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Higher Ground- the Spiritual Maturity Levels of the Christian According to the Bible

by David L. Stanbrough

160 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-1315; ISBN 1-55395-599-4; US$18.00, C$20.25, EUR14.50, £10.50

The book Higher Ground presents and discusses the five levels of spiritual maturity as presented in the bible. The five levels are: The Babe, The Carnal Christian, The Lukewarm Christian, The Spiritual Christian and The (True) Disciple. There is no mystery or secret to being a spiritually mature Christian. All one has to do is to be aware of what the Scriptures teach, be willing to follow the Scriptural instructions, have the dedication to acheive spiritual maturity and accept God's promised help in attaining and maintaining it.

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts or Table of Contents      catalogue info

About the Book Have you ever wondered if there was more to being a Christian than what you have experienced in your Christian life? Is the average Christian in the average Christian church being all that he or she can and should be for Christ? What more should you be than you are now being for God? Can you really know Him better, follow Him more closely, and be a happier more content Christian than you are now? Is it possible to be "a genuine disciple" of Jesus in this day and time? What is spiritual maturity? Am I spiritual? If you have pondered questions such as these, then this book is probably for you. The author establishes the five progressive levels of spiritual maturity for the Christian straight from the pages of Scripture. You will confront the Biblical terms and descriptions of these five levels of spiritual maturity, and see where you are on the spiritual spectrum. The author postulates that there is no secret or mystery concerning spiritual maturity. All you need is the knowledge of it, the will to do what God has called you to do, the dedication to do it,- and most of all- God's promised and powerful help in doing it. You can be a disciple of Jesus in today's world. But it takes a "trust and obey" attitude, a prayerful desire, and a purposeful yielding to God to do it. This book will help point you in that way.

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About the Author David Stanbrough is a retired civilian Operations Research Analyst and Program Manager for the U.S. Army. He has been preaching and teaching Bible classes for 45 years as a layman. He attended the Omaha Baptist Bible Institute; has a B.A. in Bible and English from Tennessee Temple University, in Chattanooga, Tennessee; has an M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; did additional graduate work in Public Administration at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia; and has completed all academic class work and examinations for a Ph.D. in Management from the Southeastern Institute of Technology, in Huntsville, Alabama. He has been a life long Christian and student of the Bible. He is currently a Deacon and Bible teacher at his church in Northern Alabama. He is married to the former Martha Bruce Maples. They presently make their home in North Alabama, have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

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Sample Excerpts

Twenty-first century Christians do not read the Bible much; they study and meditate on it even less. What they do know, they really do not want to put into consistent practice because it would require the complete elimination of their self-centeredness, unspiritual (unholy) desires, and sinful practices that emanate from the worldly culture around them and the dark side of their own human natures. The constant almost irresistible lure of the world is ever present. The fact is many Christians think they would have to give up too much of their worldliness and sinfulness to be spiritual, and they really do not want to do that. Christians, like their worldly counterparts, want to "fit in" with friends, their physical environments, and their social peer groups. In order to do that they shrink from being what many people - even Christians -call "spiritual extremists." That in turn makes countless Christians shy away from any deep, dedicated, committed relationship with God and His Son, Jesus, because true discipleship IS spiritual extremism. Satan is good at keeping most Christians neutralized in their dedication and walk with the Lord.

In spite of this way of thinking and acting on the part of many Christians, the Scriptures clearly assert that Jesus does indeed call Christians to be "spiritual extremists" if they desire to have a close, continuous, deeply spiritual relationship with Him. And if we are truly following Jesus, Paul readily informs us, "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). That is being a spiritual extremist and sustaining the consequences of a life consecrated to Jesus Christ. If some think I am in error on this, then please tell me why there are tens of thousands of Christian churches in America and tens of millions of professing Christians, but virtually none of them have much influence on our godless, sinful culture. In fact, the opposite is true; the godless, sinful culture has much more influence on the church. Instead of the Church pulling our nation and its culture closer to God, the godless culture is successfully pulling the Church closer to ungodliness and sin, which results in a lackluster relationship with our professed God.

