christian

1. Buildingupthe bodyofChrist
With focus on
Patternsof ChristianMaturity

2. By: Francis Deng
Nanjing International Christian Fellowship
June 5th , 2016
1.Maturity growth
2.Humility growth
3.Spiritual growth
4.Be imitator of God: Following His example
5. Jesus and obedience

3. 3
Introduction
I Corinthians 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the
Gentiles, nor to the church of God

4. 4
Christian stages
I Peter 2:2 [baby Christians]
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the
word, that ye may grow thereby:

5. 5
Christian stages
Ephesians 4:14 [Childhood Christian]
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive.

6. 6
Christian stages
Hebrews 11:24-26[Manhood]
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to
be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosingrather
to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had
respect unto the recompence of the reward

7. 7
Why Growth?
Ephesians 4:13
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ

8. Types of persons
1 Corinthians 2:14 [Natural man]
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
8

9. 9
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 [Carnal mind ]
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye
were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye
are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and
strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

10. 10
EPHESIANS 1:3 [spiritual man]
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ:

11. 11
The Immature Believer Verse The Mature Believer
Dull of Hearing Hebrews
5:11
Paying close attention to what God says
Not able to teach others. Needs to
be taught.
Hebrews
5:12
Able to teach others
Still learning the ABC's of God's
truth
Hebrews
5:12
Has learned the ABC's of God's truth and
moved on to the deeper things of God (1Cor.
2:10)
Needs milk - Not ready for meat. Hebrews
5:12
Feeding on strong meat
A spiritual baby Hebrews
5:13-14
Spiritually advanced and discerning
Great difficulty in discerning
between good and evil, & often
makes wrong moral choices.
Hebrews
5:14
Able to discern between good and evil
(compare 1 Cor. 2:15), guided by God's Word
(compare 1 Thess. 5:21)
Ignorant of God's will and ways
due to neglect of the Bible
1 John.
2:14
Knowing God and living in His Word (compare
2 Pet. 3:18)
"Do as I say but not as I do" Phil. 4:9 "Follow me as I follow Christ." Able to be a

12. 12
Spiritual 1Cor.2:15-3:4 Carnal (fleshly)
Feeding on milk and solid food 1st Corin.3:1-2 Still feeding on the baby bottle (milk) &
not able to handle solid food
Walking in the Spirit (compare
Galatians 5:16)
1st Corin. 3:3 Carnality, walking in flesh, works of
flesh (envy, strife, divisions, etc.)
Following Christ (1 Cor. 11:1) 1stCorin. 3:4-5 Following men
Able to help a brother/ sister who
is overcome by a fault
Galatians 6:1 In need of personal help with faults
Rooted and grounded in the
knowledge of Christ
Eph. 4:13-14 Children tossed to and fro with every
wind of doctrine
Protected by God's armour Eph. 6:10-17 Vulnerable to the enemy
Absorbed with Christ and with
the needs of others, humble
Philippians 3:3-5 Self-absorbed, proud
Regardless of the level of
maturity reached, presses on to
higher ground, never content
with present level of attainment
Philippians 3:12-
13
Satisfied and, content with sub-par
spiritual state.

13. 13
2. Humility growth
1 Peter 5:5-6
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed
with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace
to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

14. 14
Moses
Numbers12:1-3
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the
Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married
an Ethiopian woman.2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed
spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And
the Lord heard it.3 (Now the man Moses was very meek,
above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

15. Mary
Luke 1:48-49
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me
blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great
things; and holy is his name.
15

16. Jesus
Philippians 2:8-10
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name:10 That
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
16

17. What is Humility?
Humility is the quality of being humble
A.Modest
B.not proud-
C.doing something out of the goodness
D.Doing something not for yourself
E.Recognizing the limits of one's talents, ability, or
authority.
17

18. 3. Spiritual growth
Luke 2:40
40 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit,filled with
wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.
18

19. 1Corinthians 4:17
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth
from another star in glory.
19

20. Areas of the spirits growth
1 Corinthians 15:10 [Grace]
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace
which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I
laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me.
20

21. Romans 12:3[faith]
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man
that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than
he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure of faith
21

22. Acts 19:20 [Word]
20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Proverbs 4:20-22
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my
sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them
in the midst of thine heart.22 For they are life unto those
that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy
heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
22

23. Psalms 45:7 [Righteous ]
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows.
23

24. 4. Be imitator of God: Following His
example
Ephesians 5:1-7
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;2 And
walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given
himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness,
or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as
becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
24

25. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no
man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light
in the Lord: walk as children of light:
•Walk in Love
25

26. How can I walked the Ephesians walk?
1. Strive to imitators of God
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
26

27. 2. Remain in the light:
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if
we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin. ( 1 John 1:5-7)
27

28. 3. Make wisdom a priority
Wisdom’s benefits are many (Proverbs 4:5-10).
Wisdom keeps you from evil. (Proverbs 5:1-2).
Wisdom changes life. (James 3:17)
28

29. 5. Jesus and obedience
John 8:31
So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If
you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings
and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My
disciples.
29

30. Luke 5:5-6
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have
toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at
thy word I will let down the net at thy word I will let down the
net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great
multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
30

31. A. Peter allowed Jesus to use His boat .
B. Peter obeyed Jesus’ command to go to the deep water for
a catch .
C. Peter and his partners left their boats, nets and fish and
followed Jesus
31

32. Summary
John 1:12-14 [ salvation is the key ]
32