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Spiritual Maturity

Ivrim (Hebrews) 6:1-2
Therefore leaving the elementary teachings of Mashiach, let us press on to maturity; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward Elohim, of the teaching of immersions, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Recently I was asked the question of how Scripture defines spiritual maturity.  Let us examine the Scripture to see what we find on spiritual maturity.  Before we do that, let us take a good look at the passage of Scripture above to notice some things in it concerning this matter.

Please note what is listed in the above passage as being elementary.  Those things which are listed are repentance from dead works, faith towards Elohim, immersions, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  This is what a person finds in most believing circles today; although, when found, they may not be based solely upon the truth of Scripture.  But we are admonished to press on from these elementary things into being spiritually mature.

Let us take note of the verses just before our opening passage to take note of the context in which the writer is admonishing us, his readers.

Ivrim (Hebrews) 5:11-14
11 Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of Elohim, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

If a person has stalled in his spiritual growth, then those things that sound rather spiritually incredible are not going to be properly investigated.  The passage directly above indicates that as one reaches a level of maturity, then he becomes one who teaches others.  But we do not see this very often.  What we see instead are those who continue to teach the elementary things of Elohim.  They are stuck teaching and preaching about repentance, about having faith in Mashiach, about being baptized, about being healed and being delivered, and about the soon coming of Mashiach Yeshua, all elementary things.  Just because one has assumed the cloak of a teacher does not make one spiritually mature.  To see if one is spiritually mature, look closely at the content of what he is teaching.  If there is a lot of sensationalism in the teaching, then most likely there is a lack of spiritual maturity.

Now that is quite a list considering that this is what one hears from the vast majority of teachers and preachers today, and yes, even rabbis who follow Mashiach Yeshua.  So, this begs the question: what does it mean to be spiritually mature?

There are two things that seem to stand out above all others as being essential to being spiritually mature in Mashiach.  One is to walk and live with His shalom and the other is to shema His Voice.  In fact, the two are not actually two at all, but rather, two sides of the same coin.  The truth is that a person cannot have one without the other.

Yochanan (John) 16:33 
“These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Have you ever heard it preached or taught that if one is going through hard times, it is a lack of faith?  I have heard this many times.  This is against what Scripture teaches us!  Yeshua actually taught us to expect hard times and tribulation as long as we are in this present world.

Ya’aqov (James) 1:2
Consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials.

To count a trial or persecution or a tribulation or a hard time of any kind as joy is surely a mark of spiritual maturity.  Most when encountering something of this nature simply complain about it to whoever will listen to them.  It is one thing to seek out counsel in a matter, but it is something else completely to complain about it!  YHWH does not like, nor will He bless, a grumbler!  If one is not careful, these things will steal away his inner shalom, and when that happens then he should know that his relationship with YHWH is not where it should be.

Whenever one’s inner shalom is threatened in some manner, then this should be a warning to those who have ears to hear that something needs to be changed, something needs to be corrected.  Most likely it will not be the circumstances one is in, for rarely does one have any control over those.  But what one can change is his attitude towards those circumstances! 

That change in attitude starts by hearing and obeying His Voice in the matter at hand.  The only way to have His shalom (peace) is to be in a right relationship with Him.  And that is possible in only one way – to shema His Voice.

Yochanan (John) 10:27 
“My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Spiritual maturity consists of hearing and obeying His Voice, having the ability to shema.  As we walk in our daily living, one of the primary things that we should be learning to do is to shema His Voice.  Let us understand that everything we go through in this life, all the testing, trials, and tribulations, is the foundational lesson that we should learn.  There will also be other lessons, but this one is ever present.

Repentance, faith, immersions, healings and deliverances, the resurrection and the judgment to come, are elementary things that are only the beginning of one's walk with our Master Yeshua the Mashiach.  One needs to press beyond these things, but not forget them!

To shema His Voice is the will and desire of our Creator for each one of us.  Scripture, from B'reshit 1:1 to Gilyana 22:21, is a record of how to learn how to do this and the Scriptures are chock full of those who did not shema His Voice and the disastrous results which followed because they did not shema.  Even today we are still reeling from the effects of some of those decisions!

