Spiritual maturity can be experienced through the direction and enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the most profound mysteries in life is the spiritual matriculation process of all believers. Most modern day Christians precariously assume that spiritual growth is only in prayer and the study of the Bible. Some might suggest the importance of church attendance and worship in developing spiritual maturity. Regardless of our understanding or lack of understanding, there is an absolute in spiritual development: believers must continually grow toward spiritual maturity or the quality of life they so desperately desires dies. There is no other option.

Spiritual maturity is not an option for successful Christian living.

There is no question about believers needing to grow: they grow or they die spiritually (Gal. 2:18-23). The real issue is how do believers actually grow to spiritual maturity. Spiritual immaturity is manifested in far too many believers. It is primarily revealed in their response to negative circumstances occurring in their lives.  The path to spiritual development (spiritual maturity) must become crystal clear. Understanding spiritual grow is essential, especially when immaturity is often still being exhibited even though church attendance, worship, Bible study, prayer, and other good things are actively being pursued.

Concerning grow, one of the early followers of Jesus simply stated, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). He also actually summarized why many believers remain immature, failing to reach spiritual maturity. In writing about Paul, Peter said,

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [pervert], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:16).

It seems that stedfastness and growth relate to a proper understanding of the Scriptures, as oppose to experiencing life in the “error of the wicked.” Peter’s first response for this aticle, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby,” can serve to illustrate. First, an understanding of the key words is essential to properly understand how believers grow.

Spiritual maturity only occurs by intimately hearing Jesus.

In the phrase, “desire the sincere milk of the word,” the first two words are usually understood correctly. Desire means “to dote upon, that is, intensely crave possession” and sincere, means, “undeceitful, that is, (figuratively) unadulterated.” It is actually the third key word in the phrase that is in modern Christianity usually misinterpreted. After years of being taught that the Bible is the Word of God, and rightly so, most will just automaticly assume that the word in Peter’s statement refers to the written Word of God.

The emphasis, however, is not something written but “something said (including the thought),” which is the meaning in the original language of the term word. In Christian growth, the reading of the word that has been written down does not carry the same impact of actually hearing the spoken word. Just as a love letter from someone dear is wonderful, it, however, just cannot compare to hearing the words in an actual face-to-face encounter. Jesus simply said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). It is actually the hearing of spoken words from Jesus by your spiritual ears that facilitates spiritual growth.

Moreover, when Peter’s letter was first read, the first readers of his statement, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby,” did not have a written Bible, especially the New Testament, to influence their interpretation. At the time of the writing of Peter’s letter, the word was actually interpreted to mean “the living Word, Jesus Christ.” This the meaning of another statement of Peter, “Being born again . . . by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pet. 1:23). It would not be until the second and third century that the word began to be interpreted as the written word.

For example, in one of the great discourses of the New Testament, John wrote,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4).

John, then, added, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). To the early followers of Jesus, especially during the time of their writings, the word meant only the living word, Jesus Christ.

For the early followers of Jesus, hearing the living Word was essential for their spiritual development (Gal. 3:1-3). Modern day believers must also hear the living Word if spiritual maturity is to be experienced in their lives. Again, Peter simply wrote, “as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

Spiritual maturity can be achieved by growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

The second statement of Peter for this article is also indispensable in correctly understanding the matriculation (the schooling) process of the believer’s growth: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The context of this statement actually reveals the mystery of matriculation for all believers. It reveals the mystery of the search for spiritual maturity.

The first hurdle in understanding the process of Christian growth is to realize that ultimate growth does not occur from Bible study, prayer, or any other “spiritual action” by the believer. This is not to say that Bible study, prayer, or other spiritual activities are not important. It is to say, however, that they are not the key ingredient in the matriculation of believers. Spiritual maturity corrleates to the biological development of natural children to maturity, which occurs only in the successful navigation of the experiences of life. Believers grow only as they successfully navigate the spiritual tests and trials of living life.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (1 Pet. 1:7-9).

The life of Jesus serves as the perfect example of spiritual growth, the growth to spiritual maturity. Jesus did often isolate himself from the crowds and even from his closest disciples to communicate with his heavenly Father (John 26:39), but the ultimate growth in the life of Jesus occurred when he was taken to his death and then resurrected to become the quickening Spirit of life for all men (1 Pet. 1:3-5). The writer of Hebrews wrote, “though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience [to listen attentively] by the things which he suffered [to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful)]” (Heb. 5:8). It is always in an apocalyptic event where the opportunity to grow occurs best. The matriculation of all believers occurs only as they successfully navigate the hardships and pains of living life. It is the only path to spiritual maturity:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (1 Pet. 5:6-10).

“Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” is “the trial of your faith . . . though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” It is also the context of “but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:”

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness . . . Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen (2 Pet. 3:10-18).

The “error of the wicked” means (from the original language) you are not being placed in a passive or horizontal posture by the Holy Spirit but you have come alive to your own self in an active and vertical stance. You are not resting in what God is currently doing in your life, but you are busy, through the exercise of your mind, trying to control and to eliminate the trouble, the perplexity, or the persecution that is currently occurring in your life. Failing to “be sober” and to “be vigilant,” the peace and rest of your soul is being devoured by an overactive mind consumed with anxiety (1 Pet. 5:8).

