The Christian'sWorthy Walk: Corporate Transformation" Part 7

Christ gave spiritual leaders to the Church to help Christians mature. How is this maturity evidenced? In a healthy church, the members are marked by decreasing carnality and worldliness, and increasing holiness. Their lives are growing in stability and strength, even in the most trying of circumstances, and demonstrate self-control, love, godliness, and moral excellence in ever greater degrees. When spiritual leaders are not being faithful to their task, immaturity flourishes and the life of the church suffers. The members are characterized by emotional instability, fear, a lack of desire to strive toward knowing and obeying Christ, and a naivety when it comes to spiritual dangers. Our faith is tested and our spiritual condition is revealed by both providential circumstances and false teachers, but God has given us His clear and trustworthy Word. He has given us His Spirit, the accountability of the local church, and the giftedness of spiritual leaders. My friend, we dare not be gullible and spiritually immature children, naive to the dangers around us. Let us press in toward the knowledge of Christ with all of our heart and strength. Only then will we find the peace and stability our souls crave in Christ.