Press On to Maturity

When you are “born again,”[1] you are just an “infant in Christ” (see 1Co 3:1–2; cf. “little ones,” Mat 10:42; 18:3–10), a new baby Christian, if you will, and immature in the faith. You must continually “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pe 3:17–18; cf. Col 1:9–12; Php 3:12–14) and “press on to maturity” (Heb 6:1; cf. Heb 5:11–14; 1Co 14:20; Eph 4:11–16). You have only just started your “pilgrimage” (see Heb 11:13–16; 1Pe 2:9–11 KJV) as a Christian, and you have not reached your ultimate destination, which is eternal life with God and His Christ Jesus in heaven (Rev 21:1–22:5). Please understand that even after you have been “born again,” you can still:

• “Fall away” from the faith (see Mat 13:21; 24:10; 26:31, 33; Mar 4:17; 14:27, 29; Luk 8:13; 1Ti 4:1; Heb 3:12; 6:6; 2Pe 3:17),[2]^, [3]
• “Drift away from it [the faith]” (Heb 2:1),
• “Wither away” (see Mat 13:5–6; Luk 8:6),
• “Shrink back to destruction” (Heb 10:36–39; Luk 9:62; 17:32),
• Let your faith be “choked out by the worries and riches and pleasures of this life” (paraphrase; Mat 13:7, 22; Mar 4:7, 18–19; Luk 8:7, 14; Mat 6:19–24; 19:16–24; Mar 10:25; Luk 3:14; 9:25; 12:15–21, 33; 16:13; 18:18–25; 22:3–6; 18:24–30; Act 5:1–11; 16:19; 20:35; Php 4:11; 6:6–10; Col 3:1–3; Heb 13:5; 1Ti 3:3; 6:6–10, 17; 2Ti 3:2; 4:10; Tit 1:11; Jas 1:9–11; 5:1–6; Psa 49:5–6; 52:7; 62:10; Pro 11:4, 28; 23:4; 28:6, 11; 2Ki 5:20–27) and cares “of this world” (see Joh 8:23; 12:25, 31; 13:1; 15:19; 16:11; 17:14–16; 18:36; 1Co 3:19; 5:10; 7:31; 2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1Jn 2:15–17; cf. Mat 6:19–21, 24; 13:22; 16:24–26; 19:16–24; Mar 4:18–19; 8:34; Luk 8:4–8; 9:23; 14:26–27; Rom 12:2; Col 3:1–2; Php 3:19–20; 1Ti 6:9–10; 2Ti 4:10; Gen 19:26),
• Become “entangled again” in sin and the world again like “‘a dog returns to its own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow [pig], after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire [mud]’” (see 2Pe 2:20–22; Pro 26:11; 2Ti 4:10),
• “Disqualify” yourself by continuing to partake in sinful actions and behaviors (see 1Co 9:24–27; 2Pe 3:14; Rev 16:15),
• Become “lukewarm” or “leave your first love” (see Rev 2:4; 3:16), which is Jesus and a desire above all else to be obedient to Him and to be with Him in heaven, and
• “Desert Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel” (see Gal 1:6–9); that is, be lured, seduced, “enticed,” “tricked,” “deceived,” “bewitched,” “led astray,” “misled,” “exploited,” “moved away from [the truth],” “taken captive,” “carried away,” “tossed here and there,” or “turned aside” (either willingly or through sheer ignorance of God’s Word) into following the false teachings and “fake gospels” (paraphrase) of men, committees, and institutions. You must “continue in” and remain true to the “faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Col 1:23; Jud 3) in NT Scripture. You can, in fact, have your “crown of life” “taken from you” (e., stolen by those who teach and preach wrongly; see Rev 3:11; cf. Hos 4:6; Rom 10:1–2; 2Co 2:11; Jud 3; Col 1:23) by the “ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing” (paraphrase).[4]

We still have much to learn. You mature in faith by reading and studying the Bible each day[5] combined with a solid prayer life.[6] The maturation process should continue throughout your life as a Christian. Furthermore, the wise Christian will learn what all of the commandments of Christ and the instructions of His apostles are (Joh 14:15, 21, 23–24; 15:10; 1Jn 2:3–5; 5:2–3; Mat 7:21; 12:50; Mar 3:35; Rom 2:13)[7] so you are not “ignorant” (2Co 2:11; cf. Act 17:30) of what God expects from those who “call on the name of the Lord” (see Act 2:21; 22:16; Rom 10:13; 1Co 1:2; cf. Gen 4:26; Isa 12:4; Psa 91:14–15; 105:1; 116:4, 13, 17). Take heed of what is written: “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it” (i.e., eternal life with God and Jesus in heaven, Heb 4:1). We are told that ignorance will not be an excuse on Judgment Day (Hos 4:6; Rom 10:2).[8]^, [9] While the love, grace, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness of God are absolutely massive, we must still live by the instructions we have been given in Scripture so we don’t forfeit our salvation.

The remaining chapters in this book are, therefore, just as important as being “born again,” for they explain the various elements of the Christian faith and life so you are not uninformed and so you can truly walk in “the Way”[10] (Act 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22; cf. Joh 14:6) of a Christian, as you:

• “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jud 3),
• “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1Ti 6:12; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 4:7),
• “Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:14), and
• “Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast” (Col 1:23).

You don’t receive your “crown of life” (Jas 1:12; Rev 2:10; cf. 2Ti 4:8; 1Pe 5:4; 1Th 2:19; Rev 3:11) until Jesus awards it to you on “the day of judgment,”[11] which is also final eternal salvation. This is covered more fully in the next chapter.