The Christian researcher and pollster George Barna, of the Barna Research Group, has verified this in survey after survey, study after study, report after report, and book after book. No matter which spiritual indicators Barna uses, the professing church does not fare much better than the unbelievers. In fact, believers are sometimes worse than the unbelievers in some areas. The results of Barna's research caused him to conclude, "Spirituality in America is a mile wide and an inch deep." The elaboration of that statement is that interest or curiosity in "spiritual (Biblical) matters " is substantial, but the understanding of and involvement in them is very shallow. What an indictment! How can such Christians be "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16) to a sinful and ungodly world? There is only one answer: Christians must be different from the ungodly world in which they sojourn (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). The only Biblical way to be different is for Christians to draw closer to their Lord, learn His Word, trust Him and obey Him, and grow -mature - spiritually. For the Christian, this involves a concurrent departure and separation from the world and sin, and being dedicated and yielded to God (1 John 2:15-17).

I suggest that the basis of virtually all of the spiritual problems and failures in both individual Christian lives and Christian churches today is that God's people are seriously deficient in spiritual maturity. When we act like spiritual babies - selfish, unloving, unforgiving, and uncaring about anything but our selves -then we are behaving exactly as the unredeemed world, with little to no difference. In contrast, if all Christians would love, follow, and imitate Jesus (that is, be spiritually mature), what a vast difference it would make in our lives, our churches, and in our culture.

So, what is another book on this subject going to do about the situation? Will it stir and motivate genuine Christians to be spiritual and draw closer to the Lord? Oh, how I wish that it would! A few who read this book may be inspired by it and accept the challenge to aspire to the "Higher Ground" of spiritual maturity. But many will not. They will not want to make such a "sacrifice," which would call for giving up their worldly interests and pursuits. They will choose mediocrity or worse in their Christian lives. They will decide to be less than what God calls them to be. They will be satisfied with average Christianity and then wonder why they have no spiritual power and little sense of God's presence. They will choose not to be spiritually mature and justify it on the grounds that they are at least as good as most other Christians they know, which is not God's standard of measurement. Will you be one of them? Or will you listen to God's Word, and chose to spiritually assault, claim, and gain the higher ground? Note well what the Scriptures say:

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves." James 1:22, and:

"To the one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17, and:

"I (Jesus) am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, (it is) he (who) bears much fruit; for apart from ME you can do NOTHING." John 15:5

In order to chart a goal and a pathway for one's spiritual life, one must know where they are now, and where they intend to go. Knowing the five levels of spiritual maturity in the Christian life and knowing where one should be going - both from the Scriptures - are some things that the contents of this book can help provide.

This is not a "how to" book; it is a "what to" book. There are already many "how to" books out there on this subject, and most of them are competent and sincere. However, it is my understanding of Scripture that if Christians know the "what to" of God's Word, will, and way for their lives, then all they really need to have is the "want to" and the commitment to do it - with God's power and help.

There is no magical "1-2-3 formula" for being spiritually mature. It is a growth process that we must know about, and want for our lives; it is a matter of one's will and of one's heart. Paul established this principle in speaking to the Corinthians about the matter of giving when he wrote:

"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not." 2 Corinthians 8:12

Jesus said, in John 17:17: "If any man is willing to do His (God's) will, he shall know of the teaching (God's teaching)...."

And again in John 13:17: "If you know these things, you are blessed (happy) if you do them."

Verses in Proverbs say: "As he (a man) thinks within himself (in his heart), so he is."Proverbs 23:7

And still again: "My son, give me your heart."Proverbs 23:26

Jesus adds: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart (one's desire and will) be also."Matthew 6:21

Consequently, this book is primarily for people who have already come to Jesus, who have in faith obeyed the Gospel, and who, to one degree or another, want to live a better Christian life. Perhaps something presented herein will establish or rekindle an interest in pursuing the goal of spiritual maturity, and motivate someone to leave the mediocre Christian life behind.

May God Himself spur you on to "The goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). That goal is spiritual maturity - true discipleship. And true discipleship is simply willingness to learn about Jesus; it is to trust, submit, yield to, and obey Him as your Lord and Master. With God's help, any willing Christian can attain and maintain that "Higher Ground" which Jesus offers for His followers; that of being His "disciples indeed" (John 8:31). There is no other way to achieve it.

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CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Are You Spiritual?

Maybe you claim to be a Christian; or maybe you do not. If you do claim to be a Christian, then to some degree you are interested in spiritual things. Even if you do not claim to be a Christian, you may still be interested in spiritual things. But the ultimate question is, "Are you spiritual?" Are you spiritual in the Biblical sense? Is God satisfied with your spirituality? Good questions.

