Growing Together
The Journey from Spiritual Infancy to Maturity
Have you ever stopped to consider the staggering investment we make in raising children?
Studies suggest parents invest approximately $310,000 and 15,000 hours from birth through high school—pouring resources into housing, education, healthcare, and countless other needs. We willingly make these sacrifices because we understand something fundamental: growth requires intentional investment.
This same principle applies to our spiritual lives, yet many of us remain stunted in our faith development. We might have gray hair and decades of church attendance under our belts, but that doesn't necessarily translate to spiritual maturity. The good news? Today can be the day everything changes.
God's Blueprint for Growth
Ephesians 4:11-16 presents a remarkable truth: God has equipped us with everything necessary to grow from spiritual immaturity to full maturity in Christ. This isn't optional—it's His design, His desire, and His command for both individual believers and the church as a whole.
The passage reveals that God provides a scaffolding to support our growth. Just as physical scaffolding temporarily supports construction workers building an edifice, God has established structures to help us develop spiritually. And just as babies need doctors, nurses, parents, and caregivers from their first moments, the church needs specially gifted people to provide spiritual care.
The Gift of Gifted People
God has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers—not as an elite class to do ministry while others watch, but as equippers. These gifted individuals have a specific purpose: to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
This is a paradigm shift for many Christians. Ministry isn't the exclusive domain of professionals with seminary degrees. The word "ministry" simply means service—doing something that serves others. Every believer has been given grace and spiritual gifts according to the measure of Christ's gift. The role of church leaders is to help you discover and develop those gifts so you can actively participate in building up the body.
Think about it: when you were born, you weren't left alone on a table. People cared for you, fed you, clothed you, and cleaned you up. The church operates the same way. We're designed to care for one another, with different people providing different nutrients from God's Word based on what the flock needs—encouragement, correction, training in righteousness, or comfort.
Four Markers of Maturity
How long does this growth process continue? Ephesians 4:13 gives us four interconnected goals:
Until we attain to the unity of the faith. This means doctrinal unity—agreement on the basics about who God is, who Jesus Christ is, what salvation means, and what our ultimate destiny looks like. With 45,000 different Christian denominations worldwide, perfect unity seems impossible. But within local church communities, we can pursue agreement on the fundamental truths of Scripture.
Until we reach the knowledge of the Son of God. This isn't merely knowing facts about Jesus—it's experiential, intimate, personal knowledge. It's the difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. This relationship deepens until that glorious day when we see Him face to face.
Until we reach mature manhood. Spiritual development mirrors physical development. Babies don't walk perfectly the first time they try—they fall down. But they keep trying, thriving, changing. Teenagers go through awkward stages where different body parts seem out of proportion. The same happens spiritually. We won't do everything right. We'll irritate each other and fail. That's why love must bind us together as we grow.
Until we reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This is the ultimate goal—to be conformed to the image of Christ. Will we fully reach this in our earthly lives? Not completely, though Christ within us causes that growth. But there will come a day when we see Him face to face and grow into all He has provided.
Building Resilience Against Deception
A mature body needs a strong immune system to fight off disease. Spiritually, maturity makes us resistant to doctrinal disease. We're no longer children "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes."
Children are vulnerable. They need constant instruction about dangers. But as we mature, we develop discernment. We're not easily deceived, distracted, or manipulated. We have stability.
The winds of doctrine blow strong today. The internet provides an entire library of theological garbage alongside sound teaching. Across the world, churches teach different gospels that aren't the gospel at all—doctrines of demons designed to steal, kill, and destroy.
Our defense? Truth. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in Your Word. Your Word is truth." We need truth imparted into our lives, and that truth is Jesus Himself, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." This doesn't happen by leaving our Bibles on the shelf. It requires consistent, disciplined engagement with Scripture.
Speaking Truth in Love
Rather than being manipulated by cunning schemes, we're called to speak the truth in love. This means calling truth truth and error error, according to God's Word—but not wielding Scripture like a club to beat each other over the head.
Love approaches others with humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. We're the body of Christ, working together. When body parts aren't working properly, we call it disease. God wants a healthy body where every part functions as designed.
Every Joint Matters
Here's something remarkable: you're a joint in the body of Christ. Every joint is necessary. Without your elbow, eating would require burying your face in your plate. When each part works properly, the body grows and builds itself up in love.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes. When did you last see your liver? It functions constantly, invisibly. Your heart pumps without you thinking about it. Similarly, much ministry happens quietly—visiting hospitals, making encouraging phone calls, meeting for coffee to listen and apply God's Word, cleaning the church building, serving on mission trips.
This isn't about signing up for organized programs (though those have their place). It's about listening to what God calls you to do and being willing. It's about moving from being consumers in the church to being participants, using your unique gifts to serve.
The Challenge Before Us
God has equipped you with everything necessary to grow from spiritual immaturity to full maturity in Christ. The question is: will you embrace the journey? Will you ground yourself in the truth of God's Word and let Him change the way you think, act, and love?
Growth requires intentional investment—just like raising children. But the return on this investment is eternal. As we grow together, we become more like Christ, more unified in faith, more resilient against deception, and more effective in building each other up in love.
The scaffolding is in place. The nutrients are available. The body is ready. It's time to grow.
