A word to those who seek Wisdom and Understanding: Hebrews 6:1 THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ, advancing steadily toward the completeness and [perfection] that belong to spiritual maturity.

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. There are 94 references to the word perfect (Maturity) in the King Jimmie Bible and 11 references to the related word perfection; maybe we should pay ATTENTION to the command of Jesus, or Yes?

“Perfection” in Strong’s Concordance is the translation of the Greek word # G5046-‘Telios’ = Maturity, Completion, limit, term, goal, purpose, and a few other definitive descriptors.

How does understanding this affect my personal bible study and growth to maturity as a Christian? Short answer is “a lot”.

For now just read thru a few times, bookmark this page and come back to as you need to and it will continue to make more and more spiritual sense to you as go and grow.

ALSO NOTE: Our spiritual maturity or lack thereof has nothing to do with our physical, biological age. See 1 Corinthians 2:13

STAGES OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH or more accurately “Growth in Christ”

INTRODUCTION – What are the 5 stages of Christian Growth to Maturity

Christian growth and development is similar to human growth and development, but is not automatic. Character is cultivated through discipline and adding to our faith virtue and knowledge that only comes as a result of our taking up our Cross as we mature and are able and willing.

One can also slip backward to an earlier stage.

A person starts to become a new creation in Christ, from the starting point of a spiritual baby—NEPIOS; a suckling infant needing milk both naturally and spiritually.

The following English words for child or children are translated from Greek in the KJV and other biblical translations. The # symbols represent the # of the original Greek word in Strong’s Concordance,

NEPIOS Baby 0-2 years (3516 Strong’s, “not speaking,” infant, simple-minded, immature)
Carnally minded: Defining characteristic 1 Cor 3:1
Tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine Eph 4:14
Unskilled in the Word of righteousness Heb 5:13
Can offer praise to God Matt 21:16
Can receive revelation Matt 11:25

Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a [child-#3516=nepios ], differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all…

Fun fact: Neither a Natural or Spiritual baby, nepios, is interested in understanding or analyzing the chemical contents of Milk; the milk of the Word. They just want and need the Word if indeed they have Spiritual Hunger and have truly been born Again.

PAIDION Little child 2-10 years (3813 Strongs, “childling,” immature, lad)

Are humble: Indicates that NEPIOS has begun to grow Matt 18:4
Are to come to their Lord (learn how to pray and listen) Matt 19:14
Have begun to intimately know the Father 1 John 2:13
Jesus called his disciples PAIDION John 21:5
Should be under the teaching of a spiritual father (PATER)
Receive and enter the Kingdom of God by simple trust Mark 10:15
Deficient in spiritual understanding: Defining characteristic 1 Cor 14:20

You will find this word translated a child, children in its plural and often as son. Don’t fail to distinguish which Greek stage of Maturity is being offered to you. In other words, do take the time and trouble to look up each time you see the word son or child, children in your Strong’s Concordance to properly understand the audience.

TEKNON Older child 10-17 years (5043 Strong’s, son, daughter) TEKNION (5040 Strong’s, “darlings”)
Learn to mimic their heavenly Father Eph 5:1
Do righteousness and love their brethren 1 John 3:10
Actively seek their Lord: Defining characteristic John 13:33
Are commanded not to sin (learn to deal with sin and the world) 1 John 2:1
Are not to be deceived by others concerning lifestyle 1 John 3:7
Are told to abide in Jesus 1 John 2:28
Are told to love in deed and in truth 1 John 3:18
Are struggling to have Christ formed in their character Gal 4:19
Must keep themselves from idols 1 John 5:21

So then, the Spirit of [adoption #5206-huiothesía] himself, through whom someone is adopted as a son, bears witness and assures our spirit that we should be sons of God after we have gone from the spirit of slavery to the Spirit of adoption, when we no longer do anything out of fear, that is, out of fear of punishment, but instead, perfect everything on account of love of the Father.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of [adoption-#5206 huiothesía]-, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the [children-#5043-teknon] of God:

Rom 8:17 And if [children-#5043-teknon], then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

PLEASE NOTE: Notice the Greek word that is translated adoption, huiothesia? It is the Placing of a Son, #5207 a Huios, at the Appointed time of the Father:

Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a [child-#3516-nepios], differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Galatians 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

We receive the Spirit of Adoption as teknons, It is what Develops us and Causes us to cry out to Abba to place us a Huios.