My father, who was born in 1904, was a Christian, and lived to be almost 88 years of age, used to tell me as a young man that a mature person was one that, when he saw and understood that something needed or ought to be done, he did it without being told. I did not give it much thought then, but as I have grown older, I have come to believe that he pretty well had it right; that what he said is indeed one good indicator of physical and mental maturity. It is also true in the spiritual sense. Many people are fully aware that this physical life, with all of its emphasis on and appeal to the material and the temporary, is not what life is actually about. Most people think and believe that there is more to life - with all of its triumphs, toils, troubles, and trials - than just the here and now. St. Augustine is given credit for saying, "God has put eternity in the heart of man, and he is restless until he finds his rest in God." That is not entirely a quotation from Scripture, but the principle of it is certainly taught in God's Word. Many Christians are Biblically literate enough to know that they should be more committed and more consecrated to God in their daily lives. But, they just do not seem to have the interest, motivation, or will to do so.

There is a popular story of an unnamed college football coach who was lecturing his players in practice one day. He proclaimed to the team with great gusto that the problem with many team members was their ignorance and apathy. Then with raised voice he said, "Do you know what I mean?" One of the players replied weakly, "Coach, we don't know and we don't care." Sadly, that seems to be the response of many Christians to the thought of spiritual maturity; they are ignorant (unknowledgeable) and apathetic (do not care) about the subject and the process. They would rather drink the milk of the Word than eat the meat of spiritual maturity that comes from the deeper things of the Bible. They do not care enough about their stunted spiritual maturity to even try to change it and become more spiritually mature. And, like the coach, God is grieved over this condition.

There is a well known church hymn titled "Higher Ground," written in 1892, by Johnson Oatman, Jr. Two of this hymn's stanzas and chorus are as follows:

"My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

CHORUS:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on heaven's tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

What is this author talking about in the words of this hymn? Are they just meaningless words? No! He is speaking of something higher, better, richer than the ordinary, average, mundane, mediocre Christian life. What this hymn is speaking of in these words, is "spiritual maturity;" a Christian life that is fuller, deeper, and more meaningful than most of us are content to have. Do you possess that longing in your heart and soul? Do you aspire to "higher ground" in your spiritual life? Just how spiritual are you anyway? How would you describe it? Did you know that the Bible does describe it? Yes, the Bible names the five levels of spiritual maturity in the New Testament Scriptures. The objective of this book is to present and examine them, and hopefully motivate the reader to the higher ground of spiritual maturity.

The Words "Spiritual" and "Maturity" in the Bible

In the earlier translations of the English Bible, the word "mature" does not appear as such, but the meaning is there. The King James Version (KJV) uses the word "perfect," and other translations use the word "complete" to convey the same meaning. Some of the more recent translations use the term "mature" because it is the most accurate rendition of the meaning in the English language. The New Testament Greek word used in this regard is teleios, which means "finished, complete, having reached its end; mature, full grown, fully developed."

The word, "spiritual" is translated from a form of the Greek word, pneuma, which means "air, wind, to breathe or blow." We sometimes speak of pneumatic tools which we understand to mean powered by compressed air. The actual Greek word for "spiritual" is pneumatikos, which connotes the idea of "invisible power, air power," or, where God is concerned, "Spirit power." Jesus associated the Spirit of God with the wind when He was talking with Nicodemus. He said:

"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is every one who is born of the Spirit(of God)." John 3:8

Paul strongly infers, if not actually states, that the writing of the Scriptures was powered and controlled by this kind of wind, or "breath," of God; or very literally, by the power of God's Spirit. He says:

"All Scripture is God-breathed (inspired) by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (right living), that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The term, "spiritual," with this meaning, is primarily a post-Pentecost, New Testament word that is used in reference to various spiritual things:

* Angels.

* Things that have their origin with God.

* The plans and purposes of God revealed in and by His prophets and His Word.

* Of godly men and women who walk so as to please God.

* Of God's spiritual house - the church.

* Of man's spirit.

* Of God's Spirit (the Holy Spirit).

* Of the resurrected bodies of those who are saved in Christ Jesus.

It follows then, that "Spiritual Maturity" would describe the person in Christ, who, by the invisible power of God (His Spirit - His wind or breath), is complete, perfect (mature, not sinless), and always walks (lives) so as to please God. What a concept! And what a God who makes it all possible!

