#BibleLesson Timeless Truths. God’s Keys to Maturity – Part A

 

This is the first post in a ten-week Developing a Faith that Works Series. There are five lessons, each divided into two parts. After this week, URLs from previous weeks will be listed as part of this opening statement.

Commit to making time each week to measure your Christian walk against the standard James presents.

Introduction

God's will for every person is personal growth and maturity. The book of James defines what maturity means. In fact, it is a manual on maturity.

 

What Maturity is NOT

• It's not age. God’s ideal is to mature with growth.
• It’s not appearance.
• It’s not achievement.
• It’s not academics.

 

MATURITY IS ATTITUDE! (Your CHARACTER)

• CHARACTER is what you are when no one else is around.

A. A Mature Person is positive under pressure.

² Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various ^[c]trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces ^[d]endurance. ⁴ And let ^[e]endurance have its perfect ^[f]result, so that you may be ^[g]perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• Spiritual maturity is measured only against God’s Word.
• James uses the word maturity once in each chapter.

¹² Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has ^[l]been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

• What is your natural bent when things go wrong?

B. A Mature Person is sensitive to people around her/him.

⁸ If, however, you are fulfilling the ^[h]royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

This requires empathy and showing love.

• Don’t be a snob.
• Love is demonstrated by the way we treat others.
• I Corinthians 13 and Matthew 25 make it clear that we will be judged by how we treat others.

End of Part 1

Thanks to Pastor Larry Pitcher for the primary teachings in this post.

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