CHRISTIAN ARE YOU EMOTIONALY MATURE IN CHRIST?

  There is a doctrine woven all through the New Testament called "Perfection". For my esteemed theologians the word "sanctification" is often used with it interchangeably. While they intersect in many ways it is my conviction there are some slight differences in the two; but that is discussion for another time.

Perfection, as mentioned in New Testament theology, for the Christian does no mean "sinless". Though it does mean "sinning less". A new Christian is a baby and should be accepted as such. Now new babies are wonderful and sweet. New babies also cannot feed, dress, walk or go to the bathroom. This is expected. However if in 18 years the baby still cannot feed, dress, walk or go to the bathroom it is no longer a pretty picture. It means something is very wrong. We have many such dysfunctional Christians. This is very sad.
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."---Hebrews 5:12

Now the Lord expects us to mature.
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."---1 Corinthians 13:11

There are certain things that help us grow. Prayer, Bible study, and regular participation in a Bible believing church are among the main ones. Older mature Christians also have an obligation to care for the babies.

A man is made up of many facets. All of these need to grow together, but sometimes sin causes one facet of a man to grow while another area remains stagnate. Let us consider just two such areas. The mind and the emotions. There are some Christians who grow very strong in mind or what may loosely be called intellect and remain Babes emotionally. The Christian intellectual often wants to play down the emotional side. But our feelings and affections are to grow to maturity as well.

Often someone who has been emotionally hurt, rather than seeking Christ for help and healing they attempt to make Christianity a purely intellectual growth. They believe that emotions are a weakness and attempt to do away with them. However emotions are a gift from God and part of a man's make sways his will. A man's will is no small matter as it directs his life.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now our mind is to keep emotions in Check, not the other way around but an emotionally mature Christian has a deep passion for God. Jesus demonstrates this emotion when he wept seeing the Jews weeping at Lazarus death. He had zeal when he drove the money changers out of the temple. He was a man of sorrow acquainted with grief. He never sought to eliminate his emotions but to bring them to the obedience of His Father just as his mind was. We are to minister to others in doctrine and emotions. "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep". I have met some very knowledgeable Christians whose demeanor was cold as ice. They were mature in the mind but babes emotionally. Other immature Christians are out of control in their emotions allowing their emotions to rule their mind. This is often the case in Neo-charismatic churches. Some in an effort to down play immature emotions have sought to eliminate them. This is a mistake. Both of the above extremes demonstrate spiritual babes emotionally.

We live for Jesus not only mentally but with zeal, compassion, sorrow and even righteous indignation. It is our emotions that allow us to care very deeply for others and to share one another burdens. It is our emotions that gift us to praise in Spirit and in truth with passion and zeal. We are commanded to be "Zealous and repent". "Godly sorrow leadeth to repentance". This makes sorrow very important emotion.

Don't squash your emotions bring them under obedience to Christ as we should all the facets of our make up. As the psalmist says we are fearfully and wonderfully made.----Pastor Rodney Houston