know him, the more you love him; the more you love him, the more you long for him. This is spiritual maturity.
Now, here are some practical ways to deepen your affection for Christ:
Spend intentional time in prayer. Not just requests, but sit and enjoy his presence.
Preach the gospel to yourself daily. We are so quick to forget it, so daily repeat it.
Listen to worship that stirs your affections; but don’t just listen, sing along.
Surround yourself with people who love Jesus deeply. Love for God is contagious.
The mature Christian is not just informed about Jesus or obedient to Jesus, they are in love with Jesus. So let’s be people who don’t just study God’s word or serve him, but savor him.
Rhythm = Abiding
This is a rhythm that I’ve adopted for my own life that I want to share with you. You know—the stage and lights and attention—they mean nothing to me. I’m just a man that’s been saved by God and wants desperately to mature in Christ by his grace and for his glory. I’ve been living in John 15 the last couple weeks. I feel like I’m in a season of pruning. And all I can do is abide. God does the pruning, he does the producing of fruit. All I do is abide. Jesus tells us, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me” (John 15:1-5 CSB).
I share this because I want to show you how I’m applying this message to my life in a very real and personal way. I am trying to grow my knowledge of God by studying John 15 and committing it to memory; I’m trying to be obedient to God by both abiding (or remaining) and being pruned; I’m trying to deepen my affection for God through my abiding. God is so tenderly and intentionally pruning me. He is forming me into a new creation, that looks and feels different today, but will one day bear much fruit.
Knowledge, obedience, and affection work together in spiritual maturity. You can’t pick and choose. Each one builds off one another, fuels one another, and depends on one another. You might be here today and realize that your knowledge of God is shallow, your obedience has grown complacent, or maybe your affection has grown cold. It’s easy for any one of us to fall into these patterns. You’re not alone, I’ve been there. But here’s the good news: God is gracious. He doesn’t want you to simply “do better” or “try harder”; he wants you to know him more, love him deeper, and obey him out of the overflow of your heart. Abide in him.
