Ron Dunn Podcast - What is Maturity?

Episode Date: April 2, 2025

Growth is a normal action to life. It is unnatural for any Christian not to want to grow.

chapter 2 1 John chapter 2 and I'm going to read verses 12 through 14 1 John chapter 2 verses 12 through 14 1 John is a book that is written specifically to Christians. I think there's probably not another book in the Bible that is as helpful and instructive in the matter of the Christian life, living the Christian life, and the idea of growing in the Christian life as is 1 John. I consider it to be the

handbook, the owner's manual of a Christian life. 1 John, the second chapter, and we'll read verses 12, 13, and 14. I write unto you, little children, because I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young

men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." growth is a normal reaction to life. I suppose a child would not be normal if he wasn't anxious to grow. I can remember as I'm sure most of you, if not all of you can, when I was a child, a kid, how terrible it was to remain that way and how great i thought it would be when you got to be an adult why aren't kids stupid i i remember

as just a child thinking man when i get out of high school and get all of this stuff behind me and i get to be grown and an adult and, you know, do what I want to do and not have anybody tell me what to do, boy, I'll have it made. I think it's just normal that every child wants to grow, wants to become an adult, wants to come to a place of maturity. I think the same thing is true with every spiritual child. I think it is unnatural for any Christian not to want to grow. And I believe the Bible teaches this,

as Peter says in that first epistle, As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, just as it is part of the nature of a baby to desire the milk so that it can grow and develop. I think it's a natural part or a supernatural part of salvation, the desire in us to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, to become a mature Christian. But there's something else about growth, and it's this, that it's very mysterious, and it's very evasive. And I confess to you that for some time,

I have been trying to get hold of this idea of spiritual growth. What makes a person grow? And why do some grow faster than others? Even in physical life, growth is still a mystery. And why some develop faster than others and what makes a person grow is still a mystery, the process of life. But in this matter of spiritual growth, I wondered, well just what is it that makes a person grow and how does a person grow? Why is it that

some Christians seem to make progress faster than others? Why is it that some who've been saved for years and years and years seem to have very little spiritual maturity? How can you speed up the process? I think that's what I'm mostly interested in, is how can I speed up the process of growth? And I have wanted for a long time to preach a series of messages on how to grow, but I've not really known just how to grow. I realize there is growth that it happens, but what makes it happen? And I see people doing the same things. Here's a person who's engaged in the very same activity. He grows. Here's another person who's engaged in the very same activity, he grows. Here's another person who's engaged in the very same activity. He seems not to grow, and he seems to continually experience defeat.

And so it's been an evasive thing and a mystery to me to know what are the processes of growth and how can I help and speed up this matter of spiritual maturity. And you know, we saw a couple of Sundays ago that what it means to be spiritual is to be mature. And a spiritual person is not necessarily someone who's enthusiastic or zealous, but is someone who is mature. Well that leads me to ask another question. What is maturity?

What constitutes maturity? How do you know when you have become a mature Christian? And so what I want to do tonight is to look at this passage in second chapter of 1st John because it gives us some real insights into spiritual growth and it gives us what I consider to be the paramount mark of maturity. Now you'll notice that there are three designations in this passage. The apostle says that he writes to little children, and he writes to fathers, and he writes to young men. Now these do not refer to physical growth.

He's not referring here to physical ages. He's not saying that there are some who are little children because they are just four years old or five years old. There are some who are young men because they're seventeen, eighteen, and there are some who are fathers because they're forty and fifty. It does not refer to physical growth because I don't think that the Apostle Paul would write this epistle to a little baby. I don't think he would write this epistle and leave out the mothers I don't think he would write this epistle and leave out the young women. I think bears out the fact that

John is Describing three different stages in spiritual development and spiritual maturity in spiritual development and spiritual maturity. Those who are little children, those who are young men, teenagers. And I tell you, I'm glad to find out there is such a thing as a teenage Christian growing. And I'll tell you why in just a moment. Then there are those who are fathers. Now I want you to look at verse 12. He says, I ride unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven. Then in verse

