Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV – How to Know You’re Growing in Your Faith
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
We all want to grow in our faith, but how can we measure progress toward spiritual maturity? Here’s a short list of benchmarks to look for. We know it’s spiritual fruit when:
We become increasingly aware of our sinfulness and weakness. When I read biographies of godly men and women, it’s clear that they don’t “get better” with age and spiritual maturity. Instead, they become ever more sensitive to their dependence upon the Lord.
We respond to sin with quick repentance. Failure to deal with sin is rebellion against God. Growing believers turn away from wrongdoing and embrace righteousness. As we begin to see the good results of dependence and repentance, our desire to obey intensifies, and the attraction of sin lessens.
We recognize the potential benefit of struggles. Faith is often developed through hardship. So we’ll see maturity in our relationship with God when we view trials and temptations as opportunities for growth.
We are not afraid to share about Jesus Christ to others. Obeying and participating in the Great Commision marks the maturity of our faith. Whatever part each of us be in the Body of Christ is counted for to build the Body of Christ.
But remember, the list above is just a starting point. Spending time in the Word and in prayer is the best way to get closer to Jesus. And be assured that no matter what, for those who wait on God and trust in Him, He acts in their behalf (Isa. 64:4).
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