Have you ever stopped to consider the staggering investment we make in raising children?
Studies suggest parents invest approximately $310,000 and 15,000 hours from birth through high school—pouring resources into housing, education, healthcare, and countless other needs. We willingly make these sacrifices because we understand something fundamental: growth requires intentional investment.
This same principle applies to our spiritual lives, yet many of us remain stunted in our faith development. We might have gray hair and decades of church attendance under our belts, but that doesn't necessarily translate to spiritual maturity. The good news? Today can be the day everything changes.
God's Blueprint for Growth
Ephesians 4:11-16 presents a remarkable truth: God has equipped us with everything necessary to grow from spiritual immaturity to full maturity in Christ. This isn't optional—it's His design, His desire, and His command for both individual believers and the church as a whole.
The passage reveals that God provides a scaffolding to support our growth. Just as physical scaffolding temporarily supports construction workers building an edifice, God has established structures to help us develop spiritually. And just as babies need doctors, nurses, parents, and caregivers from their first moments, the church needs specially gifted people to provide spiritual care.
The Gift of Gifted People
God has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers—not as an elite class to do ministry while others watch, but as equippers. These gifted individuals have a specific purpose: to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
This is a paradigm shift for many Christians. Ministry isn't the exclusive domain of professionals with seminary degrees. The word "ministry" simply means service—doing something that serves others. Every believer has been given grace and spiritual gifts according to the measure of Christ's gift. The role of church leaders is to help you discover and develop those gifts so you can actively participate in building up the body.
Think about it: when you were born, you weren't left alone on a table. People cared for you, fed you, clothed you, and cleaned you up. The church operates the same way. We're designed to care for one another, with different people providing different nutrients from God's Word based on what the flock needs—encouragement, correction, training in righteousness, or comfort.
Four Markers of Maturity
How long does this growth process continue? Ephesians 4:13 gives us four interconnected goals:
Until we attain to the unity of the faith. This means doctrinal unity—agreement on the basics about who God is, who Jesus Christ is, what salvation means, and what our ultimate destiny looks like. With 45,000 different Christian denominations worldwide, perfect unity seems impossible. But within local church communities, we can pursue agreement on the fundamental truths of Scripture.
Until we reach the knowledge of the Son of God. This isn't merely knowing facts about Jesus—it's experiential, intimate, personal knowledge. It's the difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. This relationship deepens until that glorious day when we see Him face to face.
Until we reach mature manhood. Spiritual development mirrors physical development. Babies don't walk perfectly the first time they try—they fall down. But they keep trying, thriving, changing. Teenagers go through awkward stages where different body parts seem out of proportion. The same happens spiritually. We won't do everything right. We'll irritate each other and fail. That's why love must bind us together as we grow.
Until we reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This is the ultimate goal—to be conformed to the image of Christ. Will we fully reach this in our earthly lives? Not completely, though Christ within us causes that growth. But there will come a day when we see Him face to face and grow into all He has provided.
Building Resilience Against Deception
A mature body needs a strong immune system to fight off disease. Spiritually, maturity makes us resistant to doctrinal disease. We're no longer children "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes."
Children are vulnerable. They need constant instruction about dangers. But as we mature, we develop discernment. We're not easily deceived, distracted, or manipulated. We have stability.
The winds of doctrine blow strong today. The internet provides an entire library of theological garbage alongside sound teaching. Across the world, churches teach different gospels that aren't the gospel at all—doctrines of demons designed to steal, kill, and destroy.
Our defense? Truth. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in Your Word. Your Word is truth." We need truth imparted into our lives, and that truth is Jesus Himself, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." This doesn't happen by leaving our Bibles on the shelf. It requires consistent, disciplined engagement with Scripture.
Speaking Truth in Love
Rather than being manipulated by cunning schemes, we're called to speak the truth in love. This means calling truth truth and error error, according to God's Word—but not wielding Scripture like a club to beat each other over the head.
Love approaches others with humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. We're the body of Christ, working together. When body parts aren't working properly, we call it disease. God wants a healthy body where every part functions as designed.
Every Joint Matters
Here's something remarkable: you're a joint in the body of Christ. Every joint is necessary. Without your elbow, eating would require burying your face in your plate. When each part works properly, the body grows and builds itself up in love.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes. When did you last see your liver? It functions constantly, invisibly. Your heart pumps without you thinking about it. Similarly, much ministry happens quietly—visiting hospitals, making encouraging phone calls, meeting for coffee to listen and apply God's Word, cleaning the church building, serving on mission trips.
This isn't about signing up for organized programs (though those have their place). It's about listening to what God calls you to do and being willing. It's about moving from being consumers in the church to being participants, using your unique gifts to serve.
The Challenge Before Us
God has equipped you with everything necessary to grow from spiritual immaturity to full maturity in Christ. The question is: will you embrace the journey? Will you ground yourself in the truth of God's Word and let Him change the way you think, act, and love?
Growth requires intentional investment—just like raising children. But the return on this investment is eternal. As we grow together, we become more like Christ, more unified in faith, more resilient against deception, and more effective in building each other up in love.
The scaffolding is in place. The nutrients are available. The body is ready. It's time to grow.
Posted in Book of Ephesians