13, he comes again and says, I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father. Now, those are two different words. The word translated little children in verse 12 is a different Greek word from the one translated children in verse 13. The one translated children in verse 12 refers to the idea of a child by birth. It refers to the natural relationship. The root of that word is to beget or to bring forth. And it refers to someone who is young in years. And if you'll read the first epistle of John,

you'll find that John, who by this time is probably in his 90s an aged Christian is old enough to call Everybody a little child and this is the way he describes all of these Christians throughout the epistle He speaks to them as little children and so verse 12 in my opinion is an Introduction to this passage he's writing to everyone in this in this church all of them as far as john is concerned are young in years when you compare the fact that he's ninety plus

but the word translated children in verse thirteen is a different greek word and it emphasizes not natural relationships such as father and child it doesn't emphasize those who are young in years, but it emphasizes those who are young in experience or young in authority. It carries the idea of subordination, and the root of that word is the word for discipline or train or chastise. And so this word has the idea of a child in the sense that he is a learner. He is in subordination. for discipline or train or chastise. And so this word has the idea of a child

in the sense that he is a learner, he is in subordination, and he is in a training, a learning, a disciplining process. And so the Apostle John gives us three stages of spiritual growth, little children, young men, and fathers. And we're just going to take them,

as we've stated them, little children, young men, and fathers, just saying a little bit about the first two, because the third one is the one that we want to emphasize, because this is where we're all headed anyway. This is where we desire to end up those who are spiritually mature, those who are fathers in the sense of spiritual growth.

Alright, let's take the first one. Little children, and he describes them last in verse 13. I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father. Now all of this emphasizes the fact that growth is both gradual and in stages You don't jump from being a little child to a father You have to pass through the teenage years little children and young men. I said a moment ago I'm glad to find that out because there have been Times in my Christian life when I knew I wasn't a babe in Christ

times in my Christian life when I knew I wasn't a babe in Christ because I've been saved since I was nine years old and I knew I couldn't be a babe in Christ, but I knew I wasn't either a father. I knew I wasn't mature. I knew there were too many immature marks in my life. And so the only option left to me was to be a carnal Christian and I thought my soul here I am carnal didn't know it because I don't fit into any one of these classifications I know I'm not a baby in Christ and I know I'm not mature that must mean I'm carnal and the Lord delivered me from all of my woes when he pointed out the fact that no there is an in-between you can be an adolescent a young man one who's not yet mature.

He has gained some maturity, but he is not yet fully grown. He's not yet an adult in the spiritual life, but neither is he obeyed. He has gained some maturity. And so these three stages, and of course the starting point is with a little child. Now, there's some overlapping in each one of these. It's not to say that a young man doesn't know the Father. It's not to say that the fathers aren't strong and haven't overcome the devil. But each one that he describes is the predominant note in that person's life at that particular

stage. It is his point of emphasis, you see. He describes the young man, for instance, as being strong and having overcome the devil. Well, now, this doesn't mean that he doesn't know the father, as is described to the little children, but it simply means that the point of emphasis in his life, if you were to ask this young man, this Christian,

sum up the Christian life, what is the Christian life to you? He would say, well, the Christian life to me is being strong and overcoming the devil and overcoming temptation. It's just like physical growth. At different ages, you have different interests. And if you were to ask a little child eight years old tell me what life is all about sum up life to me

well now his description would be different than a 15 year old's description and it would be different than a 30 year old description it ought to be different for instance when I was seven or eight, nine, I loved to play cowboys and Indians. I loved to play war. I loved to play cars. That's great. That was my point of emphasis. That was the predominant note in my life was playing games like that. But now, if at 30 years of age, if I still love to play cowboy as an engine, and if you were to come by my house someday and hear some shooting going on inside, and you look in the door and there's a pastor with a stick gun and on a stick horse, you'd say, now there's

something wrong with that fella. Nothing wrong with an eight or nine year old having the absorbing interest of his life as a child to play games. I remember those Sunday afternoons when my folks would take me to visit my grandmother and grandfather and there'd be some other adults there. I guess my most common complaint was, well there's nothing to do. There's nothing to do. And I could not understand why in the world those grown-ups enjoyed just sitting around and talking. I couldn't understand why they didn't want to be out playing or shooting up something or climbing a tree or doing something And I could not understand how in the world they can enjoy just sitting around

Just talking just visiting why well because I was at a certain age Where that was not my point of emphasis that was not the predominant note in my life. And so this is what he's doing. Now a new Christian, how does he describe him? He has known the Father. He has known the Father. In other words, the point of emphasis, the initial consciousness in salvation, the basic starting point, is this person has a new relationship with God God is his father He saved That's what the Christian life means to him. That's what salvation means to him. That's what he's absorbed with that's what obsesses him That's what excites him. He cannot get over the fact man

He's saved and the Holy Spirit who indwells him has given him the assurance that he is a child of God and he cries Abba Father." That is the predominant consciousness in his Christian life. The fact that he's a child of God. He's a child of God. You know, this is one reason why you'll see young Christians, new converts, sometimes much more zealous to win others to Jesus than you will older converts. Why? Because the point of interest, the absorbing thing of their life right now is the fact, man, I'm saved! And I'm excited about it. God is my Father. A child.

