Summary:
We need to grow up spiritually so we won’t be led astray, able to discern the times, and able to serve the Lord. How can we grow up spiritually?

1. Be taught by the word of God
2. Be strengthened by the love of God
3. Abide in the Holy Spirit
   When we are spiritually mature, we will give without limits (since our lives belong to God), make ceaseless prayers not just for ourselves but also other saints, and rejoice even in suffering!

When we first believed in Christ and were baptised, we were like newborn babies. Every baby grows. In the same way, when we are born in baptism, there must be growth in the spiritual set. The more we believe, the more we know the word of God, the more we draw closer to Jesus Christ, the more we must grow. This growth must continue until we become a spiritual man; until we become like Jesus Christ. Our faith will be unshakable and have spiritual wisdom to know the will of God. We will be full of hope. This is a life of faith.

Eph 4:12-15
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

When we hear more about the word of God, we can grow to become the perfect man.

Paul was anxious that the church should grow.

Gal 4:19
My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you

Paul laboured hard in the ministering of the word of God and pastoring of the sheep. It was likened to him labouring in birth until Christ was formed in them.

Col 1:28-29
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

When we read the Bible, there are some churches that are like babies. For example, the Corinth church.

1 Cor 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

If we do not grow up in Christ and are still babies spiritually, then we will not be able to please the Lord. It’s hence necessary for us to grow up spiritually.

Why do we need to grow into spiritual manhood?

1. So we can be firm and not led astray

There were heretical teachings, false Christs and false prophets that led the early believers astray. This will happen all the more in the last days!

Eph 4:14
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting

We need to grow up because only spiritual grown ups can discern truth from heresy; true and false prophets.

Some sermons in other churches or those we watch on YouTube may seem beautiful/edifying, but if we were to compare its content to the Bible, we realise they are philosophies and wisdom of men. Not only in other churches, but also in our true church. False Christs aren’t just outside, they’re in our church too.

1 Cor 2:13-16
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Only spiritual people will be able to understand spiritual things. If we remain a natural man and remain in the wisdom of the world, then the things of God will be foolishness to us. Some people do not see baptism as important. It’s just an initiation rite or a sign of repentance. They don’t see that it has to do with salvation. Some people say praying in tongues is just one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it isn’t a sign of having received the Holy Spirit.

But if we read the Bible today, we will know the truth; able to spiritually discern and accept the word of God.

False Christs aren’t just in other churches, also in our church.

2. So we are able to discern the times

What is the time today? In the history of the world and in the light of God’s word, what are the times? Spiritual people would know. That’s why they’d esteem spiritual things more than that of the world. Not that things of the world are not important. We need to go to work. Students need to go to school. We must eat well, and sleep well. But what about our faith? Are we ready to meet Jesus when He comes again?

Many people let year by year pass by. Their faith is very normal. They like to come to church, they like to pray, but there is no spiritual progress. Over time, their zeal becomes less and less. This is very frightening. This is because they do not know the times.

COVID-19 is a wake up call for us. But how many of us are awoken?

Recently, a deacon’s father passed away suddenly. He was healthy. Suddenly there was a pain in the leg that spread up his body. Soon he died. It’s not just COVID-19 that kills people.

These are all signs to us. Make good use of the time we have. Be able to discern the times.

Jesus Christ rebuked people who weren’t able to discern the times.

Matt 16:2-4
He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

Jesus Christ rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees because they asked for a sign from heaven.

Today the signs are already with us. Most of the prophecies of the Last Days have been fulfilled. Why are we not able to discern? If we are able to discern, we would give heed to His word. Attending services, serving Him, ensuring our children have religious education would become a priority in our lives. But right now, it’s often not the case that it’s our priority.

Time is really very short. The Lord will come again like a thief in the night - we won’t know when. The Last Days will be like in the days of Noah where the people were carousing and drunk and disbelieved the imminent destruction. If we are spiritually discerning, like Noah who built the ark and saved his family, we too will build our ark of faith and devote time to secure our salvation.

3. So we can serve the Lord

Serving the Lord is our duty and repaying our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s also a grace given to us so we can serve Him to be saved. When we serve the Lord, we share in the great work of saving souls. Because we share in the work of Christ, we are able to share in His glory.