The “day of the Lord” comes as a thief in the night only to those who are spiritually slumbering and not “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.” Yes, “the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” Nevertheless, the vigilant, watchful believers “according to his [the risen Christ’s] promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Peter would add, “wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” at his coming into your current situation with a special manifestation of his presence (2 Pet. 3:12-14).

Faithful believers do not resist what God is doing in bringing apocalyptic events into their lives. They remain watchful for “the day of the Lord” of which there will be many that will surely come to them in their lifetime (1 Pet. 5:9). Jesus knew before hand, being watchful, “that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt. 16:21). Paul knew before hand, also being vigilant, that “the Jews at Jerusalem [would bind him] . . . and . . . deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles” (Acts 21:11). Likewise, Peter knew of the ultimate approaching apocalyptic event that was to occur in his life, “knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me” (2 Pet. 1:14).

Spiritual maturity is development by the continual creating of  a new heaven and a new earth.

When Peter identified the characteristics or results of a visitation of “the day of the Lord,” he was actually revealing the matriculation (the schooling) process of all believers, the path to spiritual maturity. He is stating that the on-slot of trouble, perplexity, persecution, or being put-down (2 Cor. 4:7-9) is the beginning of “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). In addition, he would state, “wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2 Pet. 3:12).

This “heaven shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” is not a description of the explosion of a hydrogen, an atomic, or some other nuclear bomb that is often set forth by many modern end time proponents. It is actually a graphic statement of the soul of man (which is the ground of being for all of man’s heavenly experiences) being shattered, when it comes “crashing” down to only an earthly existence (with a great noise). Being not sober and being not vigilant, the heavenly influences of the Holy Spirit in the soul of man “goes away” (shall pass away). The heavenly influence is dissolved (“to loosen”) because the elements of the heavenly domain for man, his intellect, his emotions, his will, and his conscience are “liquefied” (shall melt) being “set on fire” (fervent heat) by “the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire” (1 Per. 1:7).

Finally, Peter would add,

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen (2 Pet. 3:17-18).

Peter was admonishing his readers to “grow in grace.” With grace being the power of God in action for the believers, he was urging them to grow in the freedom of not resisting God working in and through the apocalyptic events in their lives (the trouble, the perplexity, the persecution, and the being put-down). It is indeed how to grow in grace, the matriculation process of all men, the path to spiritual maturity.

In addition, Peter informed the readers that they were to grow “in the knowledge of [their] Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” A major way of thinking for most modern Christians needs to be altered in both their understanding of their Lord and their Savior. For example, Paul stated to the Roman believers,

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen (Rom. 11:33-36).

Based on this statement of Paul, “all things” that occur in the life of the believer is “of him, and through him, and to him” means that the trouble, the perplexity, the persecution, and the being put-down are under his supervision. I am sure that most believers do sometime struggle in understanding how the tough and often considerably negative circumstances can be the “depth of the riches of both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” What is occurring, his decisions or judgments and his ways are often, if not all the time, completely unsearchable in our attempt to understand what is happening in our lives. What can be understood, however,  although it will take the working of the grace of God, is that Jesus Christ being the Lord of our lives means that “of him, and through him, and to him, are all things,” which includes the trouble, the perplexity, the persecution, and the being put-down.

Equally mystifying and being misunderstood by many modern day Christians, is the understanding that Jesus Christ is our Savior. Although most understand Christ as their savior based upon believing that Christ died on the cross for their sins, they missed the ultimate reality of Christ being their savior in everyday life. Somehow they attempt to live through the events of their lives looking back to what Christ did for them on the cross. Growing in “the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” however, is less looking back to what Christ did on the cross than it is looking forward to the realization that Christ will come to save you out the current trouble, perplexity, persecution, or the being put-down. Jesus Christ died, was buried, was raised from the dead, and ascended “to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). The risen Christ stands ready to be sent to you by the heavenly Father in a special manifestation of his presence into your current situation to bring “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13). He wants to save you even now.

Spiritual maturity occurs as “the day of the Lord” is experienced.

If believers, however, are “unlearned and unstable,” the coming “day of the Lord” will catch them by surprise. Not knowing the hour that the Lord will come for their development toward spiritual maturity, they will often find themselves being overcome by the trouble, the perplexity, the pressure, or the put-down that has come upon them. Instead of being able to “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of [their] faith, even the salvation of [their} souls” in their trials of life (1 Pet. 1:3-5), they would find themselves overwhelmed with distress, despair, and a sense of being forsaken and destroyed (2 Cor. 4:7-9).

Salvation for you, however, in these trying times can be as sure as the one who was dead but is now alive forevermore. In every apocalyptic event faced in life, deliverance is as certain as the One who successfully navigated the ultimate apocalyptic event (death and resurrection) to become the quickening Spirit of life for all believers. All believers who are controlled by the Holy Spirit will not only never be surprised by any approaching apocalyptic event but they will have “a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for [them]” (1 Pet. 3-4). The final recorded words of Peter simply said,

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen (2 Pet. 3:17-18).

In the midst of the troubling circumstances you are now facing, you can be saved. Can you be sober and vigilant when the exercise of your mind tends to throw fiery darts of doubt and fear? Do you know that the same hardship and pain is experienced by everyone in the world? But, you have the promise that “the God of all grace, who hath called [you] unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you?” Do you know that you are now being given the opportunity to grow to spiritual maturity? You can experience the joy of the Lord even in the time of your tests and trials of life. Look up to the heavenly, not down to the earthly, Christ is coming even now with your deliverance.