God's Stairway to Spiritual Maturity

by Dr. Thomas Cassidy, Pastor

First Baptist Church, 8758 Troy Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977 (619)462-9019

© COPYRIGHT 1995 BY THE AUTHOR

(All quotations are from the Authorized Version)


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Step #1 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

MEMORY VERSES: I John 5:11-13

1. The moment that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior, we are declared righteous, justified by faith in the sight of God. The word "justified" means that we are made as though we had never sinned in the sight of God. Having received Christ as our personal Savior, our salvation is secure and anchored in the solid Rock. Let's look to the Word of God to find how we can know this for certain.

2. Facts about Salvation.

3. What happened to you when you were saved? 4. Does salvation mean we will never sin again? 5. Now that you are sure that you are a child of God, memorize I John 5:11-13.

Step #2 BAPTISM

MEMORY VERSES: MATTHEW 28:19-20

1. Following salvation, the first command of Jesus Christ is to be baptized. Baptism does not save you. It doesn't help to save you. It is an act of obedience, and a public confession of your faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. You may have been baptized previously, but if it was prior to you actually being saved, or you were baptized to be saved, you must now partake of believer's baptism.

2. Who should be baptized?

3. Why should you be baptized? 4. When should you be baptized? 5. A new Christian should never say "I am praying about what God would have me do about baptism", when God clearly tells us what to do in His Word. To say such things may sound spiritual, but if it is something that is clearly taught in the Bible, we don't pray about it, we just do it!

6. How should you be baptized?

7. The Bible teaches that baptism by immersion is the only method of Biblical baptism by the very word used, "Baptidzo", a greek word which means to dip, to plunge under, or to submerge. Therefore sprinkling or pouring is not according to Scripture.

8. What if you refuse to be baptized?

9. What else does the Bible say about baptism? 10. Jesus commanded the church in Matthew 28:19-20 to baptize believers. You should be baptized in a local church which you intend to join as soon as you are baptized. Every Christian, in order to be obedient to Christ, should be baptized the Bible way. Be sure to memorize Matthew 28:19-20.

Step #3 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

MEMORY VERSE: HEBREWS 10:25

1. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, according to Ephesians 5:25. Since He loved it that much, certainly we should do likewise. Jesus said "I will build My church" in Matthew 16:18 and not other organizations, no matter how good they might be. He didn't say "I will build the Navigators,", or "the Boy Scouts", or "my college", or any other organization. These organizations should work with and through the local church, and never independent of a local church. God's will is for you to get in a good church and serve the Lord in and through it, via its local and world wide outreach!

2. There are many people who say that they don't need to go to church to worship God. They say they can worship Him taking a walk, out in the woods, or at the beach. But how often do they do that in reality? The Lord Himself has set a day each week to do that which He has commanded. He established the church and gave Himself for it so that it could do much more than just worship, so that it could do all that He has instructed it to do, far more than just worship at the beach!

3. The memory verse teaches us in the context of the attendance of a local church. The verse also admonishes that the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more faithful we ought to be to God's established organization, the local church. Stand with your Pastor and with the Scriptural programs of your church. Stand in unity as long as the Bible is being obeyed!

4. What then is a church?

5. God's church will be a soul-winning church, teaching the Bible as the Word of God without error, separating itself from ungodly practices, and encouraging one another to serve and love the Lord.

6. Why do we worship on Sunday?

7. What should every Christian do for the Church?

Step #4 TITHING

MEMORY VERSE: MALACHI 3:10

1. God has an established method for supporting the local church. The giving of tithes and offerings to the local church is God's ordained method. As a Bible believing Baptist Church we do not believe in bake sales, rummage sales, church suppers, raffles, bingo, carnivals, or other means by which money is made to support the local church. We believe that God's program is that every born-again person should give of their tithes and offerings to the local church so the church will prosper and that this money will be available to be used to spread the Word of God both in our own community and all around the world.

2. God's plan for financing His church is also His plan for blessing His people. This step will show how God's people can receive great blessings as they give to God's work.

3. Principles of Tithing.

4. What happens to the work of the Lord when His people withhold their tithes? 5. God's classification of the non-tither (Malachi 3:7-8). 6. How does God deal with those who rob Him? 7. How does God deal with those who do tithe? 8. The seven wonders of Christian giving! 9. Dr. Don Jennings, formerly of Tennessee Temple University says: "Be a givin' while you're livin', and you'll be a knowin' where it's goin".

