Towards Maturity in the Faith

A Message from Bobby:

Matthew 5: 44-48 (NKJV)

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Oftentimes the word “telios” in the Greek New Testament is translated as “perfect” in our English Bibles. However, this Greek word does not have a direct analogy in English and its actual meaning depends often on the context the word is being used. The word “telios” implies something or someone that is of full age, complete, fully mature, fully grown, etc. The English word “perfect” simply fails to capture the full meaning of the Greek word with all its nuances and implications in the Bible. In Matt 5:48, the word should be better translated as “fully mature”, because God expects us to grow in spiritual maturity until we reach the point where we can love even our enemies.

Last time we discussed God’s amazing love for us, which has been freely given to us. We do not need to earn it or work for it, but simply accept it by faith through the finished work of Christ on the cross. Our salvation in Christ is based on God’s love for us and is only by faith in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Yet, God desires for us to grow in our relationship with Him and become more and more like His Son, to be conformed more and more to Christ’s image. God wants us to grow spiritually both as individual believers and as one body of believers.

The Parable of the Sower is one example of individual growth. In addition, Paul wanted “to present every manperfectin Christ” (Collosians 1:28). Again, the English word “perfect” comes from “telios” and should be better translated as “fully mature/grown” thus referring to full spiritual growth. On the other hand, Eph 4:13 references spiritual growth as a church, as one body of believers:

Eph 4: 13

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Again, I’ve underlined the word “perfect” to indicate the Greek word “telios”, which in the context of the verses Eph 4:13-16, indicates that this word should better be translated as “fully mature”. The church is called “to grow up in all things” (Eph 4:15) as one spiritual body until it reaches the fullness of Christ.

Jesus also had to grow. He was fully God and fully man. As God, he was without sin. But as a man, he had to grow – first physically, as a baby, and later, spiritually, as an adult.

Hebrews 2: 10:

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

By now, you can guess that the English words “make perfect” stand for “reach full maturity” or “grow to full maturity” – the Greek word “telioo” is simply the verb associated with the Greek word “telios” which we discussed previously. In fact, how can Jesus become perfect – as God, he was already perfect, without sin. However, as a man, Jesus needed to grow spiritually and reach full maturity, by completing his obedience to the Father through his sufferings on the cross. All of this is implied by the use of the Greek word “telios” which can not be captured by any English word.

So, if God wants us to become more like Christ and grow spiritually, then how do we do it?

First, and most importantly, we must desire God’s Word and obey it:

1 John 2: 5:

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

The Word of God brings spiritual growth and leads us towards maturity in Christ. Apostle Peter urges believers to desire the pure milk of the Word so that they may grow by it (1 Peter 2: 2). Moreover, we’ve discussed before the Book of Hebrews chapters 5 and 6, where believers are called to master the foundational teachings of Christianity, so that they may no longer be babies in Christ but grow to maturity (Heb 5:12 – Heb 6:2). Perhaps, Heb 5:14 is one of the few instances, where the word “telios” is not translated as “perfect”, but as “of full age”.

It’s interesting that in the Book of Revelation only two churches were not reprimanded by Jesus. The other five churches had all kinds of issues as a result of their compromise with sin and with the truth of the Word. But the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia were the only ones who were commended and encouraged to continue being faithful to Christ. It is safe to assume that they were faithfully holding onto the Word of God. The name of the church of Smyrna comes from the word myrrh which means sweet aroma, sweet fragrance. They had the sweet aroma of Christ. They were facing great trials and testing, and they were promised the crown of life if they continued being faithful unto death (Rev 2: 8-10). The crown of life is also mentioned in the Book of James:

James 1: 12

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him

The context is the same – those who endure through the trial and the testing will receive the crown of life. However, if we look at the preceding verses, we can see another reason for enduring the testing:

James 1: 2-4:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

That’s again the same word “perfect” which can be better translated as “fully mature”, “fully grown”. The testing of our faith can produce spiritual growth in our lives, when we hold on to God’s Word and His promises. Peter compares the testing of the faith as a fire which purifies the impurities from our life:

1 Peter 1: 6-8:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love.

From these passages, we can conclude that the trials and the testing, albeit most likely incredibly painful, served as the way for the church of Smyrna to reach full maturity and full spiritual growth. The trials purified the faith of the believers and allowed them to shine with the brightness of Christ. (In this context, we can also mention the words of Paul, who shared what God spoke to him: “My strength/power is madeperfectin weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).)

