I am blessed to have served in ministry for many years.  I love helping others grow closer to God as they make a growing difference for God’s Kingdom, but many people do not understand what it means to be a mature Christian.

Unfortunately, many people think that a person is a strong Christian if they have been a Christian for a long time or if they regularly come to church.  Those things are important, but they are not what defines our maturity.

The Bible is clear that when you ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you are saved immediately.  However, growing in your faith (or sanctification) is a process.  It is a lifelong pursuit.  We all need to know the difference, so it is important to know what it looks like when you are growing spiritually.

1. You look more like Jesus rather than looking more religious

In Romans 8:29 Paul explained that we are supposed “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”  We are supposed to look more and more like Jesus.

Looking more like Jesus is not based only on how many religious activities you participate in.  We should participate as much as we can, but looking more like Jesus is showing HIS character in your life.

In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul also explained that it involves being “transformed into [the image of Jesus] from glory to glory.”  It is a process of character change.  It is steady transformation.  If someone is not demonstrating more of Jesus’ character, something is wrong.

If you are growing spiritually, you must look more and more like Jesus, and…

2. You become more aware of your sin rather than less aware

The closer you get to God, the more you realize just how sinful you are at your core.  It’s like the Prophet Isaiah’s experience; when he was given the blessing of seeing the Lord, he cried out in Isaiah 6:5, “Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips.”  After years of growing closer to God, the Apostle Paul also realized his state – which he stated in 1 Timothy 1:15: “‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ – and I am the worst of them.”

A growing Christian does not have false humility.  He has a realistic view of himself.  She has a sensitive conscience and realizes how much she needs the Lord – every day.

If you are growing spiritually, you become more aware of your sin rather than less aware, and…

3. You focus more on others and less on yourself

Most people seem to look like selfish children – always crying out, “Mine!  Mine!  Mine!”

Christians must not look like selfish children.

Jesus did not come to have others serve Him (though He deserved it) but came to serve (Mark 10:45).  That’s the kind of heart we should have.  And people should see that difference in us.

If you are growing spiritually, you focus more on others and less on yourself, and…

4. You depend more on God rather than thinking you can handle life yourself.

Many people think that they should handle life’s problems on their own unless their problems seem to be too big.  Then they’ll ask God for help.

That way of thinking leads many people to look self-centered and arrogant.  They tend to be pushy.  They begin to think that God doesn’t care about the “little things”.  And that is dangerous.

God cares about every aspect of your life.  God wants to be part of every part of your life.  God wants you to trust Him.  It is why Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:7 that you must “cast all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”

If you are growing spiritually, you depend more on God rather than thinking you can handle life yourself, and…

5. You produce obvious fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  The fruit is not a list that we have to follow.  It is a list of characteristics that God wants to and will produce in you when you let Him.

And when His fruit is growing in you, others will see it!

If you are growing spiritually, you produce obvious fruit, and…

6. You help God’s Kingdom rather than just being a spectator

If you walk into any church, you will find Christians (often many of them) who see church as something to get something from.  It isn’t about what they can do for God; it’s about what they can get out of God.

The problem with that line of thinking is that it goes completely against what being a follower of Jesus is about.  Every one of us is called to “the work of ministry” so that “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.” (Ephesians 4:12)

If we are growing spiritually, it will not be only an internal transformation.  It will become an outward expression of what God is doing inside us.  We will serve others.  We will disciple others.  We will serve God through His church.  We will make a difference.

If you are growing spiritually, you help God’s Kingdom rather than just being a spectator.

As you can tell from reading this article, spiritual growth is not an immediate thing.  It is a growing thing.  Every day you become more like Jesus.  And that is what God wants us to be.

I would love for you to check out my book on how you can know and use your spiritual gifts: What Could I Possibly Do for God? Click the picture below to check it out…