Let me put this in as strong a language as possible: according to my present understanding of Scripture, if one does not, or if he refuses to, shema His Voice, then it is highly doubtful that such a person will have a place in the olam haba (world to come).  Brothers and sisters, it does not get any more serious than that!

We have already written studies on being tested – Testing of the Set-apart Ones and on Hearing His Voice, so we will not go into a lot of detail here concerning these matters.  Let us understand that this is the basis of our spiritual maturity.  In this study let us examine what that spiritual maturity looks like so that one can know if he is progressing or not.

As many come out of Christianity into the truth, one of the first things they discover is Shabbat and the festivals, and then in some cases, the rest of Torah as well.  I wonder if we can see that while these things are important, they too are elementary in nature in our spiritual walk.  I wonder if we can see that the Torah itself is actually elementary in nature.  What do we mean by this?

These things are foundational in one’s walk with and relationship with our Creator.  We need these things as a basis or as a foundation to be in a right relationship with Him.  Now please do not misunderstand me at this point, for there are many deep and wonderful things found within Torah as well as the rest of Scripture that are anything but elementary.  But the simple keeping of a list of do’s and don’ts is pretty easy and simple to do. 

What spiritual maturity demands of us is to shema His Voice in all matters great and small.  Learning to shema His Voice will be built upon the foundation of those elementary things.  Let us prayerfully consider the meaning of this next passage in relation to what it means to be spiritually mature.

Galatians 3:24 
So that the Torah has become our tutor to bring us to Mashiach, that we might be justified by faith.

This passage suggests a question to us with which I wonder if we are spiritually mature enough to grapple.  I wonder if we are willing to wrestle with this question until we can allow YHWH to have His way in this matter.

This passage tells us that the Torah logically and reasonably will bring one to Mashiach Yeshua.  The Torah is a tutor that teaches Mashiach.  But here is the question: if one does not know Torah, then how can he come to Mashiach?  Do you see the dilemma?  Do you see that there are many who say that they have come to Mashiach Yeshua but know nothing about Torah?  Do you see this as potentially being contrary to what Scripture teaches us in the above passage?  If one does not know Torah, is it possible to come to Mashiach?  Would not logic and reason dictate that before one can come to Mashiach Yeshua he must know something of the elementary things of Torah?  To be sure!

Just exactly what did Mashiach Yeshua mean when He said the following words?

Matithyah (Matthew) 28:19-20 
19 “Therefore you go and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;
20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

If one does not have any previous knowledge of Torah, is it possible that one needs to be taught the elementary things of Torah in order actually to come to Mashiach?  By this we are asking: do we not need to know enough of Torah to see that Yeshua is the Living Torah made flesh before we can actually accept Him as Mashiach?    

This is what we mean by elementary things in Torah: being able to see Mashiach in the Torah so that we can then go on to maturity.  Maturity is living a life that is fully pleasing to Mashiach Yeshua.  It is walking the path less traveled, because Mashiach taught us that there are few who find this path.

Matithyah (Matthew) 7:14 
“For narrow is the gate, and straight is the way, that leads to life, and few are they that find it.”

Do not expect this path to be very populated or crowded, for it is not.  Yeshua taught us that walking in the way is a path that not many find.  And even some of those who find it do not walk on this path to the end!

Matithyah (Matthew) 13:20-21
20 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but is temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.”

The words of Mashiach Yeshua indicate to us that this person was a genuine true follower of Him, but because of hard times he did not maintain his walk with Mashiach and fell away.  We can rightly say that this person did not mature properly.  And because of that lack of spiritual maturity he was not able to stand when the going got rough. 

It is not a matter of if the going will get rough, but when it will, for that is as sure as the sun coming up in the morning.  Scripture teaches us this.

Let us examine some of the areas in which each one of us needs to grow and mature as we walk with Mashiach Yeshua.  One of those areas is in our relationships with one another.

