by Dave Root, VividChristianity.com, last modified on 07/16/2024.

As you read this section, keep in mind that the New Testament is not merely a history book, it's meant to change us to become more and more like Jesus. When we read any passages in the New Testament, our goal should be to discern what God wants us to believe and do so that we can be obedient to Him.


Notice that growth always requires change, such as when babies grow or when plants grow. There can be no growing or maturing without change, and throughout the New Testament we're told numerous times to continue growing and maturing in faith and in the knowledge of God.

We must always be open to the leading of the Lord, even if it means changing our views when He shows us something different from what we currently believe. No one's Christian views are perfect and complete because all of us are fallible (e.g., 1 Corinthians 13:9, 12). Growth always involves change, so if you stick to all of the Christian views that you've believed for years then it means that you're not growing in the Lord. Think about it for a moment.

In Genesis 28:12, Jacob dreamed of a stairway that reached from earth up to heaven. Using that as an analogy, we can think of receiving salvation as if we have climbed up onto the first (lowest) step of the stairway. As we grow and mature spiritually, we're climbing higher and higher up the stairway, seeing the world more and more from God's perspective. But if we allow ourselves to be overly concerned with the things of this world, allowing the interests, fears, and concerns of the world to be our own, then we have one foot on the lowest step of the stairway (because we've received salvation) and one foot still on the ground (because we're still worldly). This is not what God wants (see my article called Cheat Sheet #04), and it prevents us from growing and maturing in the things of God.

Relevant passages:

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:14-15)

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand (2 Corinthians 10:15)

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9-12)

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28)

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. (Colossians 4:12)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1-2)

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

Many (perhaps most) Christians are living their lives the way they feel is best, and they don't show any interest in learning or understanding what the New Testament says, or obeying what it says. They're comfortable with what they believe so they're not growing and maturing. In books and online articles they're referred to as complacent or lukewarm Christians. Consider that some people like hot coffee and some like iced coffee, but people generally find lukewarm coffee to be disgusting. With that in mind, notice what Jesus said:

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit [emeo] you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

In the above passage, Jesus said that lukewarm Christians make Him sick to His stomach (wanting to vomit). (The Greek word emeo is not used anywhere else in the New Testament, but it's used for "vomit" in the Greek version of Isaiah 19:14.) He loves them but said that they need to be earnest or zealous and repent, otherwise they might be disciplined (as described in my articles called Cheat Sheet #11, Cheat Sheet #12, and Cheat Sheet #13).


Are you growing and maturing in faith and in the knowledge of God (in obedience to the passages in this section), or are you a complacent, lukewarm Christian who makes Jesus sick to His stomach (wanting to vomit)?