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Houston, Texas 77037
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10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson
This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.
To order a copy of Basic
Discipleship,
please visit our Publications section.
PHASE 4 GROWTH TO MATURITY
SESSION 6
This session and the next two are closely related. Each looks at a different facet of Christian growth and maturity. Here the concept of growth is introduced and the Bible basis for expecting it is explored. It seems that many believers do not think of growth in the spiritual realm even though they know it's the norm and expected in the natural world. In this session your disciple will focus on two main realms of spiritual life where growth should be occurring, then at specific areas of practical life.
Being the deceiver he is, Satan always attempts to cloud every issue. He's the chief counterfeiter. He is such a master at confusing people by making frauds look just like the real thing. He has surely done a convincing job when it comes to what people think to be marks of spiritual maturity. One of the exercises in this session explores that deception.
As always, the main thrust here is to get your disciple into the word of God. He needs to see these truths for himself. There is nothing quite like discovering a truth for yourself directly from God's word.
As you can see, the lessons here in Phase 4 are designed to cause this disciple to see himself and to motivate him to want more in the Lord. As you know we desperately want him to become a Discipleship Minister like you. We want him to engage himself in this great (though not easy) work of developing competent and committed soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ. Soon you will be to the end of this course. Pray for your disciple. Talk to him about where we're headed and what our hope for him/her is. Point out where we are on the Discipleship Graphic on the front of his workbook. Do all you can to posture him/her to become a true Discipleship Minister as soon as he/she finishes this course.
Dear brother/sister, you are doing a great work. Thank you. Today as I prepare this session, I am asking God to help you in it and to bless you for it.
Don't forget to give your disciple the next assignment.
Your Bible draws a growth parallel of which you need to be keenly aware. Just as the legitimate expectation for natural children is that they develop in a physical way, it is equally legitimate to expect the children of God to develop in a spiritual way.
In this matching exercise connect the correct scripture passage with the
proper idea or concept. Each will help you see the parallel for yourself.
1. Every believer should
grow in the Lord
( 4) 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
2. As believers grow up
in the Lord, they should put away childish things (
5) 1 Peter 2:2
3. Those who remain
babies when they should have grown up are soundly rebuked
( 6) 1 Corinthians 14:20
4. Envying, strife and
divisions are indicators of carnality and spiritual immaturity
( 3) Hebrews 5:12-14
5. Intake of God's
spiritual food, His Word, produces spiritual growth
( 2) 1 Corinthians 13:11
6. God's children are
not to remain "children in
understanding" (
1) 2 Peter 1:5-9
7. Believers are not be "tossed
to and fro" but are to "grow up into him in all things” (
8) 2 Peter 3:18
8. Spiritual growth is
to be in both (grace) and (knowledge) of the Lord
( 9) Job 17:9
9. When the righteous
act in a healthy, normal way they grow "stronger & stronger"
( 7) Ephesians 4:14-15
10. God seeks the "fullness" of believers which suggests continuous growth (10) Ephesians 3:17-19
SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN TWO MAIN AREAS OF LIFE
Read again 2 Peter 3:18. Name the two main areas of life in which God expects spiritual growth in His children.
Grace
& Knowledge
Food
for Thought
1. Why do you suppose God spoke of growth in "grace" first?
2. Could it be that God is more concerned about the truth we live or practice than about the truth we know?
3. Does not the word "grace" when applied to mortals speak of godly treatment of others including forgiveness, kindness, love, integrity, humility and other such virtues?
4. Meditate on such passages as John 13:17 and James 4:17 in connection with these questions.
SOME AREAS OF GROWTH IN GRACE
Below you will find a list of areas of life. Growth in these areas will
enhance a spirit of grace within you. As you work this exercise evaluate your
own growth in each of these areas. Match the scriptures that are listed with the
correct life trait.
1. Control of your
spirit (24)
Gal. 6:2
2. Temperance which is
self-restraint
(11) Romans 12:11
3. Personal discipline
( 4) James 1:3-4
4. Patience
( 9) Prov. 22:29
5. Forgiveness
( 6) 1 Pet. 4:8
6. Loving
(18) Rom. 13:1
7. Honesty
( 7) 1 Tim. 2:2
8. Dependability
(13) Mat. 15:14
9. Attention to detail
( 2) 2 Pet. 1:6
10. Follow-through
( 3) 2 Cor. 10:4-5
11. Punctuality
(17) Eph. 5:3-4
12. Stability (19) Eph. 6:5-7
13. Vision
(23) 1 Peter 5:5-6
14.