Matithyah (Matthew) 18:15
15 "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 

In this day and age of instant communication but not being face to face, particularly over the internet, it is woefully easy to speak through one’s strong emotions.  This tends to get out of hand rather quickly when one person misunderstands another, and before long it is nearly all out war between two or more people.  And regrettably, this happens more times than not right out in the open in public forums.  But this is not what Scripture teaches us to do.  In the above passage, Mashiach Yeshua teaches us that when we have a difficulty of any kind with another, we should go to that person in private.  Now this takes some effort as well as humility on our part.  I have heard it reasoned many times that what was said in the public forum should be corrected in the public forum.  However, this is not what Mashiach Yeshua taught us, nor is it according to the witness and example of Scripture.

Ma’aseh (Acts) 18:24-26
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures.
25 This man had been instructed in the way of YHWH; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Yeshua, knowing only the immersion of Yochanan;
26 and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.  But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and expounded to him the way of Elohim more accurately.

It is instructive for us to note that Apollos was preaching and teaching in a public place.  However, when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they realized that he needed to be further educated about Mashiach Yeshua.  But they did not correct him in front of those to whom he had been preaching, rather they took him aside privately.

This should be what we do today, but actually seems to be rather rare.  I confess that I have been guilty of not doing this at times.  But let us consider this passage in relation to this aspect of being spiritually mature.

Matithyah (Matthew) 7:12 
“Therefore however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Torah and the prophets.”

It seems that Priscilla and Aquila understood this teaching from Yeshua and rightly implemented it in dealing with and correcting Apollos in private, even though that which came out of his mouth was in public.  May we all learn to do as we have been taught and shown in Scripture!

What we cannot afford is for individuals to go off gossiping every time they get their feelings hurt.  We need to practice maturity, spiritual maturity.  Even when we do not feel like doing so, and perhaps, especially when we do not feel like it, we need to do right in this area.

If we cannot live together now (outside the Land), what makes us think that we can live together inside the Land?

Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Master, one faith, one immersion;
6 one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Did we catch that?  There is only one body!  There is only one faith!

When will we learn that this whole business of being divided is of the spirit of rebellion?

We who have descended from the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom have inherited a rebellious spirit that dates back almost three millennia.  That’s not a very good track record!  Each and every one of us is going to have to consciously choose to put away this spirit of rebellion if we are going to have any hope of being brought together as a Nation and being able to return to our rightful Land.  The spirit of rebellion will prevent one from properly maturing in his spiritual walk.

Matithyah (Matthew) 6:15
“But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

It is so very important for each of us to grasp and hang on to this truth.  To miss this one thing in Scripture is to miss eternal life.  Each person has to forgive each and every person who hurts him and does him wrong.  If he does not, then according to what Yeshua taught here, he will not have eternal life if he does not make the choice to forgive others.

“But, teacher,” you say, “if you only knew what that person did to me, you would understand why I cannot forgive him/her!  Surely, YHWH will understand, won’t He?”  This lie is of the enemy.  It is time to stop believing this lie and make the choice to forgive!

We have a clear commandment to forgive.  If you violate that commandment, how is that proving that one loves Him, when He taught that those who love Him keep His commandments?

Yochanan (John) 8:7
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

Is there anyone among us today who has not sinned?  Of course not.

So why is it that we spend so much time throwing stones at each other in view of the public?  If a brother sins, are we not supposed to go to that brother a make a genuine effort at turning him back to Torah?  Furthermore, let each person make sure that what he is seeing in another is actual sin and not just a difference of understanding in Scripture!  For two people to have a different understanding of Scripture is not necessarily sin!  Let us be mature enough to recognize this reality.  And perhaps it is just a matter of maturity.  Perhaps one needs to grow to have a deeper understanding of Scripture before he gains the knowledge that you have.  And perhaps it is you who needs to grow.  You are not yet perfected, are you?

And if we do not go to our brother in private, do we not share in his sin?  To be sure, we do. 

