The Five Signs of Spiritual Maturity

Whether in ministry, business, or any profession, and even if you are retired, God wants all of us to grow in maturity. Maturity is one of His expectations for our lives. In fact, Hebrews 6:1 tells us, “Let us press on to maturity” (NASB). The Lord intends for us to seek our spiritual life development to “be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29 NKJV).  

One of God’s five purposes for your leadership is to help your team, and others grow in spiritual maturity. But there’s a lot of confusion about what Christian maturity looks like. As you make disciples, you must clearly understand what it means to grow and become more like Jesus. 

Maturity isn’t about age. You can be a Christian for 50 years and still not be mature. God doesn’t want us to grow old in Christ.  He wants us to grow up in Christ!

Maturity isn’t about appearance. Some people may look spiritually mature, but they aren’t. Just because someone appears dignified, it doesn’t mean they are holy. 

Maturity isn’t about achievement. You can accomplish much without being mature in your faith. 

Maturity isn’t about academics. A Bible college, seminary degree, or one from a prestigious university won’t make you spiritually mature. 

Comparing yourself to anyone else won’t make you mature. You become mature by comparing yourself to the Word of God. The book of James is a handbook on how to be mature.

It gives us five signs of spiritual maturity.

1. A mature person is positive under pressure. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing”(James 1:2-4 NLT).
   
   Becoming a Christian by faith alone in Christ doesn’t mean you won’t face troubles. The question isn’t whether you’ll experience problems but how you respond to them. Do you get worried, tense, negative, or even hostile? Do you grumble and mumble about them?
   
   Even if you are full of Bible knowledge, you can still be grumpy under pressure. A mature Christian can be under stress and still be joyful.
2. A mature person is sensitive to people.“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well” (James 2:8 NKJV).
   
   When children are immature, they are entirely focused on themselves. But mature people don’t just see their own needs; they see the needs of others. 
   
   Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:31-46 that we’ll be judged for how we treat others—not how many Bible verses we know or how often we attend church or small group Bible studies. 

3. A mature person has mastered his mouth. “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2 NKJV). 
   
   When you go for a checkup, doctors often say, “Stick out your tongue.” The doctor looks at your tongue to check your health. Do you know that God does that spiritually, too?
   
   James 3 gives us several illustrations regarding the tongue. The chapter calls it a bridle to a horse (3:3), a rudder to a ship (3:4), and a spark to a fire (3:5-6). James 3:8 says, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (NKJV).
   
   Earlier in the book, James writes:“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1:26 NJKV). Gossip, spreading rumors, and constant negative talk are signs you’re immature in the faith.

5. A mature person is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” (James 4:1 NLT). 
   
   Don’t we all know Christians who instead of making peace, they make trouble? It isn’t a Christian virtue to cause conflict. In fact, the opposite is true. It’s a sign of immaturity. 
   
   James tells us pride, selfishness, and judgmentalism are the three most significant sources of conflict in our lives. They prevent us from the Christ-like maturity Jesus expects us to pursue. Pride keeps us from admitting we’re wrong. Judgmentalism puts us in place of God. 
   
   Christian maturity means saying no to prideful, selfish, and judgmental attitudes that regularly cause conflict.
6. A mature person is patient and prayerful. “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near” (James 5:7-8 NLT).
   
   Patience and prayerfulness go together. They show an attitude of dependence upon the Lord that marks a mature believer. As James 5 notes, it’s a description that farmers understand. Farmers do a lot of waiting. You won’t find any overnight crops. We must wait for God to work in our lives. If you can’t wait, you can’t be patient. Patience is a critical sign of maturity.

As you’re attempting to influence people to grow spiritually, don’t become a victim to thinking that those in your church, ministry, or where you work who know the most Scripture are also spiritually mature. Instead, observe how God is transforming their character. Ask yourself:

• How does this person handle problems?
• Is this person sensitive to other people?
• How effectively does this person tame his or her tongue?
• Is this person a peacemaker or a troublemaker?
• Does this person pray without giving up?

Then ask yourself the same questions about your maturity.

That’s the kind of person who is mature and growing in Christlikeness.