Seeking Jesus First Feb. 17, 2025
Are there different levels of spiritual maturity?
If so, how do you know measure yours?
The Scriptures use at least three different words to describe relationship with God as it relates to maturity.
The Greek word for baby is ‘nepios’ and it is used for a child who has not been weaned from mother’s milk. This child has all of his needs provided for him by someone else. This child requires others to clean up his messes and protect him from his own mistakes. He is being taught everyday through relationship with his family. He has many restrictions as he is not yet ready to go out into the world by himself. He has many freedoms for the same reason. He is allowed more “free time” to play and do what he wants within the boundaries that are set for him by his parents and guardians. He is watched more closely and his parents meet out rules, rewards and punishments that are scaled down to be appropriate for his age.
The Greek word for offspring or child is ‘teknon”, and it is used for someone who is school age and is being trained by others. The child watches his parents and guardians closely and tries to emulate them. He has restrictions and has to abide by more of a schedule than a baby. He’s has learned to take care of himself in certain ways. He is able to use the bathroom by himself, clean his room, feed himself, and many other things that focus on his own needs and desires. His rules, rewards and punishments are still determined by his parents and teachers, but they are scaled up and as he grows and shows himself capable, he gains more autonomy and freedom from direct oversight and control. He is learning self control and not to fight with his siblings. He is given chores and jobs to help the family, but he generally resents those chores at first because he doesn’t understand their value, but he is learning and growing. It takes many years to progress through childhood, and it is generally determined that as the child becomes more selfless, he is seen as more mature.
Finally, the Greek word for mature son is ‘huios’, and it is used for a man who has taken his place in his family as an equal with other mature adults. He is accepted in the family business as a co-owner. He is entrusted with himself and no longer suffers the scrutiny of a schoolmaster. He is becoming capable of taking a wife and raising a family of his own.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3–6, NKJV)