on Christian maturity

I know I haven't blogged in a while, and this post is kind of a strange re-introduction into the habit of blogging.  Nevertheless, this topic has been on my mind for quite some time, making it impossible for me to blog about anything else in the meantime.

I have been wondering what it means to be a "mature" Christian.  Is it weighed by how adept I am at religious practice - prayer, scripture reading, involvement in the church, and the like?  Or is it measured by my ability to repel the sinfulness around me like a waterproof jacket - immersed in sin, but unaffected by it?  

As a Christian who acknowledges that I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and by His merit rather than my own, I cannot readily agree with either of these definitions.  If the mark of maturity lies in the former, then it lies solely in my ability to purify myself.  If I cannot faithfully perform these religious "duties", then it is clear that my maturity is lacking.  Similarly, the latter would imply that only my ability to withstand temptation signifies that I am spiritually mature.  And yet, the Bible repeatedly attests to man's eternal and inborn depravity (Romans 3:21-26 is an excellent portrayal of Christ's work, not ours).  What does this say for maturity lying in the grasp of a Christian's abilities?  The outlook isn't good.

I submit that where true maturity lies is in the Christian's decision to not partake in activities that are characterized by sin.  This requires great humility on the the Christian's part - which we are encouraged to bring about on our own (1 Peter 5:6 ), for it is a terrifying thing to be humbled by Holy God.  In humility, the Christian is not tempted to believe that his good works gain him any standing with God.  In humility, he will recognize that placing himself in positions where sin is running rampant is not a good idea and only tests his ability to resist sin.  A humble person knows that his "ability" is entirely flawed.

I attended a Christian school for most of my schooling years.  I found that, although we were given solid biblical teaching every day, the very act of attending a Christian school tempted my peers to believe that they were saved simply by association.  Self-righteousness is a slippery slope.  But I am straying from my point.  On one "party day" before school let out for summer, the entire high school body congregated in one of the multi-purpose rooms to watch a movie.  I suppose the intent was to "kick back and relax".  I don't oppose the activity.  Before the movie started, one of the staff at the school proceeded to warn us that there was one scene in which the naked form of a man's behind would be seen - momentarily. Instead of choosing to skip the scene, the teacher gave this speech: "If you are MATURE, you'll be able to handle it. If you can't, then leave."  Thus, the scene was played and 70 students felt justified staring at a naked bum.

This moment has always bothered me in two aspects.  First, I am unsure if that scene would even be played in public high schools.  Nudity is not a generally accepted phenomenon, even amongst those who don't call upon Christ.  I had always assumed that a Christian school should uphold higher, borderline fanatic standards for the sake of properly instructing young Christians. In this case, I was sorely mistaken.  Second, the message that the teacher gave us proclaimed that maturity means you should be able to stand face to face with filth and not let it bother you.  It is the immature person who avoids such temptation.

If Christians take this attitude upon themselves, then what would separate them from the rest of the world - at least outwardly?

No, I believe that true maturity lies in the Christian choosing not to stand face to face with filth, as far as that decision can be made by him.

According to Romans 14:13-19, we should avoid anything that could become a stumbling block to another believer.  I believe that openly endorsing something like regular alcohol consumption can lead to other believers adopting the habit and abusing it.  Addiction to alcohol may not be something you struggle with at all, and you may be a responsible drinker, but there's no telling how that could affect those who see you partaking in it.  It could lead to a serious stronghold in their life - even if it's not one in yours.  I definitely do not want to be held accountable for unknowingly leading someone astray.  Of course, there are many other things that could lead a person astray - I just picked alcohol to set out a clear example.

If we, as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ has paid for all of our sins and that we are made friends with God by His merit and not our own, then we should not trust in our own ability to remain pure.  We need to trust daily in Christ's finished work on the cross and pray that we will be evermore changed into His likeness.  Separating ourselves from what the world deems "basically harmless" may have it's hardships for us in this life on earth, but obeying God is something that we will have the privilege to do for an eternity.

Maturity should not be based on a Christian's upstanding moral character, but her willingness to be alienated from the world for the sake of Christ.