{"id":93966,"date":"2026-02-15T12:04:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T18:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=93966"},"modified":"2026-02-15T18:37:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T00:37:10","slug":"becoming-a-mature-christian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/becoming-a-mature-christian\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming a Mature Christian"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-playlist wp-audio-playlist wp-playlist-light\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-current-item\"><\/div>\n\t\t<audio controls=\"controls\" preload=\"none\" width=\"640\"\n\t\t\t><\/audio>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-next\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-prev\"><\/div>\n\t<noscript>\n\t<ol>\n\t\t<li><a href='https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Becoming-a-Mature-Christian.mp3'>Becoming a Mature Christian<\/a><\/li><li><a href='https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Becoming-a-Mature-Christian-Part-2.mp3'>Becoming a Mature Christian (Part 2)<\/a><\/li>\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/noscript>\n\t<script type=\"application\/json\" class=\"wp-playlist-script\">{\"type\":\"audio\",\"tracklist\":true,\"tracknumbers\":true,\"images\":true,\"artists\":true,\"tracks\":[{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Becoming-a-Mature-Christian.mp3\",\"type\":\"audio\/mpeg\",\"title\":\"Becoming a Mature Christian\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\\\"Becoming a Mature Christian\\\" from La Vista Church of Chrsit by Garry Floy. Released: 2026. Genre: Speech.\",\"meta\":{\"artist\":\"Garry Floy\",\"album\":\"La Vista Church of Chrsit\",\"genre\":\"Speech\",\"year\":\"2026\",\"length_formatted\":\"36:37\"},\"image\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64},\"thumb\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64}},{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Becoming-a-Mature-Christian-Part-2.mp3\",\"type\":\"audio\/mpeg\",\"title\":\"Becoming a Mature Christian (Part 2)\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\\\"Becoming a Mature Christian (Part 2)\\\" from La Vista Church of Christ by Garry Floyd. Released: 2026. Genre: Speech.\",\"meta\":{\"artist\":\"Garry Floyd\",\"album\":\"La Vista Church of Christ\",\"genre\":\"Speech\",\"year\":\"2026\",\"length_formatted\":\"55:19\"},\"image\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64},\"thumb\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64}}]}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<p>by Garry Floyd<\/p>\n<p>Text:\u00a0Philippians 3:15-21<\/p>\n<p>Introduction:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Introduction: Spiritual Maturity Defined\n<ol>\n<li>What Spiritual Maturity is <strong>not<\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Suppression as Strength<\/strong>: Mistaking the avoidance or bottling up of emotions (stoicism) for &#8220;emotional management&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Surface-Level Adulthood<\/strong>: Confusing the trappings of adulthood-like having a high-paying job, living alone, or buying a home-with internal emotional maturity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Conflict Avoidance<\/strong>: Believing that avoiding disagreements or saying &#8220;whatever&#8221; makes one mature, when it is actually avoiding responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>The &#8220;Busy&#8221; Trap<\/strong>: Using a packed schedule or acting &#8220;stressed&#8221; and &#8220;important&#8221; to signal that one is too productive for petty, immature behavior.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Perfectionism as Control<\/strong>: Using rigid rules, controlling behavior, or maintaining an artificial &#8220;perfect&#8221; life to mask an inability to handle vulnerability or failure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pseudo-Intellectualism<\/strong>: Engaging in intellectual debates to feel intellectually superior, rather than to learn or connect.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Selective Responsibility<\/strong>: Taking responsibility for big, public tasks while failing at smaller, daily life management (e.g., finances, cleaning).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>What Spiritual Maturity IS\n<ol>\n<li>Spiritual maturity is intentional growth in Christlikeness.\n<ul>\n<li>It involves mindset, character, unity, and perseverance.<\/li>\n<li>Galatians 2:20 &#8211; Christ living in me<\/li>\n<li>Galatians 5:22 &#8211; Godly virtues vs. &#8216;virtue signaling&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Grow Up in Thinking\n<ol>\n<li>We&#8217;re called to grow up in our thinking. Be innocent in evil. Be mature in understanding and develop discernment and spiritual depth.\n<ol>\n<li>I Corinthians 14:20 &#8211; Do not be children in your thinking, but be innocent in evil?<\/li>\n<li>Ephesians 4:14 &#8211; Don&#8217;t be gullible children &#8220;tossed to and fro&#8221; by human cunning<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>I Corinthians 2:6 &#8211; The Spirit of God bridges the things of God and the human heart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>How can we know when our thinking matures?\n<ol>\n<li>I John 4:1 We will be able to discern truth from error.<\/li>\n<li>John 17:15-17 &#8211; Sanctified in truth is a moral and relational lifelong process<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Imagine responding rather than reacting, thinking biblically rather than emotionally, seeking wisdom over impulse!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Aim for Restoration\n<ol>\n<li>II Corinthians 13:11 &#8211; As brothers, &#8216;Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another.&#8217;\n<ol>\n<li>Romans 15:5-6 &#8211; Pursue unity and peace<\/li>\n<li>Acts 20:28-32 &#8211; Encourage spiritual health in others<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>John 17:18-21 &#8211; Live in harmony<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Marks of relational maturity are demonstrated when we welcome correction that builds others up, seek reconciliation, and promote peace in the body of Christ.