Godly maturity is an invaluable asset. In the present days it is of absolute necessity. There is only one way to attain it and it is by an intimate relationship with God and Christ. When each believer individually maintains a personal relationship with them, they grow into becoming godly people. God’s wisdom, prudence, knowledge exists in all helping them understand His purpose for them and with this allowing them to comprehend one another. Just as there is harmony between the Father and Son even so will it be among one another. A sign that a church or group of believers has godly maturity is when they are equipped in the same mind and the same judgment. Paul in understanding the Corinthian Christians noticed their intimacy with God and Christ thinned out. He wrote, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).
We all face many situations in life and with them also find many ideas to deal with them. One of the reasons for divisions among brethren is their quickness to apply their ideas to the situations they face and then confirm them as true regardless of the truth the Bible teaches. Such nature states their relationship with God is weak. As they acquired it, it creeps into every area of their life. And each time they make a decision, it is weightless. Working to fulfill our desires and working to satisfy our attitudes will never allow us to attain godly maturity. We cannot see above and beyond the perishable and useless things. We end up a people that feed their own egos. A disagreeing attitude is destructive. If we disagree with someone because we are lack godly maturity, we carry the bad emotion into our households and working places. Then we end up reaping loss. Again, when intimacy with God is thin, we do understand Him accurately and therefore, are vulnerable to the knowledge of the flesh; we seek to know Him through worldly wisdom. While this too leads to disagreements and divisions causing unhealthy relationships, it makes us an emotional wreck. We constantly find ourselves with attitudes that weigh us down and that do not please God.
Paul in the Spirit gives a fantastic solution to attain godly maturity. It not only helps attain godly maturity, but also helps us sustain it throughout our life. He says that we ought to be made complete or equipped in the same mind and in the same judgment. Imagine when we are able to judge rightly. We are indeed executing God’s desire. And if we are in the same mind, we think like Christ. All this begins from each one maintaining a deep personal relationship with God and Christ. Then God uses us perfectly so we accept that which is true and reject the evil. We do not place great emphasis on works, but on the will of God. Because we are in agreement with God regarding His law and will, we also carry the same attitude toward one another. If we have divisions and disagreements, it means we ourselves were divided from God’s wisdom even before divisions and disagreements appeared. It is our weak knowledge of God’s wisdom that led to them. What then have we done?
- We gave Satan an opportunity. And the Spirit explicitly says, “And do not give the devil an opportunity” (Eph. 4:27). Satan takes control of us for the simple reason that we could not maintain an intimate relationship with God. He deludes us and compels, even convinces us to assume the wrong as the right. As he throws us into a spell, we do not see any wrong in doing that which is seemingly right. In some cases he even makes us neglect certain details of God’s Word making them appear as redundant matters. So, when we make mistakes, we ourselves appear as bodies of division and disagreement that eventually leads to disharmony among brethren.
- We did not allow God to disclose Himself to us. “The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing” (Heb. 9:8). While our attitudes, egos and personal desires are still standing, we disallow God from revealing Himself to us. Cultivating a willingness to surrender to God is the key to set them aside. Obviously, no one can magically cultivate it. And it is a big fight with the devil to attain perfect willingness, but God will help us win the battle. When He sees our desire and supplications that seek to demonstrate an obedient spirit, He will certainly empower us.
- We have compromised the truth. But we are called to be the opposite. “For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth” (3 John 1:3). Walking in the truth is a reflection of our intimacy with God and Christ. It has a testimony that no man can give by himself about himself. Truth in us signifies God is working with us and speaks of our godly maturity. No one can know the truth unless God reveals it to him. He does not reveal it unless he or she is intimate with Him. To him who is intimate with Him He gives from His Spirit that leads to all truth. Our intimacy with Him demonstrates we are not intimate with foolishness.
- We sacrificed the controlling agent. Paul said, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Cor. 5:14). There is no emotion or desire that can turn us bad when we are controlled by the love of Christ. Paul and his companions knew it. So, their intimacy with God was also displayed. Christ’s perfect love teaches us the measure of and limits to every emotion we produce and carry.
- We haven’t been a positive effect to the gospel. “But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds” (Acts 17:13). With lack of intimacy with God we can quickly, whether consciously or unconsciously, obstruct the progress of the gospel. We defend our agendas while not caring to be an obstruction to that which God is building. Too often we see this happen in the churches and it is because people have shifted their focus to self.
- We haven’t kept our inside clean. Jesus said, “But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you” (Luke 11:41). God created us good, both on the outside and the inside; much more, He sanctified our inside through Christ. He has put greater things in us when we were saved by grace. He has of all given us His Holy Spirit. So, there is every chance we can give that which is within as charity. God expects we do so. It is for this reason He called us so that many would come to know Him. When we fulfill our calling, there is no way we can cause disagreements and divisions, but rather only harmony and joy.