Organizational skills
(21) 1 Cor. 4:2
15. Wisdom
(16) 2 Cor. 8:7
16. A spirit of giving
(22) Acts 4:29
17. Personal habits
(12) 1 Cor. 15:58
18. Subjection to
God-ordained authority
( 8) Prov. 25:19
19. Acceptance of God's
will for your life (14) 1 Cor. 14:40
20. Faith (
1) Prov. 16:32
21. Faithfulness
(15) Col. 1:9
22. Boldness
(20) 2 Thes. 1:3
23. Humility
( 5) Eph. 4:32
24. Compassion
(10) Luke 14:28-30
GROWTH IN KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD
Read each scripture then answer the question related to it.
1. Romans 10:17. How is it possible to grow in grace apart from knowledge of God's word?
2. Colossians 1:5-6,10. Is increasing fruitfulness in the Lord tied directly to increasing in the knowledge of God?
3. Romans 12:2. Is a transformation of behavior to greater godliness possible apart from a mind renewed by God's word?
4.
2 Timothy 2:15. How
does a believer grow in knowledge of God's word?
FOOL'S GOLD
It has been pointed out that all that glitters is not gold.
Certain characteristics in other Christians are commonly mistaken as positive
evidence of great spiritual maturity. Before moving on to earmarks that do
produce a more positive identification, it would be well to consider
characteristics that can be misleading. It should be noted that the
characteristics in this list do not prove that one is not mature in the Lord,
but neither do they prove that he is. It is quite possible for one to bear all
of these earmarks and still be quite immature in the Lord and unspiritual.
Work this multiple choice exercise to see for yourself how one may bear
one or all of these earmarks and still be very immature and unspiritual. Choose
the answer(s) that is incorrect.
1. 1 Corinthians 8:1. 1 Corinthians 13:4. One with great Bible knowledge:
A. Is always very mature in the Lord and very spiritual.
B. May be "puffed up" and proud of his knowledge.
C. Is often quite good at doting for long periods over how to cross "T's" and dot "I's."
D. Great Bible
knowledge does not always produce humility. Sometimes it produces pride,
arrogance and a Pharisaical, judgmental spirit.
2. 3 John 9. One with great boldness:
A. May be a bully and attempt to dominate an entire church.
B. Possesses a great virtue when his boldness is harnessed and used wisely.
C. Is truly a spiritual, mature old saint of God.
D. Can be
obnoxious, uncaring and very selfish.
3. 1 Corinthians 3. One with old spiritual age or who has been saved a long time:
A. May be much younger in spiritual development than he is in years since salvation.
B. Is sure to have grown spiritually with each calendar year since salvation.
C. May be an overgrown spoiled brat who behaves much younger than his years of salvation would suggest.
D. Sometimes
resemble mentally handicapped people.
4. Matthew 6:1-5. Those who exude great piousness:
A. Can be hypocrites.
B. Can be genuine.
C. Often deceive people who are highly impressed with the looks of a priest, pope or an old Christian who won't smile or laugh.
D. Are always
ideal Christians who are very mature in a spiritual sense.
5. Exodus 23:1-3. Great popularity proves:
A. Beyond doubt that a person is truly a mature and spiritual saint of God.
B. Neither spiritual maturity nor spiritual immaturity.
C. Mordecai, Jeremiah, Aquilla & Priscilla and John who wrote The Revelation were not at all mature in the Lord.
D. Absalom,
King Saul and Herod were all deep and very spiritually mature saints of God.
6. 1 Corinthians 15:58 & James 1:22-27. An occasional outstanding Christian act, performance or response to crisis is:
A. Better than consistent godly living over the long-haul.
B. Not a positive indication of how one will behave over time.
C. Not nearly as good an indictor of what a person really is as is consistent faithful service to God on a routine basis over the long-haul.
D. Certain
proof that one is a very mature and spiritual person.
7. Proverbs 16:8. Great talent:
A. Confuses many bystanders into thinking the person who has it is really mature and spiritual.
B. Such as a great sermon, song or prayer is a sure sign of spirituality and maturity.
C. Of itself says nothing for or against spirituality and spiritual maturity.
D. Should not be
used as a means of deciding another's spiritual level.
Food for Thought
1. Are you growing in the Lord? If not, why not?
2. How is your growth in grace compared to your growth in knowledge?
3. In working the exercise on Some Areas of Growth in Grace, how did you score?
4. Which areas were your strongest? Which were your weakest?
5. Do you think that you can really be successful in positively impacting the lives of others when growth is not occurring in you?
6. Should growth be a life-long project for all believers?
7. What specific plans do you have regarding your own spiritual growth and maturity?
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"