But how can we do this if we hold unforgiveness in our hearts?  Well, to be truthful, we cannot follow what Yeshua taught us as recorded in Matthew 18 concerning the process of restoration between brothers, if we have not personally gone through what Mashiach taught in Matthew 7 concerning the process of getting the log out of our own eye first, and then spent time praying and seeking His face in any particular matter.

Matithyah (Matthew) 18:22-23
Yeshua said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

The moment we put a limit upon our forgiveness towards our brothers, we have sinned.  Now I have seen it happen that there are those who have lied to themselves and attempted to get around this truth by convincing themselves that the one in question is not his brother.  We need to be very careful of this, for it can be a very dangerous road, since in order to come to this conclusion one has to judge the heart of another, something that we are not to do.  Judge the actions, yes, but not the heart!

If we do not forgive, then we cannot take the proper steps to restore our brother.  This is a very grievous sin, to see a brother in sin and do nothing to rescue him.  It would be like seeing a man drowning while we had a line in our hand and refusing to throw it to him to rescue him.  And yet, I have seen this so many times in Messianic and Nazarene circles.  It must truly grieve our heavenly Father.

Philippians 3:13-14a
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on …

If Shaul had not laid hold of it when he had written this, what right do any of us have to think or declare that we have it?  We don’t!

Each one of us needs to press on.  Furthermore, we need to help each other to press on.  We are not going to make it alone.  If we think that we can make it alone, then we are lying to ourselves and His Spirit is not in us.

This walk that we have been called to walk is a walk of faith.

Romans 14:23
and whatever is not from faith is sin.

This passage of Scripture seems pretty simple.  Yet, how many of us truly understand its implications?

If we do something and we don’t do it with faith, basically, it is sin.

How about watching TV?  Can you do that by faith?

How about buying a new car?

How about buying groceries?

How about finding a parking place?

You see, YHWH wants to be involved in our everyday lives.  But too often we shut Him out of the minor details and decisions of our lives thinking that we can handle them.  When we do, we sin.  When we think these things and then act upon them we are buying into a lie from the enemy.

Qorintyah Bet (2nd Corinthians) 5:7
for we walk by faith, not by sight

When you pray and ask YHWH for something and that something arrives, do you just assume that it is from Him?  If you do, then you are walking by sight, and not by faith.  We cannot afford simply to assume that what we have received is from Him, particularly since YHWH commands us to test every spirit.  When we receive something, a spirit is bringing it.  Do we test it, or just assume?

Satan would like nothing better than to give us material things and for us to accept them from him.  He does not care where we think they are from, because if a person accepts something from Satan then this gives him access into his life.

However, if we walk by faith, testing the spirits as commanded, not assuming anything, but rather being careful to listen to His Voice in all matters, then we will not walk by sight.  This is one of those things that one learns on the road to spiritual maturity.

When one is maturing spiritually, then he will learn about the stewardship that YHWH has given to him.  He will learn the proper and right things to do and not to do with regards to those things with which YHWH has blessed him.  There is one thing with which YHWH has blessed each and every one of us – grace, or unmerited favor.  Do you know that we are to be good stewards of this unmerited favor?

Ephesians 3:2 
if so be that you have heard of the stewardship of Elohim’s grace which was given me for you;

Do you realize that with what YHWH has blessed you He expects you to bless others in like fashion?  Do you understand that YHWH does not want you simply to use that grace for yourself?

Ya’aqov (James) 4:3 
You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

It is the will of YHWH our Elohim that we build up His body!  In fact, He gives the gifts that He gives for this very end.

Ephesians 4:12 
for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Mashiach.

But how many use these gifts and talents to build their own kingdoms?  Look around at all those ministries whose material wealth is great and growing.  Does this seem right to you?  Is this actually building the kingdom of YHWH?

There are those who build their own kingdoms; then there are those who do nothing with what YHWH has entrusted to them.

Matithyah (Matthew) 25:25
“And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.” 

This is so very wicked!  When YHWH blesses us with gifts, talents, abilities, material goods, or other gifts, He expects and desires for us to choose to bless others with those things.  If we selfishly keep them for ourselves, we will not have eternal life.  The one who is selfish has his reward in full in this life!

