Have you measurably progressed in your spiritual life to become a Christian of sound judgment and discernment? Are you able to choose right over wrong? Can you apply God’s laws in your everyday living?
In the Book of Hebrews, those of us who have been called to salvation are confronted with a challenging self-examination:
“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. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
To progress in spiritual maturity, we are to increase day-by-day in attaining godly perfection (compare Matthew 5:48; Ephesians 4:13). While we do initiate life-changing actions at the beginning of God’s calling, our conversion involves continual growth.
Peter cautions us that we must “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18).
Even Jesus grew in spiritual maturity, as Luke 2, verse 52, states: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” During this process, Jesus faced the same kinds of things we face: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
The ultimate goal of Jesus becoming our perfect High Priest was accomplished in order that we might also reach perfection in the Family of God. Quite clearly, we still face many challenges before that time arrives, and we must not become stagnant in our Christian living.
We have been given the Holy Spirit of God—a help by which we can grow to become more and more like Jesus Christ. If Jesus is truly living His life in us, then we will be growing in Christian maturity—a test we absolutely must pass!