But if we aren’t spiritually grown up, how can we serve Him? Many have served and left? Many who have served (preachers, deacons, ministers) left because of sin. Their work was not built on the rock.

But if we are grown up and serve, we will be building up on the rock that is Jesus. Babies can’t serve the Lord; it’ll cause disruption. When unspiritual people serve the Lord, they cause a lot of problems. They do activities in church that are unspiritual. Some may end up betraying the Lord like Judas.

How do we grow up?

1. Be taught by the word of God

Being taught means putting away our carnal self and letting the word of God becomes our character.

1 Tim 4:6
If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

A person is able to grow when he is instructed in the word of the Lord. This isn’t just growth in the knowledge of the Bible. We don’t read it like a literature book. We must be taught by the word of God.

Further, when we teach the word of God, we don’t just edify others, we edify ourselves too!

2. Be strengthened by the love of Christ

We must endure trials. But if we lack the strength and meet with some things, not many will be able to continue in the faith.

Those who are able to stand firm in the faith despite suffering are really admirable. They may not be thoroughly familiar with all parts of the Bible, but they draw strength from the love of God.

Eph 3:16-19
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Why was Paul able to endure sufferings and die in his imprisonment for Christ? He was still able to sing the victory song: I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished the race.

He was able to endure because he was strengthened by the love of Christ. He was truly a spiritually man. When beaten, he said suffering for God was glorious! He was willing to die a martyr because of the love of Christ!

Many exhortations in the Bible remind us to ‘think of Christ’.

Heb 3:1
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus

How do we think of Jesus? Paul saw Him as the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.

Heb 11:39-12:1
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

All the people mentioned in Heb 11 are great testimonies to us. We look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (v2).

Grow in the love of Christ. Meditate on the love of God. Don’t just think about how good the people in a church are.

3. Abide in the Holy Spirit

Only then can we mortify the flesh.

We may say we already spend/devote a whole day of Sabbath to God. But if we are a spiritual person, attending Sabbath service will not feel enough for us. We want to draw even nearer to Him. We are moved by the Holy Spirit. Serving God becomes so wonderful. Being able to pray to Him and be a member of His household is something very sweet to us.

What are manifestations of a spiritual man?

1. Based on the love he shows

How much does he give to God and men? A spiritual man has no limits to what he gives to the Lord. He gives everything, because his life belongs to the Lord.

2. Ceaseless prayer for himself and the saints

He watches and prays. He doesn’t just watch over his faith and that of his family’s, but also for other saints. In the Last Days, we must be very vigilant. Some people are deceived in prayers. They want to hear Christ’s voice or see visions or for things to happen according to what they asked. This is also praying, but it’s not being vigilant. Prayers according to the will of God shows how spiritual a person is.

Praying in the spirit, being watchful and prayerful, is what makes a spiritual person. He doesn’t brag he prays thrice a day. The more he prays, the more humble he becomes. His spiritual character builds up.

3. Rejoicing and exhibiting the glory of God in sufferings

Not many people can rejoice in sufferings. When other people suffer, we can be sad. But our sadness is not the same as when we ourselves suffer. This is natural. If a child of another church member dies, we would be less sad than when our own child dies.

Christians rejoice in suffering.

1 Pet 4:12-16
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

Peter wrote this epistle because Christians were being physically abused. They were thrown into cruel arenas and persecuted. But Peter said not to think it strange. Because we partake in Christ’s sufferings, we will also rejoice in Him.

How many of us are able to praise God in times of terminal sicknesses? Or when our house is burnt down? Or when our loved ones are taken away?

How many of us are still able to rejoice in the Lord? A mature person can.

In Taiwan 1978, a 70+ year old elder had to attend the funeral of his 40+ year old son. When the elder gave the thank you speech, he thanked God that his son was able to serve the Lord and acknowledged it was God’s will to take him away. He did not murmur against God. That was truly suffering for the Lord. Both he and his son were good preachers. It wasn’t just a loss to him and the younger preacher’s family, but also the church. Still he was able to thank God. Only a spiritual person would’ve been able to do that.

We pray to God to give us spiritual growth so we will always be able to remain in the grace of the Lord until the end; that we may be able to grow unto perfection.