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*ATTAINING SPIRITUAL MATURITY*
_I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one…_ *(1 John 2:12-13).*
The Apostle John, in the opening text, addresses three classes of God’s people: first, the little children, then the young men, and finally, the fathers. *“Fathers”* in this context isn’t referring to a male parent, but to those who have attained spiritual maturity in Christ; those who have raised others and have been in the Lord long enough to have the experience of God through the Word. It refers to those who have come to spiritual manhood. In them, the Word of the Lord is fulfilled. Through the Holy Spirit, these ones are able to understand and interpret the mind of God on wide variety of issues and establish His righteousness.
Attaining to this level of spiritual maturity is simply by giving yourself to the Scriptures in study and meditation, knowing God’s Word and living by it every day. In 2 Timothy 2:15 AMPC, Paul admonished: *“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”* Also, Jesus said in John 5:39, *“Search the scriptures....”*
The Scriptures have the capacity to build you unto maturity: *“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified”* (Acts 20:32). The Word is your life; therefore, yield yourself to the Word to build and nourish you. The Bible says, *“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby”* (1 Peter 2:2). The Word is the only ingredient that can transform and build our lives on all three levels: spirit, soul and body.
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