Christian Maturity

Don't forget that you're justified not by how well you follow, but you're justified by Christ alone. Don't forget it. Don't forget you can't earn this. A mark of Christian maturity is when you stumble and fall you run to God and it results in more worship. A sign of immaturity is that when you stumble and fall is you run from God, try to fix yourself up, and run back to him.

 I came across that chunk of preaching while listening to Matt Chandler via The Village Church's podcast. (It is around the 32:00 mark in the 11th part of the Colossians series.) According to this, which I think is accurate and a good indicator of Christian maturity, I am pretty immature. I (and might I add, we) tend to be very prone to this weird legalistic kinda thing that confronts me when I sin and drives me away from God in guilt and shame in a manner that is simply not biblical. I don't intend to discuss godly and ungodly guilt here, but let me just say that I see so many Christians (myself being the prime example) who are so prone to a forgetful, powerful, ignorant shame that deems ourselves to be beyond God's love and fellowship, even if we somehow reckon in our minds that we have his forgiveness (once again, I skirt another huge issue, but it will have to wait).

My point, and I think one of the main things I am learning right now is how to biblically deal with my sin. I am learning to wrestle with the thought that I am a sinner. I have a nature that is fundamentally corrupted and does not want to love God. Yes, sanctification is indeed taking place in my life and Christ is transforming my life and mind, but I still am essentially broken right now. I am a sinner, justified before the Father by the Son's sacrifice, and am being sanctified by his Spirit. I must not live and think in a way that neglects this first truth. I am a sinner.