Please take careful note of this passage in Matthew 25:25 in which the wicked servant stated that he was “afraid” and acted in accordance with that fear.

Gilyana (Revelation) 21:8
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Please note in the above passage that those who are listed first who will be cast into the lake of fire are the cowardly.  That is, those who are afraid, trembling, full of fear of man, rather than full of the fear of YHWH.

Let us be resolved to be strong and courageous for YHWH, Yeshua, and His Torah!  Let each one of us press on to be spiritually mature and be good stewards of that with which YHWH has blessed us and entrusted to us, that we walk in fear of Him, but not in fear of any man!

Qorintyah Aleph (1st Corinthians) 6:19-20
19 and that you are not your own?
20 For you have been bought with a price

If we are going to be the good stewards He desires for us to be, then it needs to start right here with this passage.  Each person needs to understand that he does not belong to himself, but that he was bought with the Blood of Mashiach.

So, if I don’t belong to me, then how can I own anything at all?  To be sure, I do not!

When a person understands that all that he possesses actually belongs to YHWH, then it is much easier to share with others.  This goes especially for the knowledge and understanding of spiritual truths that YHWH reveals to us.

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

We are called to serve each other.  But what does that service look like?  Most of the present examples that we have before us are simply thinly veiled disguises of self-serving ministries!  We certainly don’t need any more of those and we certainly don’t want to follow in their footsteps!

We need to get back to basics here.  We need to go back to what Mashiach Yeshua taught us in Scripture and stop following the traditions of man.  If we are following the traditions of man, then it is most likely that we are following a path of service to self.  But to follow the commandments of YHWH our Elohim will surely lead one to serve others.

Let us serve one another in love.  Let us serve one another in the love of Mashiach!

Matithyah (Matthew) 16:25
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

There are way too many people who are so focused upon their own spiritual well-being that they cannot see the needs of those around them.  While this may seem good and right, it is being self-absorbed and is not healthy and will keep one from properly maturing spiritually.

Let us lose our life for His sake.

Ya’aqov (James) 2:15-17
15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

As one goes about his daily living he will see others who are in need.  The question will then arise whether or not one should help the one in need.  Some actually reason that if a person in need is not a follower of Mashiach or if a person does not follow Mashiach in the same fashion as he does, then he is not obligated to help such a person.  But is this what Mashiach Yeshua taught us?

Luqa (Luke) 10:29-37
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Yeshua, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Yeshua made answer and said, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance a certain priest was going down that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34 and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow he took out two days wages, and gave them to the host, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more, I, when I come back again, will repay you.’
36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to him that fell among the robbers?”
37 And he said, “He that showed mercy on him.”  And Yeshua said to him, “Go, and you do likewise.”

Please note, that in this parable there is no indication whatsoever that the person being helped is of like belief.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  Those who were fellow brethren of the one in need, the priest and the Levite, refused to help their brother Jew.  However, a man despised by the Jews, a Samaritan, did stop and help the man.  Yeshua then admonishes the one questioning Him to go and do likewise. 

In other words, Yeshua taught us that we are not to question a person or find out through some other means if the person in need is of like beliefs as a condition of whether or not to help the person in need.  Rather, when we come across a person in need, and it is within our abilities and resources to help that person, then we should do so, regardless of whether or not that person’s beliefs match our own. 

Matithyah (Matthew) 25:45-46
45 “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 
46 These will go away into eternal punishment,”

It seems that everyone with a computer these days has a “ministry”.  However, is writing articles and having a website the only things in which true ministry are involved?  Did not Yeshua teach us to help those around us who we see are in need?

Galatians 5:7
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

This is an interesting question.  The answer is that no one can stop you from obeying Torah.

The person who stops obeying Torah does so because he has made a personal choice to do so.  If there is a particular commandment one does not desire to keep, and therefore he does not keep it, it is his choice not to keep it.

For example, whether or not one keeps Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) as a Moed (Appointed Time) is a choice.  As one matures spiritually he takes responsibility for his choices and does not pawn them off on someone or something else!