10. The tithe is a fair method. All can give an equal portion, no matter how rich or how poor. Christ especially commended the widow who only gave a mite, because she gave out of her necessity, while the rich man gave out of his abundance. We cannot claim God's promise of blessing unless first we are willing to follow His commandments concerning our finances and His church (Luke 17:7-10). The tithe should go only to your own local church, and is ten percent of your income. The offering is any amount that you give over and above your tithe. Your willingness to be obedient to the Lord in the area of giving is the visible proof of your love for Him, and your faith in Him to provide your every need.



Step #5 PRAYER

MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 4:6

1. The word "pray" simply means to ask. Prayer is when the child of God talks to God. We pray in the Spirit, through the Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father. There are twelve different Hebrew words and five Greek words that are translated into English by the word "prayer". Each of them has the meaning of definitely asking; primarily of talking to God as a child would go and ask something of his parent. Even though the prayer may not be audible prayer, it takes the form of words in your mind as you meditate on or think of spiritual things. Thus, as the Scriptures teach in I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." The Bible teaches us that God wants us to pray to Him.

2. What attitudes should we have when we pray?

3. Three aspects of prayer. 4. What are the hindrances to prayer? 6. What is our confidence in God (I John 3:21-22)?

7. What should we pray for?

8. Three types of prayer 9. Be sure to keep a prayer list with the request, the date asked, and the date answered. What a blessing this will be to you as the Lord sends answers to your requests, and as you review what the Lord has already done, you will be encouraged to continue in prayer knowing that the Lord does answer prayer, He has answered prayer, and will continue to answer prayer!


Step #6 BIBLE STUDY

MEMORY VERSE: II TIMOTHY 2:15

1. The Bible is different from any other book ever written because it is inspired by God. It is God's self-revelation to man concerning Himself. He had to reveal Himself to us in this way because there is no other way for man to know God. The Bible is the story of man's complete ruin in sin and God's perfect salvation in Christ. It is unique in that it is 66 books in one, with about 40 authors and written over a period of about 2000 years, the last book being written in about 100 A.D., and still it is as modern and contemporary as tomorrow's newspaper! The Bible is so simple that a child can understand it, yet it is so profound that the wisest man cannot grasp all of it's wisdom. Man has time and again tried to destroy it, and yet the Bible stands, infallible, unchanging, inerrant, the inspired Word of God.

2. What is the Bible?

3. How long will God's Word, the Bible last (I Peter 1:25)?

4. What is the purpose of the Bible?

5. Why should we study the Bible? What four things does the Bible teach about itself, and what is its overall purpose (II Timothy 3:16)? 6. Psalm 119 is David's tribute to the Bible. It is the longest chapter in the Bible and shows the great significance that David placed on the Bible. Remember it was God's command for the King of Israel not only to study and meditate on God's Word (Joshua 1:8), but also that the King should write his own copy of the Pentateuch. What place do you think that the Bible should occupy in you life?

7. The Christian should read and study the Bible daily. Begin with the Book of John, then I John, then Acts, Romans, and the rest of the New Testament. As you read through the scripture, choose a short passage (5-10 verses). Read through the verses twice, then go back through them verse by verse looking for and writing down the following:

8. You will be amazed how much of the Bible you can understand by just spending 15 minutes a day this way. You will also have recorded a study on the New Testament within a year if you are faithful every day. Be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your study (John 14:26). You might want to keep a separate section of your notebook just to record new thoughts you have had from your daily study about God, His attributes, characteristics, attitudes, and His relationship to you. As you get to know God better, you will be able to trust Him more with all areas of your life.


Step #7 TEMPTATION

MEMORY VERSES: I CORINTHIANS 10:13 & PHILIPPIANS 4:13

1. We should recognize that we "wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemy is the Devil! He is the Prince and the Power of this world and the absolute fact is that you will be tempted to sin. But, by the grace of God, you can overcome temptation and live a life of real joy and happiness in the Lord. There is a way of victory, "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy..."(Jude 24).

2. Facts about sin and temptation.

3. How can we overcome temptation? 4. Why should a Christian always be vigilant and on the alert? 5. What if you do yield to temptation and fall into sin (I John 1:9)?