This is where we all start, having known the Father. Now you always know the Father, but this is the starting point. This is the basis. All right, let's move now to the second one, the young men. And here is how he describes them. He says in the middle part of verse 13, I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one." In verse 14, I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of

God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Now, are you Christian? God is his father. He's a child of God. He's saved. But he's his Father. He's a child of God. He's saved, but he's a babe. He's a child. He's weak. He's not even aware of warfare, of conflict.

He finds a weakness in the face of temptation. But as this young Christian matures and grows in the Lord, he reaches a stage where you can say he's strong. And he has discovered the warfare and he has come to the place where you can say, I have finally learned how to live in victory. I have finally learned how to overcome the devil. Why? Because he has discovered the proper place that the Word of God is to have in his heart. He's come to the place now where the Word of God lives as a permanent active force in his heart. That's the idea behind the word abide. The Word of God abides in his heart. Phillips translates it like this, you've got a hold on God's truth. You've

got hold of God's truth. When he's first say there's so many things he couldn't understand. The Bible was an enigma to him, but as he has grown and made progress, now he has a grip on the truth of God. And as that word of God dwells in his heart and becomes an indwelling power and source of strength, man he's strong. He's overcoming temptation. That's the point of emphasis in his life. You stand up and ask him to give a testimony, he'll say, man, you should have seen the demons are even subject unto me. I've overcome the devil, and there's victory, and things are happening, and things are going on. And that's a great place to be.

I've given that testimony, haven't you? I've given that testimony. I said, man, I just have to share with you what happened today. I went out and the demons were even subject unto me. And the Lord has said, now son, don't get excited about that. Don't get excited about the fact that the demons are subject unto you, but get excited about this, that your name is written in the book of life. You see, there is something beyond that.

I guess I would have thought that was the stopping point. That was the point of maturity. If you ever come to the place where you know you're strong and you've got the authority and you've got power in your Christian life and you're overcoming the devil, then that ought to be the point of maturity. It isn't. It isn't. There is one last stage and he describes this in verse 13. I write unto you fathers, because you have known him

that is from the beginning. Now, he speaks to them again in verse 14, and notice he doesn't change a word. The identical statement, I have written unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning. Now, he changed, he added to

when he spoke to the young men the second time. Why didn't he add to it when he spoke to the fathers the second time because having said that you've said it all He said fathers you have known him that is from the beginning now What's the difference between the children knowing the father and the fathers knowing him that is from the beginning? Well every Christian knows that God is his Father. But that phrase, knowing him that is from the beginning, if you'll check back to chapter 1, verse 1, you'll find out that refers to the eternal Christ,

the Lord Jesus Christ. And that phrase, it's a perfect verb, that phrase you have known indicates that you have come through experience and through walking with the Lord. You have come through a long time to know, to really know in a deep and ever deepening and filling way the Lord Jesus Christ. You know one of the amazing things about this is,

I think some of us may not be able to appreciate what is the mark of maturity. We may not have the capacity to appreciate it. It may be disappointing for us to discover what is the mark of maturity. Because we may have expected and may have desired that the mark of maturity would be some sensational thing and some awesome power and some supernatural ability or some great experience. And yet he passes on beyond this and he says this is the epitome of salvation. This is the apex. This is what it's all about.

This is the mark of maturity. This is where you're heading for. When through your experience, you have come to know in a full and deep way, you have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, to know Him. That is from the beginning. And you know, when I was studying this, I couldn't help but think of what Paul said Christ, to know Him that is from the beginning. And you know, when I was studying this, I couldn't help but think of what Paul said

in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 10 as he describes his ever-increasing quest in the Christian life. He says, I continue to count all things but loss even though I've been saved all of these years and had all of these experiences. I continue to count all things but loss that I may do what? That I may know Him. Now the amazing thing is you end up almost right where you started. The little child in the faith is what? He's one who's known the Father. What is growth? What is maturity? It's when you come to know in a deeper way, in a full and subtle way, you come to knowing and appreciating and feed on it.

