After becoming a Christian, I used to recoil at the idea that there was such a thing as Christian maturity—a growing up to be done. Didn’t I already have everything in Christ? Wasn’t I complete in Him? Were they suggesting that I needed to reach some higher stage? While it is true that, positionally, I have everything in Christ, it is not yet fully reflected in my condition. For instance, when my son was born, he was fully and completely mine from that moment on. Yet, there is much growing up ahead for him. It will take years before he becomes fully matured, filled out, and able to navigate life on his own.

The Bible recognizes and teaches the concept of maturity. Look at the Scriptures. John addresses children, then young men and fathers, which indicates stages of maturity. Listen to Paul in Colossians 2:6-7:

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

He acknowledges an establishing in the faith. Just as with a business, it starts out prospering but it takes a while, some years of transactions, a building up of capital, and the gaining of a reputation before it is said to be an established business. And it was for this very thing that Epaphras prayed, laboring fervently in his prayers for them, that they might “stand perfect, complete, mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (Galatians 6:1, 1 Timothy 3:6).

So the Scripture does teach Christian maturity. What are some signs?

1. Inward Knowledge of the Bible

“I have written to you, young men, because the… word of God abides in you” (1 John 2:14). No, Bible knowledge doesn’t guarantee spiritual maturity, yet one cannot be mature without an inward, working knowledge of the Bible with its overall teaching and ability to apply them to daily life situations and decisions. Just as a soldier is skillful with his sword or as a craftsman with his tools, so also we must become workmen who do not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. Do you know the Bible? Can you sit back and view the book of James in your mind’s eye? Does Romans 6, or 12, or 13, or 14 have a place in your heart? Is the Bible precious to you? Does it speak to you? Are you able to feed yourself? Do you look forward to hard-hitting sermons and preachers that make you scratch, dig, and examine yourself? These are signs of Christian maturity.

2. Stability in Doctrine

Ephesians 4:13 speaks of maturity and then verse 14 says, “we are no longer children, tossed here and there by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” I remember that after I was converted, I had struggles in so many areas of truth. The J.W.’s lived beside me, so what did the Bible teach about the deity of Christ? A follower of Armstrong became my acquaintance, so what did the Bible teach on the personality of the Holy Spirit? And then what about the necessity of repentance? Is the narrow way really narrow? Is personal election based on the will of man or on the will of God? Is Christmas Christian? Is there a second experience of crucifixion that I need? What is to be my attitude toward riches, toward marriage, and on and on. I don’t have to struggle with those anymore; they are past. Stakes have been driven down, and the winds don’t rock my boat like they used to. Although there may be vast new areas of truth yet to be uncovered, nevertheless, there is some settledness in the basics, the foundational truths of God.

3. Ability to Discern Good and Evil

Hebrews 5:13 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” Here stability in doctrine is set forth. Some of them needed to hear the “bridge” illustration; they needed milk, the first principles again. But then look at verse 14, “senses exercised to discern good and evil.” Of course, there is the gift of discernment, but all Christians should come into this general discernment with maturity. Through many trials, errors, and successes in the walk of faith, we begin to more and more understand what is of God and of the devil, to discern Spirit from flesh, light from darkness, wheat from chaff, and sheep from goats, as it is written:

“So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18).

4. Growing Out of a Need for Signs and External Supports

This brings us to another area, that of growing out of a need for signs and external supports in our Christian walk. 1 Corinthians 14:20-21:

“Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, ‘By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord.”

Paul implies that tongues are for the immature, to bolster their walk. God does that. And even Paul spoke in tongues. But if we continue to need experiences to bring us on and nourish us, it is a mark of an evil and adulterous heart. Matthew 16:4a:

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.”

In the Holy of Holies, only Supernatural light shone. So as we draw nearer to God, we have less and less need of external supports to function and to feel fulfilled, content, and stimulated. I don’t need the newspaper, the TV, and the radio to entertain and amuse me like I used to.

5. Spiritual Strength and Stability

Spiritual strength and stability go hand in hand with this. 1 John 2:14 says to the young men:

“You are strong… and have overcome the evil one.”

There is stability and strength in your spirit—strengthened with might by God’s Spirit in your inner man like John the Baptist, who grew strong in spirit. You’ve been through various dangers, toils, and snares, you’ve passed tests, you’ve endured a great fight of afflictions and conflict of sufferings, and still maintain a shining testimony for Christ. You are no longer a babe but can walk on your own. You know more about your calling, gifts, abilities, and limitations. You aren’t up and down like you used to be. You aren’t moved by every little scare. A colt will jump at every little thing, but the old mare keeps on eating grass. These are signs of spiritual maturity.

6. Personal Holiness and Freedom from Selfishness

Another aspect is personal holiness, especially freedom from selfishness. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 says:

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”

Jealousy, strife, touchiness, pettiness, grudges, and all such works of the flesh are signs of immaturity and childishness—“He pushed me,” “He’s got my toys,” “I want to be first.” I know of a young couple, both professing Christians, that are having marriage problems. Their trouble is not with their marriage but with their walk with God. Bless God! He leads us out of that in a more excellent way. Galatians 6:3 tells us it is the spiritual man that is able to restore one caught in a trespass. Why? A spirit of meekness is necessary so that the erring brother may not be hurt and enraged and the restorer not be exalted. The spiritual man is sound and sure of his position with God. Moses didn’t try to defend himself; he just fell on his face. Spiritual maturity overcomes the clamor. A loaded wagon makes less noise.

7. Realizing Your Need

Lastly, a spiritual man realizes his need. Listen to the apostle in Philippians 3:12-16:

“Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by the same standard to which we have attained.”

Verse 12 says we are not perfect, referring to our glorification as the spirits of just men made perfect, but verse 15 says we are perfect, referring to our attitude. What attitude? That attitude expressed by Paul in verse 12 of pressing on to be all we should be in Christ; in verse 13, not resting on past accomplishments; and in verse 14, realizing that there is much ground to be taken in my spiritual attainments and the race isn’t over yet. Paul had written epistles under the hand of God that would be of eternal blessing to all generations, he had established churches, he had seen extraordinary miracles, he had been given an interview in Paradise, yet maintained a holy unrest—still seeking, still praying, still pressing, still wrestling, still racing. John the Baptist had been filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb, there was no greater prophet born of women, he was the prophesied prophet, and all men were coming to him, yet when Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, John says:

“I have need.”

Blessed is the man who, though exalted, remains lowly and needy. The more we walk with God, the more we realize our need and then draw nearer and nearer.

Who then is adequate for these things? We are not adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

As Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” If God has given us His greatest gift, we can trust Him to provide everything we need to fulfill His purposes.

In Philippians 1:6, we are reminded, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” God, who initiated His work in us, will bring it to completion, ensuring we have the adequacy and support necessary to fulfill His calling.

Lastly, 1 Peter 5:10 reassures us: “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Even through challenges and suffering, God strengthens and establishes us, making us sufficient for the work He has set before us.

Our sufficiency is not from ourselves but entirely from the Lord, who graciously supplies everything we need.