HUIOS a Mature son 40+ years Spiritually Speaking-having been Tested and Tried. 40 is the number, Spiritually, of testing and trying; porving. (#5207 Strong’s, mature relationship with God)

EXTREMELY Important Verse: Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons [son-#5207-huios] unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The MAJOR so-called sin is coming short of that Glory; missing the Mark.

Remember in the verse above, Hebrews 2:10, that the sons Jesus came to bring into/unto the Realm of Glory are at the Maturity-Level, the Level of Perfection, referred to as Huios. NOT nepios, paidion, or teknon. We cannot climb up some other way, please SEE John 10:1.

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And this I pray, that your love may yet abound more and more in full knowledge [#1922 epignosis] and all perception, for you to distinguish the things that differ, that you may be sincere and without blame for the day of Christ,(Philippians 1:10 Literal Translation)

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HUIOS Are led by the Spirit of God: Defining characteristic Rom 8:14

Huios are peacemakers (they end fights) Matthew 5:9
Huios Love their enemies and pray for their persecutors Matthew 5:44-45
Huios Learn obedience through suffering (putting down the flesh) Heb 5:8
Huios are chastised/disciplined by the Lord Heb 12:5
Huios Live a separate lifestyle from unbelievers 2 Cor 6:14-18; [They live in Resurrected Life of Zoe-mdw].
Huios are Overcomers Rev 21:6

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

(Eph 4:12) For the [perfecting-#2677-katartismós] of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

(Eph 4:13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the [knowledge-#1922-epignosis] of the [Son-#5207 = Huios] of God, unto a perfect(ed) [Fully Initiated] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(Eph 4:14) That we henceforth be no more [children-nepios-#3516], tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(Eph 4:15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

(Eph 4:16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

PATER Father (3962 Strong’s, father)
Has intimate knowledge of God (knows his ways) Not only gnosis, but epignosis: Click here for more Light on this very important Greek word: Epignosis. Epi in front of a Greek word means “Above”.
Charges, exhorts, encourages the believers 1 Thes 2:11
Often works as a mentor Phil 2:22
and helps the NEPIOS, PAIDION, TEKNON to grow in Christ

1Cor 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers [#3962=pater]: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Suggestions FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

1. Daily Bible reading with understanding and application: the Logos must become flesh, take ROOT in Good Ground in our lives to be effective and productive.

2. Meditation and pondering on the Scriptures: “Selah” in the Old Testament means STOP and ponder what you just read or heard.

3. Daily quiet time of prayer and listening for the Holy Spirit’s Guidance and Inspiration: Rhema vs Logos

4. Absolute Surrender to take up our Cross and deny ourselves, our flesh, lower self, #5590-psuche, daily as Required by Jesus Himself for all His followers.

Tools for the ones interested in becoming an Approved Workman: Click Here

LOOK at these verses carefully and you can see that unless the Ministers know this, they CANNOT help us into the Glory-Realm, the Full Stature that the Captain of Salvation paid such a Price for:

Eph 4:11-14 KJV

(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

(12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the [knowledge-#1922-epignosis] of the Son [HUIOS-#5207] of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(14) That we henceforth be no more [children-#3516-nepios], tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Heb 6:1(a) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto [perfection-#5047-teleiotēs]; KJV

Heb 6:1(a) So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward [maturity-#5047-teleiotēs]; Charles B. Williams Translation