Now, let’s look at the church of Philadelphia (Rev 3: 7-12). The word “philadelphia” is used many times in the New Testament and it’s usually translated as “brotherly love”. It comes from the Greek words “philos” which means “friend”; “adelphos” which means “brothers”; and also “phileo” which means “to love”, most likely love as a friend. This word “philadelphia” is often contrasted with “agape”, which is God’s sacrificial love for humanity. However, sometimes the Bible uses both words together:

1 Thess 4: 9

But concerningbrotherly love(“philadelphia”) you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God tolove(“agapao” – the verb from “agape”) one another;

1 Peter 1: 22

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren (“philadelphia”), love (“agapao”) one another fervently with a pure heart

In other words, believers who share “philadelphia” kind of love, not only love each other with God’s love, but they actually like each other and they have deep personal, intimate relationships, which lead to that kind of close, affectionate friendship with one another. God calls us to have agape love for our enemies, because we need to love them despite not liking them and them hating us; but when we “phileo” someone, we actually know them personally and love them as dear friends. So, the church of Philadelphia is a church, where believers actually like each other, know each other, and love each other. They do not only tolerate one another, but they have genuine love for one another in the Spirit.

The Bible tells us that the love we have for our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith may help us grow and mature spiritually:

1 John 4:12:

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

John 17:22-23:

And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Both the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia are commended by Jesus, without being rebuked. Both faced the same enemy – the synagogue of Satan. But while the believers of Smyrna had to earn a crown by enduring through the trial and the testing, those of Philadelphia had already earned a crown, which they had to keep by holding onto what they already had. They had an open door before them and were promised that their enemies, the synagogue of Satan, would be made to come and worship before their feet (which is a sign of victory over their enemies). They were told that the synagogue of Satan would know that Jesus had loved the church of Philadelphia. Moreover, the overcomers in the church were promised to become pillars of the temple of God. This reference to the spiritual temple of God directly alludes to the unity in the faith of believers as we discussed in Eph 4:13 – unity that reaches the maturity in the fullness of Christ as one body. Eph 2:21 and 1 Peter 2:5 also describe the church as a spiritual temple which grows in the Lord as believers grow together in unity. Moreover, the promise that their enemies would know that Jesus had loved them points to the words of Jesus in John 17: 22-23 that the world would know that the disciples were loved by God as they reach maturity in oneness with Christ and with one another.

Looking at these two churches, both of which are the highest examples of faithfulness and obedience to the Word of God, I can see two examples of reaching spiritual maturity: one through the trial and tribulation, and the other – through the love for the believers in the church. Indeed, as believers, who pursue to live godly, we are all promised to suffer persecution to some extent (2 Tim 3:12). But, I can also see the great promises of the Word for us. As we strive to be a church obedient to the truth of the Word of God, I do think that we have a choice to make and decide which route we would like to embark upon – the one where our impurities in character and love are being purified through the testing and affliction, or the one where we choose to die to self and love other believers in the church with the supernatural love of God in the Spirit. “Agape” love for our enemies may seem at first to be the higher form of love than “phileo” love for your friends in the faith. However, the use of these words in the Bible indicates that they could be used as synonyms in the context of the church. Moreover, the “phileo” love could be the higher one, as we are called to grow in a deeper love for one another, overcoming all kinds of barriers and challenges, so that we may grow together in spiritual love upon the truth of the Word of God. After all, how can we love our enemies, if we cannot first love those in the church who share the same Spirit of Christ as us? Furthermore, Jesus identified himself with the church, those who believed in him, and if we lack love for other believers, by implication this would mean that we lack love for Jesus himself.