Christian Maturity

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food. — read the full passage →

Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; — read the full passage →

That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, — read the full passage →

as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,

Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. — read the full passage →

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ. — read the full passage →

Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision? — read the full passage →

Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, — read the full passage →

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom. Beloved

He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;

Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?