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| Volume 24 Number 10 October 2022 |
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| Volume 24 Number 10 October 2022 |
Page 4 |
Emanuel Daugherty
If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain (“swelling” KJV; “thicket” ESV) of the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5 NKJV)
God’s Challenge: Can
You
Run with the Horses?
[Editor’s Note: The primary ‘can do’ passage for Christians is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Remember, God became angry with Moses when he offered a series of excuses (Exodus 3:14). Certainly, we do not want God to become angry with us because we offered excuses instead of faithful service (Hebrews 9:14; 12:28). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]
Spiritual Maturity
Brian R. Kenyon
One reason God “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” was “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13 NKJV). We know that miraculous gifts ended with the completion of the New Testament by the end of the first century (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). Thus, the term “perfect man” (“mature manhood,” ESV) refers to spiritual maturity.
While there is a sense in which fictional Peter Pan’s philosophy of never growing up is legitimate (1 Corinthians 14:20), so far as spiritual maturity is concerned, it is displeasing to God when those who should be mature are not. Remember the Hebrews writer’s words, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first 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 unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe” (Hebrews 5:12-13). This is one reason the Corinthian church was in danger. Paul said, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
As in individual Christians so also in local churches, when immaturity manifests itself, damage to the cause of Christ results. However, when Christians exercise spiritual maturity in local churches, tremendous testimony (i.e., actions speak louder than words) of true Christianity and growth occurs (Acts 4:32-33). The South Florida Avenue church of Christ (Lakeland, FL) deserves to be commended for its exercise in spiritual maturity, especially over the past several months relative to welcoming new converts and Christians placing their membership with us, to adjusting to a new Bible class curriculum, to handling those who repent. The congregation showed great spiritual maturity! Starting from the eldership and trickling down through the membership, the maturity in Christ is amazing! May the Lord continue strengthening us through the knowledge of His Word and putting into practice what we know to be right!