Part 2 - Signs of Spiritual Growth:

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Maturing In the Lord?.
This article was guest authored by: 

Here is a list of eighteen indicators that you can use to evaluate your Christian life:

  1. You have a better understanding of Jesus Christ crucified than you did when you first trusted Him. Now you know that Gospel by its Scriptural titles—Paul’s “My Gospel” (Rom. 2:16, 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8) and “the Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Not only do you know that Jesus Christ saved you from hell, but now you understand that He saved you for a purpose. You know that by believing you have become a member of “the Church the Body of Christ,” and are becoming more able to function “in the heavenly places” in the ages to come for His glory… by living in faith.
  2. You have learned to hear “the Spirit of truth” as the “rhema” word of God, which electrifies or enlivens the “logos” (the written word of God), making “the word” to be a living word to you personally and for you… in that moment… of enlightenment.  

“It is the spirit that quickeneth (makes alive); the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints,” (Ephesians 1:15-18)

You know also that “the word of God” is not of your private interpretation, but it is personally revealed to believers by the “Spirit of Truth” within their spirit.

  1. Your value system is now eternal, recognizing that the temporal is just temporary, and not so important as it once was.  

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

  1. You can now explain and teach Paul’s “Gospel of the Grace of God” to others in a clear manner. You can share that Good News with lost people that they may be saved unto eternal life. You can also share that Good News with other Christians that they may understand why they were saved unto eternal life. As time passes, these very experiences will cause you to better explain the Gospel every time. You now also dare to take the risk of being ostracized by those who will reject the gospel.
  2. You have learned the vocabulary or language of the English KJV Bible. Then certain words or phrases are not hindrances to your progress. Just as the carpenter or plumber has certain terms not common to the everyday general public, the Bible has such a distinct language.
  3. Mysterious or problematic Bible verses have become clearer, although not entirely clear yet. You at least begin to see how Israel’s verses and the Body of Christ’s verses are different and must remain separate, while more study is required.
  4. You can explain/teach those mysterious or problematic Bible verses to others, although not necessarily fully, while more study is required.
  5. Mysterious or problematic Bible verses are now quite easy to understand. You no longer have any difficulty with them. You may now find them enjoyable and eventually consider them “familiar friends.” Though more study will not hurt, more study may make those verses even easier.
  6. You can easily explain/teach those mysterious or problematic Bible verses to others in an understandable manner. You realize that more study may make those verses even easier to teach.
  7. Your prayer-life and behavior has become drastically different. You stop praying for what the Word of God says you already have “in Christ.” Rightly-divided Bible verses applicable to various life situations will come to you on a daily basis to guide you in your decisions about things you once prayed for. The more verses that come to mind, the more mature you have become. The more verses you apply by faith, the more mature you have become! You more and more defer to the Lord’s will being done.
  8. You clearly hear the ‘conscience’ of your spirit, in which “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” forever dwells as one in and with you. You are now attuned to the sense of the indwelling Spirit of Christ as He guides you in your daily life… prompting or restraining you from within in accord with His word.
  9. You recognize what the Spirit brings to mind in the Bible verses that are appropriate at the time of a situation or a trial, strengthening you and guiding you. You are able to apply Bible truth to the details or your life.
  10. You have stopped committing certain sins (given up bad habits, for example). Please understand that you will never totally stop sinning in this life. Sinlessness is impossible while we live in these bodies with the “Sin (nature) in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3). We will be sinless only in heaven! Still, God’s grace should change how we live, that we better reflect Jesus Christ’s life flowing from within us!
  11. Actions you never thought of as sins will suddenly grab your attention. You have a greater awareness exactly what actions of yours are sins for you.
  12. Once living for “self,” you find yourself concerned for and seeking the benefits of others—especially your brothers and sisters in Christ! You particularly will cease behaving in ways that make you a “stumbling-block” to other Christians. Never, EVER indulge in or pursue your own selfish desires if it means destroying the edification of a fellow believer! We cannot permit our self to flaunt our liberty in a way that would offend those still under the Law. (cf. Rom. 14)
  13. You find yourself preaching to lost people—no longer in a hateful or contentious way, but now wisely in caring for their souls. Now you do this because you know they are hell-bound and you love them too much to not warn them!
  14. You find yourself teaching other Christians— no longer in a hateful or contentious way. Now you do this because you know they are trapped in Satan’s snare of false doctrine and you love them too much to not to warn them!
  15. Finally, if the Word of God grips your heart mightily enough, and you yield to it by faith, you may go on to become a God-appointed Bible teacher in “the body of Christ.” Women can likewise serve other women (Titus 2:3-5), of course, as well as children. NOTE: Becoming a church leader is not always a sign of maturity. I know plenty of ‘ministers’ and missionaries who are just as ignorant of Scripture and who live just as sinfully as (or worse than) church members sitting in the pew.

True spiritual maturity is when one becomes a church leader who is able to lead others to spiritual maturity. Immature church leaders are incapable of this; sadly, they need to be taught by the Spirit and the word before they can teach others.

Even though we may be mature in the Scriptures, that does not mean we stop maturing in our soul’s union with the Lord. Just, as nobody can ever say they’ve “learned all there is to know in the Bible,” for we will never come to that perfect (full) ‘soul-union’ with Him until we are raptured to heaven. In the physical life, a young adult can be considered mature (adult), but yet his or her body will continually strengthen, and so should his or her mind will continually grow.

Paul the Apostle himself confessed in Philippians 3:12-16, there is always more room for learning and growing in the Lord.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. [13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (complete in Christ), be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

If you want to see the drastic difference between immature Christians and mature Christians, read the two (2) books of Corinthians and then read the two (2) books of Thessalonians. The Corinthians were the most carnal (fleshly, worldly) Christians in all the Bible. Their lives were such a reproach to Jesus Christ! In stark contrast, the Thessalonians were the most spiritual (Holy-Spirit-led) Christians in all the Bible. They were faithful in the edification processwillingly studying Scripture and applying the grace doctrines by faith to the details of their lives.

Ask yourself, are you a Corinthian or a Thessalonian?  

Only you can answer that question. Take time to evaluate your Christian life, to consider the 18 points I’ve presented. It’s your choice as to whether or not to cooperate, letting Jesus Christ have more reign in your life.