How Do You Become a Mature Christian?

Galatians 4:17-20
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Paul continues to admonish the Galatians for having started with grace and freedom they are now returning to the bondange of the law.  Because the Galatians had treated him so well during an apparent sickness he had, he pleads with them to remember the gospel he first preached to them.
Apparently false teachers had slipped in trying to the win the Galatians back over to the law.  One commentator says, 
"The false teachers among the Galatians demanded the observance of days and months and seasons and years and other such legalistic matters acted as if this would lead them into a higher plane of spirituality. Yet all these weak and beggarly elementsof legalism did was to bring them into bondage." (Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary)Finally, Paul shows the depth of his pastoral heart when he says, "I am in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."  

 Paul, not only led the Galatians to Christ, he knew that following Christ would lead to Christ being formed in them.  This is a great definition of discipline, "Growing to Christ-like maturity". But this maturity does not come from slavish obedience to the law, but the Spirit of Christ working in us.  Paul says it is the Spirit of Christ that we can call out, "Abba Father". 

  Our relationship with God is now as a son or daughter chosen to be God's inheritance.  Therefore, growing to Christ-like maturity is growing into who God has called us to be, "a son or daughter of God."  Discipleship is not about doing more "stuff" but about doing the right stuff as child of God marked by the cross of God, and sealed by the Holy Spirit forever!


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