SPIRITUAL MATURITY EPHESIANS 4:1-16

Piaget, Kohlberg, etc. Kant: Autonomy.

Erikson's stages of psychosocial development
Stage             Issue         Age

Trust vs. Mistrust    Hope       0 - 1½

Autonomy vs. Shame    Will    1½ - 3.

Initiative vs. Guilt    Purpose   3 - 5.

Industry vs. Inferiority    Competency  5 - 12.

Identity vs. Role Confusion   Fidelity   12 - 18.

Intimacy vs. Isolation     Love    18 - 40.

Generativity vs. Stagnation   Care  40 - 65.

Ego Integrity vs. Despair  Wisdom  65+

Dr. W.E. Andersen, "Persons are whole beings who develop, in their multi-faceted ways, whenever and wherever they are caught up in new relations either with aspects of themselves or the reality around them. Persons are also needy human beings whose nature is to be both active and responsive to the actions of others, and hence who were fashioned for participation in personal relationships with God and with fellow-humans. Further, they are inescapably orientated beings: that is, designed to become focussed about some centre, Though distinctive as individuals, and needing to develop a self-concept which is serviceable in all their relations, they flourish only within the solidarity of a family, or a family-like community. As they discern between persons and things, they become responsible for acting morally. that individual maturity does not have the goal of individual autonomy, but rather the ultimate goal — restoration of wholeness, the restoration of the image of God in man.

Biblical Christian Maturity  11-13 Knowledge, Purpose, Self-concept, Love, Relationship, Small group, Resilience.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY

KNOWLEDGE  Pendulum  Worldview influenced by Kant

Only what can be tested scientifically is propositionally true.  Scientism Only the science's matter, and humanity subjects are useless Modernism: only what is propositional can be known to be true.

E.Y.Mullins "Physical science has tended to narrow the idea of truth to propositions which can be proved in exact mathematical terms. But this narrowing of the conception is due to a confusion of truth itself with a particular form for expressing it. There are many ways of expressing the meaning of reality. The claim to truth cannot be based upon any one way to the exclusion of others. The test of the claim to truth is the test as to the reality with which it deals, at least this is the primary and fundamental test. Spiritual realities will not yield the same formulae for expressing their meaning as those found in the sphere of physics. But they are none the less real and may find interpretation in terms of truth."

Pluralism Everybody's worldview is true for them. Truth is personal. Personalism/Individualism

Post-Modernism No view of truth is true "what is truth?" John 18:38   Jn 14:6  Propositional truth AND Personal truth

alethia' involved an accurate perspective on reality993. Romans similarly spoke of veritas as a factual representation of events. In the Hebrew Scriptures, "truth" (emeth, emunah) primarily conveyed the notion of God's faithfulness.

2Peter 3: 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Propositionally Jesus is true  Personally Jesus is truth and can be known. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Propositional Truth  1 Cor 15: 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Personal truth John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Phil 3: 8  that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith---10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

PURPOSEFULL 13   We perceive ourselves as able to give order and direction to their lives through their ability to evaluate and make choices which are in keeping with their moral desires and orientation. Fullness as the goal to which humans are to attain. This fullness is found in self-forgetfulness in compassionate loving relationships, rather than self-actualisation through performance in a vocation. By recognising maturity as the goal that develops a sense of fullness, rather than autonomy or vocation, spirituality becomes incorporated into purposeful living. "The goal is maturity and knowledge of the Son of God,

SELF-CONCEPT, 13  "What am I referring to when I say the word "I"? … Where does my sense of self come from? … Was it made for me or did it arise spontaneously? … Am I different when I present myself in different ways to my boss, my family, my friends, social security, someone I'm in love with or a stranger in the street? Do I really know myself?" one's sense of self depends on seeing one's self reflected in interactions with others. The 'looking-glass self' refers to the notion that the self develops through our perception of others' evaluations and appraisals of us.For us as Christians it incorporates . fallenness, and our redemption in Christ. It takes into account our Sanctification, that God has a purpose for our lives to conform us to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29)  "you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." (Col 3:9,10). Spiritual gifts, our Heart, our Abilities, our Personalities and our Experiences.

LOVE  15 Jesus' model of self-sacrificial behavior bringing fulfillment in community. The other in reciprocal relationship. outward focused and self forgetful in our love towards God and others in the community of believers.

Hence the greatest commandment is  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment.39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

"Love (agape) is or vital importance in maturity. It is the Christian value that is central to the whole process of "upbuilding." "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." self-transcendence." Sacrificial, serving, self-forgetful love. Jn13;34

RELATIONALITY  16  there is a growing crisis of depersonalization in modern westernized society where our primary mode of communication is technologically based and characterized by the depersonalization of human relations Depersonalization defines the extent to which human relationships have substituted face - to - face human interchange in preference for technologically mediated communication. forms of social disconnection and alienation, resulting in loneliness, depression, social isolation and a rise in uncivil behaviours based upon frustration, hopelessness and the devaluation of human life are becoming increasingly evident in our communities. There is an urgent need for people to find a personal sense of purpose, develop deep and sustainable personal relationships by immersing ourselves in high-contact personal environments..  Acts 2: 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, Think of your favourite teacher at school.  A personal manner of teaching involves teaching with a measure of feeling, rather than a style that lacks any trace of warmth. A "cold " or "detached" manner, doesn't cut it anywhere. Love can make an impact, even though it cannot be taught.

SMALL GROUP  16 Humanity is relational. We are embedded in "swarms of relationships". We have biological relationships, familiar relationships, shallow relationships, deep relationships; "one cannot be a self on one's own. I am a self only in relation to certain interlocutors: in one way in relation to those conversation partners who were essential to my achieving self-definition Methodism's class groups, Sunday school classes youth groups are very necessary.

RESILIENCE   14  Victor Frankl an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, quoting Nietzsche, after considering the differences between those who did or didn't survive the German concentration camps of World War 2, noted that "Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'." Resilience is found in a Purpose Beyond This Life

An Assessment Guide For Maturity (wholeness, Fullness)

Knowledge  Purposeful  Self-Identity

Love   Relationality  Small Group

Resilience through Trust

In the Local Church  Do we express

A Biblical knowledge

An Atmosphere of loving service to one another

A focus on Small Group relationality

A Purposefulness (training opportunities)

Gospel associations, affirmations, articulations

Stretching opportunities (missions)

Dependence upon God

Denominationally are we Organising around Ephesians 4

Servant Leadership (modelled and taught)

Multiplying leadership and resources  TEAMS

Delegation and Supervision  Every member ministry

Assisting others with coping with pressures