Now at different ages you have different interests. And if you could tell me tonight, perhaps what it is that absorbs and captivates your interest more than anything else, I could probably get an idea of where you are in your maturity. I'm speaking now physically. What is it that gives you the greatest joy? What is the source of your greatest joy? I've heard preachers say there's no greater joy in the Christian life than leading somebody

to Jesus. Now I agree that one of the greatest joys that a Christian can know is seeing someone else save, but that is not the greatest joy. If you'll check it out, chapter 1, verses 3 and 4, John is saying, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, and we're writing these things to you that you may get in on this fellowship. And when you do, your joy will be full. And that word means it will be full to overflowing, and complete, and always full. In other words, John is saying the highest, the greatest joy that you as a believer can

ever know is simply to walk in fellowship with the Father, with the Lord. Have you ever said about a child or heard a parent say about their child, I wish little Johnny would take an interest in more serious things. And you know what you want to say? Just give him time. He'll grow out of that into something else. You see, if you have a little five-year-old girl here, and she has a brand new doll and a doll bed and a doll house. And you say that's immature. That's childish.

That's baby stuff. Now I challenge you to talk her out of being interested and absorbed in that little doll. And I challenge you to get her interested in a career. And I challenge you to get her interested in a career You can talk all you want to you can reason all you want to you can cajole all you want to you're not gonna Make any progress There's only one thing that will solve that and that's maturity. And you know I can stand

up here and really this used to discourage me until I understand a little bit more than I did. I could stand up here Sunday after Sunday, week after week, year after year, and I could teach and preach that the man the greatest thrill, the highest thing of the Christian life is walking in fellowship with God and that is the mark of spiritual maturity and this is what you ought to be interested in this is what this is what your heart ought to be attached to just knowing him and knowing him in a deeper and deeper way and you sit there and hear that and hear

that and all of a sudden, while I'm preaching, you're about some miracle over here, some exciting thing that happened, somebody overcoming the devil, somebody casting out a demon, and you'll get all excited. And you'll just get beyond yourself and beside yourself and get all excited and run over there and run over there and run over there. And I used to just discourage them out of it. They hadn't heard a thing I said. And it doesn't matter how much I preach and teach this, there are still those in the Lord who when man, they're going to be back to the young man stage. They're going to be saying that demons

are subject unto us and it doesn't make any difference if the Lord does come and say hey listen that's not where it's at. That's not what you ought to be excited about and you ought to be excited about the fact that your name is written. That you know the Lord and you say oh yeah that's right amen praise the Lord but man you should have seen those demons as they were cast out. A child is hopelessly tied to childish things. And there's no way in the world you can talk them out of it, convince them out of it, reason them out of it. They'll just have to do what? Grow out of it.

Just mature out of it. Just mature out of it. What is the highlight of the Christian life Is to know him To fellowship with him Now that won't excite some people They won't appreciate that Somebody says, man, I want to see God work. And I think sometimes we're more interested in seeing God work

than we are in seeing God. And we can't understand. Just as a child cannot understand why in the world mom and dad can enjoy just sitting around the house at night just visiting with each other, just talking with each other, just being there. And so they say, man, there's nothing to do. Let's do something. Let's go somewhere.

Let's play some games. Let's do something. And you say, well, we're having a great time just sitting here, just being together. You go off scratching their heads saying, boy, these adults are sure weird creatures. I used to be that way. Every child was that way. But you know, now I'd much rather just sit with someone that I love and visit and talk and get to know each other and be down on my hands and knees playing cars. And there are those of us who are not babes in Christ. We've made progress.

We're strong. Man, we've become aware of the power of God in our life. But we just haven't yet come to the place where we can appreciate and value just that fellowship of God, knowing Him, knowing Him, knowing Him. And we get more excited about other things than we do about fellowship with Him. If you stand up and give a testimony that today, man, you had a great time of fellowship with the Lord, that's going to sound dull and disinteresting and boring to that fellow who saw somebody raised from the dead.

Puts more value on that than he does on the other. It doesn't mean he's a babe in Christ, it doesn't mean he's carnal, it just means he's not mature yet. And the Lord has had to rebuke me so many times because I have so often evaluated engaged God's presence in my life by the games by the toys by the happenings by the miracles by this and that and that's what I get excited about

I get more excited about seeing somebody healed than I could just about getting alone with the Lord in His Word and fellowshiping with Him. The mark of maturity is not an absence of being strong, not an absence of seeing God do things. Those things are just as real in the Father's life as in the young person's life. But it is not the predominant note. The mark of maturity is to recognize with the Apostle Paul that the one thing, the one thing to be seeking is not what the Lord does, but the Lord himself. Not what the Lord gives, but the Lord himself.

Not the Lord's service, but the Lord himself. I have written unto you, fathers, because you through experience, through walking with God through the varied trials and experiences of life, you have come to know in a deeper