Mature in Christ
August 25, 2022 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
The apostle Paul sums up his ministry in Colossians 1:28, where he says, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” This beautifully sums up what we aim to do at Oak Hills as well. We proclaim Christ in all that we do, from our preaching to our worship and liturgy to our Bible studies to our kids’ ministries. We want to celebrate and make known all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ.
The end goal of such activity is “that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” A few verses earlier Paul touches on the urgency of growing in maturity. He says in verse 23 that we enjoy reconciliation with God our Father, “if indeed [we] continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that [we] heard.” True, saving faith is a maturing, enduring, persevering, stable, and steadfast faith. A stable faith is a mature faith. Paul proclaimed Christ so that believers would be more and more stable and steadfast in their faith.
Let’s flesh out a bit more what this looks like in the life of a believer. Maturity in Christ is the penetration, reception, and incorporation of the Gospel in the whole person so that one marvels at Christ with one’s mind, delights in Christ with one’s heart, and obeys Christ with one’s will. In a nutshell, Christian maturity is the shaping of the mind, heart, and will by the Gospel.
A mind shaped by the gospel not only comprehends more and more the depths of the glory of God’s grace, but also lets those truths influence how one sees and interprets the world. Isaiah 26:3 states, “You keep him in perfect peace who mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” A mind “stayed” on God delights to meditate on God’s word day and night and clings to the promises contained in God’s word. This is a picture of a mature mind.
The heart is the control center for a person. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” The heart represents the core values a person holds. These values center on the greatest treasures in one’s life and direct decisions. A heart shaped by the gospel holds Christ as the greatest treasure. Since the enjoyment of Christ cannot be affected by the circumstances of this life (Rom. 8:38-39), a mature heart is able to rejoice in sufferings and delights to order one’s life around a pursuit of Christ. One’s priorities and use of time often reveal the treasures of one’s heart.
The gospel does not only shape the inner life of believers; the gospel also shapes the outer life, our actions. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians starkly emphasizes this reality by spending the first three chapters unpacking the glorious riches of the gospel and then transitioning to practical application in chapters 4-6. Paul opens chapter 4 by saying, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” The “calling” is the gospel call. And Paul lays out in the following chapters what this gospel-matured life/will looks like: using your gift to serve the body, pure speech, working so you can share with others, truth telling, forgiving others, not becoming drunk, God-honoring relationships in the home and workplace, standing firm against the devil, and praying. A will shaped by the gospel seeks to submit more and more to the Lordship of Christ in how one lives.
This is what we are aiming for at Oak Hills: maturity in Christ. We all have room to grow in maturing our minds, hearts, and wills. We will continue to proclaim Christ so we can present everyone mature in Christ.