How many children do you know that are well past the age of maturity, how many individuals have you met in your life that appear to the eyes as adults, but have yet to grow into their body as it were.
Here is what maturity means to the majority of the people on this planet, they no longer attend school on a regular basis, at least in the sense that they are being forced to, K-12, if you will, they hold down a job, they can purchase their own food, drive a car, rent or buy a house and the items that go into it, in a sense because they see themselves as productive members of society, they are no longer children. We teach children these things, we teach that a certain age infers adulthood, that by completing the tasks of the required education within the area of the planet that they live in they are adults. We grant them certain privileges simply because they have been around long enough to have reached that age, driving a vehicle, owning a firearm, consuming alcohol, there are numerous examples from each area, and all infer one simple so-called truth, you have now reached an age of adulthood.
With this we begin not to teach responsibility any longer, for that was supposedly part of their upbringing. But what the world calls maturity, no matter all the accolades that may be heaped upon a person, no matter their skills, talents, position in society, no matter their age, God calls childish. Many who claim Christ as Lord will remain in this state of immaturity throughout their entire lives, seeing 1 Corinthians 4:2 as a sign of supposed adulthood, “being a good steward” infers the responsibility of what an adult would assume, they choose to not forsake the assembling of themselves together, (Heb. 10:25) a choice only those who are of a mature state of mind are capable of making.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Cor. 13:11) Who do you believe Paul was speaking to the day that he said these words, small children, or those who considered themselves adults. Most generally people do not grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3:18) as was intended for us to do, they remain childlike in the knowledge of the Scriptures, they shy away from others on the subjects pertaining to Spiritual growth, but will speak endlessly about the things of the world, things that are passing away, they may be on the path, but they are dragging their feet, or stopping to rest, are far too concerned with the things of the world and their supposed place in it.
How many people do you know that are truly saved by the grace of God that should have been by now teachers. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Heb. 5:12) How many do you know that are proficient in their trade, can expound on certain subjects in depth, but cannot explain in detail the most basic parts of the Word of God. They shy away from any in-depth topic that is of a spiritual nature, but will speak intensely about the events of the day, the events the world for that day is calling important. They most generally will defer all questions asked of them of a spiritual nature to their pastor or other so-called leader of the church they attend, they will not study to show themselves approved, but lean heavily on others instead for their continuing spiritual walk, never desiring to truly become mature in their faith, or the expounding of it to others.
There are many excuses held by them, they are too busy, they do not want to impose, it would seem impolite, even sometimes honestly expressing fear at the thought of attempting to lead someone to Christ, but all this is in vain, for the truth of the matter is clear, they will not accept a position of maturity in Christ. In a way, they desire to remain childlike, for then they will never be called upon, they will never need to grow, they can remain dependent on others while claiming to only need Christ.
This is not a lack of knowledge of what should be done by them, it is a lack of desire, for in that growth would appear the inability to choose for themselves the path they want to be on, the path of the world that grants them the ability to feel mature because they can function in the world. These will claim a childlike faith for themselves, but do not comprehend that it is maturity in Christ that actually brings that childlike faith into being, they claim all the responsibilities that the world infers upon them, because of their age, because of their abilities to lead functional lives within the construct of the society they live in, whether they be at the bottom or the top of the ladder, but they are childish in the precepts of God, and it is their own fault.
To be able to hold down a job or lead great numbers of men, to be a janitor faithful in his duties or the leader of a nation does not make a mature individual, maturity comes in only one way, submission and humility before a Sovereign God, duty bound to please Him only, a servant to His will. To love Christ only because He is, is the first step to maturity, far beyond loving Him for what He can do for us, to love ourselves only because of Christ is maturity, and there are very small children that can understand this much better than many so-called adults I have met. More than likely many of you reading this letter should have been teachers a very long time ago.