6. What limitation does God set upon the temptation that he permits us to suffer (I Corinthians 10:13)?

7. What special reward will Christ give to those who give Him the victory in times of temptation (James 1:12)?


Step #8 OBEDIENCE AND CONSECRATION

MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 12:1-2

1. What is Obedience? People serving in the Military are disciplined to obey orders from their seniors. A Christian's commanding officer is the Lord Jesus Christ, much higher in authority that the Commanding Officer of any military unit. Obedience means that we are willing to obey God Himself; that we are willing to do everything within our power to honor, to glorify and to magnify His name. To so exalt His name so that Jesus Christ might be lifted up in every area of our life, in all that we say and all that we seek to do. In short, we ask ourselves, "Am I obedient to Him: does my life glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in all things?"

2. What is Consecration? Consecration is giving of our lives to God to do His will instead of our own. It means that we present our bodies to Him as "living sacrifices."

3. A living sacrifice or a dead one? 4. The Christian's aim. If we are to have joy, constant daily joy and victory in Jesus Christ, we must not allow sin to go unjudged and unconfessed in our lives, even in the midst of all that goes on around us. We are to have no interest in anything into which Jesus Christ cannot be brought, in which we cannot share our life with Him.

Step #9 THE CHRISTIAN AND SEPARATION

MEMORY VERSES: I JOHN 2:15-17 & II CORINTHIANS 6:17

1. The doctrine of separation is not a popular doctrine among Christians today. However, we must not decide anything on the basis of popularity, but rather what does God say? The Bible records Christ using the word "separated" some 90 times, so, it must be very important to Him.

2. What does the Bible say about separation (II Corinthians 5:17)?

3. In our memory verses, when the Bible speaks of the "world", it is referring to a society that has forgotten God and has left Him out of everyday life. 4. If we are not to be conformed to this world, then there must be a difference in our lives from those who are not saved. Notice what the Bible has to say about the relationship we are to have within ourselves, upon others, and towards the Lord. 5. What is the Biblical reason for separation (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15)?


Step #10 WITNESSING

MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 11:30

1. Christians are not born again just so we can go to heaven, although God has promised that we will. We are given new life in Christ that we might serve Him. We are to be a light in a sin darkened world, showing the way to God. This is God's only plan for the salvation of man; saved men telling unsaved men the only way to heaven. The last words of Christ as He ascended into heaven are found in Acts 1:8, where He commands and commissions us as believers in Christ to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, and empowers us with the Holy Spirit, enabling us to go. As a believer we have the means, the power, and the message.

2. Why should we witness?

3. What does God promise to the soul winner? 4. Where, when, and to whom should we witness? 5. Christ's command is to tell all people and nations the Gospel. The word "Gospel" means "good news", and the good news is that Christ died for our sins and rose again to be our living Savior. Paul, in I Corinthians 15: 1-4 defines the Gospel.

6. Four basic truths in the Gospel message:


Step #11 THE CHRISTIAN'S THOUGHT LIFE

MEMORY VERSE; PHILIPPIANS 4:8

1. You need to be a strong Christian. One who will do what is right in the face of strong opposition. One of the ways we become strong in the Lord is by controlling our thought life. The Apostle Paul prayed for the Christians at Colosse to be strengthened with all might, the Lord's might. You need strength too. One way to get that strength is to control your thought life. You need to control your thought life. Our Lord knows this and therefore we have a fruit within us to help control what we do with our mind (Galatians 5:22-23) Temperance is self-control. 2. God says in Proverbs 23:7, "For as he thinkest in his heart, so is he."

A. God hates even the thoughts of the wicked (Proverbs 15:26).

B. One of seven things that the Lord says He hates in Proverbs 6:16-18 is a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations.

C. We understand by reading God's word that He knows what we think (Hebrews 4:12).

3. There are basically three ways that our thought life has an effect on us. These are: towards others; towards ourselves; and towards God; or, outward, inward, and upward.

A. Outward thoughts: We should think of others on a true level, not less than what they are, but also not more than what they are. Keep your eyes on the Lord and not on any man.

