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Don Stewart :: What Practical Steps Can We Take toward Christian Maturity?

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Don Stewart
As believers there are a number of practical steps that can be taken toward living a mature Christian life. They are as follows:

1.Count The Cost
First, we must count the cost of following Jesus. There will be a price to pay. Jesus said:

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will they not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if they has enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28).

2.Sever Connections With The Past
If there are things in the life of the believer that still links them to their sinful past, then, as much as possible, these should be severed from their life.

Then He [Jesus] said to them all: If anyone would come after Me, they must deny themself and take up their cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23).

3.Put Aside Everything That Hinders
The believer should put aside everything that keeps them from following Christ.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In putting everything aside we are to fix our eyes upon Jesus. He will perfect our faith.

4.Don't Be Sidetracked
We should keep our eye on the goal and not be sidetracked. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

5.Look On The Needs Of Others
The believer should also look to the needs of others.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3,4).

If the ministry of Jesus could be summed up in one word, the word would be the word others. His life was lived not for Himself, but for the benefit of others.

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Summary
When a person wants to truly follow Christ, then there are certain things to do to reach a mature Christian life. These include: counting the cost, severing the connections with the past, putting aside those things that hinder us, and not allowing ourselves to be sidetracked. Above all, we should look to the needs of others.

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