Ephesians 4:1-3
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Master, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

It is only possible to do this if we walk in the Spirit.  If we attempt to do this in any other way or by any other means, we will fail and fail miserably.

The tolerance that we are called to show to one another is not a tolerance of sin; rather, it is understanding that we are all at different levels of maturity.  As such, we need to show tolerance to those who are not as mature as others.  In fact, those who are more mature are to watch over and protect those who are less mature and give them a safe environment in which to grow and mature.  This does not mean that this watchfulness is one whereby one is acting in the role of a dictator towards others.  Rather, it is a role in which the more mature are teaching the less mature and then allowing YHWH to be their Elohim and let them grow and mature at the rate by which YHWH sees fit!

Ivrim (Hebrews) 13:16-17
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices Elohim is pleased. 
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.  Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Being in a leadership position carries with it a load of responsibility.  And leaders are answerable directly to YHWH for how they care for those they are to be feeding and helping to grow.

However, there is also a responsibility of those who are cared for, to be cared for in such a way as not to cause grief to those who watch over them.  It should be with great joy that those who watch over us pray and feed us.  This is part of the maturing process through which we all must go.

If this is not the case in our lives, then our rewards are reduced according to the above passage.

Matithyah (Matthew) 18:3-4
3 and said, “Amein I say to you, except you turn, and become as little children, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Let us realize that we are to be childlike in our faith and walk, but not childish.  We can be spiritually mature and still be like a child in that we simply believe Mashiach Yeshua and follow Him, without being immature and childish!

Qorintyah Aleph (‎1st Corinthians) 13:11
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, argued like a child; now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

Being childish is to be selfish and self-centered.  To be childlike is to be focused upon Mashiach Yeshua and others.  To be spiritually mature is to love YHWH our Elohim above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves!

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 humility, self-control.  Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.

Growing and maturing spiritually will increase these attributes and one will see these increasing all the more as he walks day by day with Mashiach Yeshua.

As one grows and matures in Mashiach Yeshua the focus becomes less and less on himself and more and more on Mashiach!

Yochanan (John) 3:30 
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

As one see this become a reality in his life, then he will be walking the path of righteousness rather than the path of sin.

Kepha Bet (2nd Peter) 1:10
Therefore, brethren, give more diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if you do these things, you shall never stumble.

For a more complete treatment of this concept please see the study How to Walk without Stumbling.  It is not only possible not to sin, but YHWH actually commands us not to sin.  So, if we are going to be spiritually mature, then we are going to have to have victory over sin and stop doing it.  It begins first, by realizing that sin is a choice, and, second, that we have no power within ourselves to make the choice to stop sinning.  It is the Spirit of YHWH in us that enables and empowers us to get out of the sin business!

Yochanan (1st John) 3:9
Whosoever is begotten of Elohim does not sin, because His seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of Elohim.

Now each person had better grow up and stop sinning or else he is in serious trouble!

There is so much more that we could discuss concerning being spiritually mature.  This should give us a good foundation of what that life should look like.  Let each one of us continue to press on towards being in the image of Mashiach Yeshua.  Each one of us needs to be spiritually mature to have His image reproduced in us.  When we are spiritually mature we will be productive members of His Kingdom.  What this means in part is that we will work at improving our interpersonal relationships.  It means that when we are hurt or wronged we will forgive according to Scripture and work in a righteous manner to restore that broken relationship.

Our walk will be one of faith in all things.  We will exhibit good stewardship in every area of our lives.  We will be involved in true ministry or supporting His true ministers.

And above all, we will walk in the Spirit as He is in the Spirit.

ABBA YHWH, we surrender to You and Your ways, and ask that the path towards spiritual maturity would be clear before us.  We ask this in order to become effective Kingdom builders.  Give us these things for Your honor and Your Kingdom.  In the Name of Yeshua our Mashiach we pray.  Amein.

Shabbat shalom
Zerubbabel ben Emunah
www.onetorahforall.com
zerubbabel@onetorahforall.com

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