Enoch, A Supreme Example of Spiritual Maturity

The Old Testament patriarch, Enoch, was the kind of spiritual man just described. The Bible states:

"Enoch walked with God three hundred years... ; and he walked with God; and was not, for God took him." Genesis 5:22-24

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The "80:20 Principle"

Borrowing from the world of management studies, observations, and principles, we can be fairly certain from the time-tested a priori 1 Pareto 2 Principle, that a fairly small percentage of Christians at any place and at any time comprise the level of those that are genuinely spiritually mature; that is, who have attained spiritual maturity at the highest levels. In all probability, such a number of mature Christians would, on the average, comprise no more than about 20% of the entire Christian community of any or all Christian groups, locally or world-wide, taken separately or by groupings, at any given time in history or in the present.

Actually, this seemingly harsh assessment of the state of spiritual maturity in the world community of Christians is more generous that it might seem. For example, note the following observations by others who seem to be in a position to evaluate and comment on such things:

* Billy Graham, in a televised campaign sermon a few years back, told the story of his speaking with a Hindu man in India about accepting Christ and becoming a Christian. The man's response was, "I would truly like to become a Christian - if only I could ever see one." Billy Graham remarked of that occasion, "And I will never forget that he was looking straight at me when he said that." Mohandas Ghandi, a moral leader of India in the last century, echoed this same perception.

* The late famous skeptic, George Bernard Shaw, said something similar: "Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever (really) tried it."

* Tim Woodroof, a Christian author, in his good book on discipleship from the Beatitudes, Walk This Way..., states: "For every disciple (follower) who embraces the peace of Christ and the persecution that's part of being His (true) follower, there are a hundred (a ratio of 100:1) who have settled for a lesser version of discipleship" (that is, a lower level of spiritual maturity).

From my observation, these comments are accurate and quite telling. Sad to say, Christians do not usually do a good job of living what they say they believe.

If you are a Christian, are you, by the power and grace of God, one of those in the 20% bracket, or as Tim Woodroof infers, in the 1% bracket of true disciples? Are you a Christian who is spiritually mature, and not just a nominal, mediocre, average Christian?

If the notional Pareto Principle is approximately true and does apply to the concept of spiritual maturity for Christians, then it is most regrettable. That would mean the remaining 80% would be in the middle and lower levels of spiritual maturity. I would suggest that this 80:20 principle, as applied to the spiritual maturity levels of Christians, is very likely to be approximately true; but you must decide for yourself.

Permit me to cite an example from my own experience. In a church of which I was once a member, I was a Deacon, and had oversight for the church's Visitation Program. This church had about 350 members who were asked to complete involvement sheets periodically to make known where they were willing to serve and work in the church. About 65 of the 350 members volunteered to work in the visitation ministry of our congregation. If you are calculating, that would be about 19% of the total membership. It is not surprising that the majority of the people who volunteered for visitation also have other responsibilities in the church; many are Elders, Deacons, teachers of various Bible classes, youth workers, and in other similar positions. There is also a contingent of about 60 people who are teachers in Sunday School, youth, and other Bible classes. These also overlap with those who volunteered for visitation and other church duties and responsibilities. Again, if you are calculating, 20% of 350 is 70. And when all was considered, that was just about the number of people in the church who could be depended on to do most of the things that needed to be done. The rest were more or less strap hangers when it came to serving. The church treasurer also indicated it was generally true that about 20% of the people did 80% of the giving of their means (money). Many people agree that the Pareto Principle is applicable in most human organizations, businesses, factories, communities, related situations - and also in churches. I will return to this point later in the book.

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CHAPTER FOUR - THE FIVE LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Introduction

If my understanding of the Bible is correct, it reveals that there are five levels of Christian spiritual maturity:

* The "Babe in Christ" - the entry level to the Christian life.

* The "Carnal Christian" - the level of little to no spiritual growth.

* The "Lukewarm Christian" - the mediocre, neither hot-nor-cold, level.

* The "Spiritual Christian" - an advanced level, but not the highest level.

* The "Disciple of Jesus" - the highest, sincerest, most dedicated level.

All of these are Biblical terms, mentioned and described in the New Testament. Most of them are somewhat familiar to most Christians, but not necessarily in the way they are used in this book. The one very familiar term that needs some explanation is the fifth one - that of the Disciple of Jesus.

