Free From All Obscurity And Error

Mirror ReflectionIf I was asked to sum up in one word the one thing that cripples most Christians’ walk with the Lord, I would have to say immaturity. I am speaking of spiritual immaturity that comes from not growing in Christ. We are expected to grow daily in our walk with the Lord, everyday learning something new about Jesus and ourselves. It is never cute to see an adult act or talk as a child, neither is it to see a Christian who should be spiritually mature acts as a spiritual child:

    “When I was a child, I spoke 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 Corinthians 13:11)

Now there are some things at which we are to be “childish.” Children are quicker to forgive one another; they rarely hold grudges. We are expected to easily forgive an offense and to not feel hostile towards others.

    “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)

We are expected to grow and develop our spiritual maturity. Well Bro Dave I’m not really sure how I am supposed to do that. We need to move on from our past:

“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.” (Joshua 1:2)

We cannot always know how things will turn out in life, but we can know that if we trust God and His Holy Word that He will never lead us astray. We wander because we are spiritually immature and then we wonder how we ever got so far from the Lord. It is important to remember that we can only know so much while here on earth.

    “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

When we act as children spiritually, we hamper our growth as Christians and hinder our understanding of the grace of God. Matthew Henry explains it this way:

    “What narrow views, what confused notion of things, have children when compared to grown men! Thus shall we think of our most valued gifts in this world, when we come to heaven. All things are dark and confused now, compared with what they will be hereafter. They can only be seen as by the reflection in a mirror; or in the description of a riddle; but hereafter our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error. It is the light of heaven only, that will remove all clouds and darkness that hide the face of God from us.”

Wisdom is the most valuable possession we can have as a child of God. Paul told the Corinthians that they must grow and mature in their understanding of the things of God. This can be difficult at times, however the Lord has revealed the path of Christian maturity for us. We just have to walk that path.

More on that next time…

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2013 David Jeffers

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