1) God wants us to think highly of those who serve Him, and honor them.

a) I Timothy 5:17

b) Matthew 15:4; 19:19

c) Romans 13:7

2) God does not want us to think more highly of any man than we ought to.

a) I Corinthians 4:6

b) Psalm 19:14 - Keep your eyes and thoughts on the Lord!

B. Inward thoughts: Our thoughts control our actions and therefore we need to bring our thought life under control. For most people in this world, their thought life is never even considered. God hates our bad thoughts, but disciplines us for our bad actions. Because our thoughts control our actions we need to guard our thoughts.

1) God warns us.

a) Matthew 5:28

b) Psalm 119:37

2) God tells us how to help control our mind.

a) Romans 12:3

b) James 4:8

c) Philippians 4:8

3) Remember we have the ability to control our thought lives because power through the Holy Spirit is available to us (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

4) One evidence of salvation is that you recognize the necessity of rebuilding your thought life. God's Holy Spirit pricks our heart telling us that He is not happy with our unclean thoughts.

NOW WE HAVE REACHED THE PLACE WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE IN OUR FELLOW- SHIP WITH GOD, SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT POINT.

C. Upward thoughts: What we think should be clean because even our thoughts are known to the Lord. Would you take something filthy that your boss detested and set it before him where it continually reminded him of you? We do that to God when we continually parade our wicked thoughts before Him.

1) Proverbs 15:26

2) Matthew 9:4

3) I Corinthians 3:20

4. Rebuilding thoughts (Romans 12:2).

A. Confession (I John 1:9)

B. Memorization (Psalm 119:11)

C. Visualization (John 15:7)

D. Personalization (Changing pronouns of "you", "they", or "his" to "I", "me", and "my" so that Scripture becomes personal in your thoughts.)

REMEMBER: YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AN INDEX OF YOUR CHARACTER; THEY ARE THE POWER BEHIND THE ACTION, SO GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS. DILIGENTLY STRIVE TO KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS OUT OF THE GUTTER. KEEP YOUR THOUGHT LIFE CLEAN, AND YOU WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO KEEP YOUR ACTIONS CLEAN!


Step #12 EMOTIONS

MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 12:15

1. Worry

2. Loneliness 3. Depression 4. Anger 5. Bitterness 6. Fear 7. Doubt 8. Guilt 9. Grief and sorrow 10. Conclusion

Step #13 CHRISTIAN DECISIONS

MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 3:5-6

1. Our lives have been changed forever on the basis of one decision; to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. The next big decision is to do what God wants us to do for Him. No Christian wants to make an error in judgement and choose something other than what God thinks is best. All of these considerations tend to cause anxiety. Add to that the tension of wanting to please God and desiring to make the most of our lives for Him.

2. Is there a way to find out what God wants us to do? Let's find out.

3. The methods of decision making have been many (by worldly people and Christians):

4. Go to the Lord for answers. 5. What does the Holy Spirit do for us? Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would live within believers (John 14:15-18 & 16:7-15). But what does the Holy Spirit do to lead us in our decision making? 6. Decision for service (John 12:26).

CONCLUSION: Remember we are needy people in every way. We need Him to help us with our decisions, and He is ready and He wants to help us (Matthew 11:28-10).


Step #14 CHRISTIAN MATURITY

MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 9:23

1. First let's look at the definition of maturity. Maturity is the quality or state of being mature; full development, having attained a final or desired state, based on slow careful consideration. Do we ignore a child after he takes his first step or do we give guidance and direction to help him along. The same thing applies to Christians. They take the first step and accept Jesus as their Savior. Then it is up to the pastor and church family to give guidance and direction in order to achieve maturity. Maturity can only be achieved through the study of God's Word. There are many ways to study God's Word, but one of the best is to fellowship and study with other Christians using a discipleship program.

2. In order to achieve this maturity we must first take up the Cross daily as stated in our Memory Verse. There must be that daily desire to be Christ-like.

3. Commitment to church vocations. God wants you to know His will (Ephesians 5:15), and He will help you discover it (Romans 12:1). CONCLUSION: If you are willing to do God's will, He will reveal His will to you. There is no need to be anxious. He will lead you a step at a time. Respond to each step as He reveals it and act by faith. Continue to mature with constant counsel with Christian leaders that are grounded in the Word of God. Begin serving Faithfully where you are (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Pray for guidance. The best way to mature is by serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 


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