Two Meanings of the Term "Disciple"

This term "disciple" pertaining to followers of Jesus is often misunderstood. In one sense, it is true that anyone who follows Jesus is frequently referred to as "a disciple," meaning a follower or student of a sort. Yet, at other times Jesus and other writers of Scripture obviously use this same term (disciple) to refer to something different - very different and more comprehensive - than a mere casual follower or student. In support of this, The Gospel writers often speak of the multitudes of disciples that followed after Jesus. Yet, Jesus spoke about the sincere, dedicated, and faithful followers of Himself as being only a few - in the distinct minority and not the majority. Jesus said that this type of disciple was His "disciple indeed." See Chapter 9 for more details concerning this type of disciple.

The word, "disciple," or some form of it, is used once in the Old Testament, and 272 times in the New Testament. The Greek word is mathetes, and the Hebrew word is limmud. Both of these words have the basic meaning of "a taught or trained one; a pupil of a given teacher." The Greek word emphasizes the concept of "learning from," and "following after," a certain teacher; hence, a pupil, student, or understudy. However, some Biblical contexts make it clear that the term also refers to being "strict adherents to" or "imitators of" the disciple's teacher. This latter meaning connotes much greater commitment, dedication, and self-discipline than merely being a casual student, pupil, or follower.

The Hebrew word, limmud, translated "disciple," like the Greek term, also has a secondary meaning. The basic meaning is the same as that stated for the Greek word. The expanded meaning refers to the root word, lamad, which means a diligent, skillful, expert learner or follower. In some contexts, this corresponds to the secondary meaning of the Greek word.

Therefore, we can safely understand and assert that these words have two meanings, as noted by contextual usage:

1. A learner or pupil who casually or curiously follows after a specific teacher, but who may not be fully and completely committed to that particular teacher; and

2. A strict adherent who is assiduously dedicated to, and tries to imitate - be exactly like - his teacher.

In the first use of the word, a disciple of Jesus would be one who follows Him nonchalantly, dispassionately, unexcitedly, and devoid of real dedication. Such a person might even follow Jesus for purely personal and selfish reasons with no intention of being a committed and dedicated disciple, as Judas seemed to do. In the second use, however, it is just the opposite; it would refer to a disciple who follows Jesus with selfless motivation, dedication, passion, resolve, and with the objective of becoming a precise imitator of Him. This type of person is more likely to be motivated by admiration, love, and conviction regarding his teacher and the tenets that his teacher espouses.

Paul uses the term "imitator" (translated as "follower" in the KJV), but properly translated "imitator" in the NIV, when he tells Christians how to conduct themselves in several passages; he says:

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children." Ephesians 5:1

And again: "You became imitators of us and the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 1:6

And still again: "For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 2:14

How can we become imitators of God, who is a Spirit that we cannot see or hear? The Bible has that answer too; it tells us to look at Jesus, God's Son. John 1:18 informs us:

"No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God (Jesus, the Son of God), who is in the bosom of the Father, He (Jesus) has declared (revealed, shown) Him (God)."

If you want to know who and what God is, and what He looks like, then take a look at Jesus; they are identical. Real, true, dedicated disciples of Jesus are imitators of God/Jesus; those Christians that do not imitate God/Jesus are not real, true, dedicated disciples; they are something else, something less. It is that simple.

While we are on the subject of disciples, imitators, and followers, we should include a short discussion of the term "Christian," which has already been used copiously in this book, and will continue to be used that way. The name or term "Christian" closely parallels that of "disciple" in that both terms have shades of meaning which can be bipolar.

The name "Christian" can mean many things to different people. But in the Bible sense it has basically two meanings; it can mean a "professor," which is much like the casual disciple; a person who only casually and superficially follows Jesus Christ. Conversely, it can also mean a "possessor" - one who is not only in Christ but is truly dedicated to his Savior and Lord; one who tries to be a precise imitator of God/Jesus.

Where did the term "Christian" come from? How did it originate? Oddly enough, the word "Christian" including its plural form is used only three times in all of Scripture. The first time the term is mentioned is in Acts 11:26, where the account states: "And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." The consensus of Bible scholars is that the name "Christian" was a term of derision, coined by the pagans in Antioch. The city had a reputation and penchant for inventing humorous, derogatory, epithets for various groups of people that they considered to be on the fringes of their society. In this manner the people of Antioch invented the name of "Christian," which soon spread throughout the Roman world. This seems to be verified by the other two Scriptural uses of the word.

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Catalogue Information

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