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Present Everyone Mature in Christ\n<ol>\n<li>Colossians 1:28 &#8211; Proclaim Christ faithfully\n<ol>\n<li>Admonish and teach with wisdom &#8211; Mature Christians don&#8217;t make excuses for\u00a0<strong>not<\/strong> proclaiming, warning, and teaching others.<\/li>\n<li>The maturity Christians are to seek stands in contrast with the immaturity of infancy. Spiritual growth is intentional and communal<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Ephesians 4:15 &#8211; The goal: maturity in Christ<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Demonstrates marks of doctrinal maturity\n<ol>\n<li>Proverbs 9:9, Proverbs 19:20 &#8211; Teachable spirit (the opposite &#8211; Jeremiah 5:23)<\/li>\n<li>I John 3:8, II Timothy 2:15 &#8211; Lives out truth consistently<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Proverbs 27:17 &#8211; Helps others grow in Christ<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Press On with the Right Mindset<\/li>\n<li>Philippians 3:12-18 &#8211;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8216;Let those of us who are mature think this way.&#8217;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>3:12 &#8211; A call to humility in growth<\/li>\n<li>3:13 &#8211; A call to abandon negative mindsets<\/li>\n<li>3:14 &#8211; A call to live purposely<\/li>\n<li>4:5-7 &#8211; A call to reasonableness<\/li>\n<li>4:8-9 &#8211; A call to maintain a growth mindset<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Four Pillars of Christian Maturity\n<ol>\n<li>Mature Thinking &#8211; I Corinthians 14:20<\/li>\n<li>Relational Unity &#8211; II Corinthians 13:11 &#8211; This is why we can call one another &#8216;Brothers &amp; Sisters&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>Doctrinal Stability &#8211; Colossians 1:25-28 &#8211; This is why it is so important to be a member of a Bible-based church<\/li>\n<li>Forward Perseverance &#8211; Philippians 3:15<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Closing\n<ol>\n<li>Maturity is not automatic &#8211; it is intentional.\n<ol>\n<li>Hebrews 5:13-14 &#8211; God calls us to grow up in Christ.\n<ul>\n<li>II Peter 1:5-11 &#8211; Make every effort to supplement your faith<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Commit today to becoming spiritually mature!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Garry Floyd Text:\u00a0Philippians 3:15-21 Introduction: Introduction: Spiritual Maturity Defined What Spiritual Maturity is not Suppression as Strength: Mistaking the avoidance or bottling up of emotions (stoicism) for &#8220;emotional management&#8221;. Surface-Level Adulthood: Confusing the trappings of adulthood-like having a high-paying job, living alone, or buying a home-with internal emotional maturity. Conflict Avoidance: Believing that avoiding&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[383,513],"class_list":["post-93966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-growth","tag-maturity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58059,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/marks-of-maturity\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":0},"title":"Marks of Maturity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Steven Harper Every serious disciple of Jesus Christ desires to attain spiritual maturity, of this there should be no argument. Many faithful disciples spend their entire life striving to reach an ever-higher level of maturity, and even babes in Christ have that fervor that drives them to not remain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/OlderCouple.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":58088,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/maturity-and-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":1},"title":"Maturity and Marriage","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bill Walton When we talk about \"maturity\" there are different ways in which people can be mature and different ways in which they can be immature.\u00a0 It is possible for a physical giant to be an emotional dwarf.\u00a0 It is possible for a grown man to be as immature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/MatureLove.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2272,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-we-become-perfect\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":2},"title":"Can we become perfect?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What is perfection? Can we, as Christians, obtain perfection? If so, how do we obtain it? Answer: The Greek word translated as \"perfect\" is the word\u00a0teleion. It means something that is complete, perfect, whole, full-grown, ripe, mature, or adult. Thus, becoming perfect is just another way of saying you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93681,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/add-to-your-faith-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":3},"title":"Add to Your Faith","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Text: II Peter 1. Because God has given us everything we need to become partakers of His divine nature, we need not sit on our hands moping that we cannot be with or become like God. No doubt, our efforts alone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69657,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-going-to-church-still-matter\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":4},"title":"Does Going to Church Still Matter?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Clay Stauffer Adapted Pew Research has been tracking trends in America for many decades. Some of the most recent data is very eye-opening, if not alarming. In 2024, roughly 30% of Americans say they attend church regularly, loosely defined as once a month. Less than 50% of Americans now\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93998,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dont-be-overcome\/","url_meta":{"origin":93966,"position":5},"title":"Don&#8217;t Be Overcome","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edwin Crozier As we continue our walk through II Peter, we will do something a little out of the ordinary. We will begin by commenting on the end of the chapter. 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