07-04-10 AM - Maturing Faith

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Hebrews 6:1-3
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

 And because many don’t know the scriptures or the Fathers heart they conclude that there is not a Real God who cares about me.

The 5 stages of “sonship”.

1. Nepios – nativity, birth, the very earliest part of life. Used metaphorically of young seedlings.
Characteristics include: weakness, helplessness, submission to adults.
Eph.4:14;(no longer infants tossed..)
1Cor.3:1. (I can’t address you as spiritual but infants)

2. Paidion – it literally means “potty training”.
Generally refers to a child up to 7 years.
1 Cor. 14:20; Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants (nepios), but in your thinking be adults.

3. Teknon - Teenager

Rom.9:8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.

4. Hyios – This has a broad meaning from grandson to descendent in general.
It could be a teacher-pupil relationship, or a father-son relationship. It denotes dependence on one another and belonging together.

Matt. 13:38 pictures the “sons of the Kingdom” and the “sons of the evil one”.
Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

5. Pater – Paternal father. This word is used as a title of honor, or a respectful means of addressing a vulnerable old man, or to indicate spiritual or intellectual fatherhood.

“huios Theou”- Sons of God.

Romans 14:23
But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

When we come to the place where we understand that the Living God lives in us and intends to live through us then our faith starts to mature.

John 5:19 "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

So these issues of mature faith come into play as we look not so much at our age but our stage.
Heb. 11:1-2
 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

“We are able to see the Kingdom of God in terms of the consistent and faithful goodness of God.”

John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

2 Cor. 4:16-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


Matthew 6:31-33
31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Heb. 5:12
12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

1 Cor. 2:9-12
9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"--
10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.


John 16:12
Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

1Co 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.