PHILIPPIANS 3:7-15 – But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”
THEME OF THE DAY: MEASURING SPIRITUAL MATURITY. The theme of the day likely triggered many thoughts in our minds. Perhaps things like, “Spiritual maturity is seen by consistent obedience to God’s commands.” Or “Spiritual maturity is measured by growth in Christ-likeness.” Still yet another measuring stick we may have considered would be, “Spiritual maturity contains a life of steadfast faithfulness in the things of God not altered by difficult circumstances and changing emotions.” All of those should be affirmed as marks of spiritual maturity in the believer, but there is one more, and the one I would place as the highest measuring stick of spiritual maturity. It is found in today’s scripture and to discover it, go back and read the last verse, then start from the beginning and we will see it so clearly in the heart of the Apostle Paul.
In this section of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians is his testimony, the chief passion in his life; a passion that was his personal pursuit, neither entertaining nor allowing any worldly rival or distraction. Paul was a “one thing” Christian and his testimony is to be that of every person naming the name of Christ. This, yes, this “one thing” is the chief mark of spiritual maturity. And what was this “one thing” in the great Apostle? To know Christ, to experience Christ, to live for Christ, to be consumed with Christ. His “one thing” was Christ.
What about us? Could we say of ourselves what Paul said of himself? Yes, the chief mark of spiritual maturity is to be all about Christ in word, deed, and pursuit. And if it is true of us, it will show in how we use our time and resources as well as how aggressively we seek to know Christ in His Word and prayer. So, spiritual maturity. It is measured by our desire for Christ. May we read Paul’s testimony and say, “Praise the Lord! Me, too, Paul, me too!”
PRAYER: “Father, help me measure my maturity in Your Son by my hunger and pursuit of Him.”
QUOTE: “Healthy Christians are consumed with Christ to know, love, and conform to Him.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim