Spiritual Maturity & Dating Non Believers

What is spiritual maturity? -Simply the process of becoming more like Christ (sanctification) -The whole point of having a faith is to grow in spiritual maturity & Christ likeness. -Think of a child, a 2 year old should act like a 2 year old we’re okay with that. But if a 12 year is acting like a 2 year old there’s a problem. We would say they are immature. -Being effective and fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus is the essence of spiritual maturity. Things to remember: Everyone is at different places in their walk. We shouldn’t judge others but encourage & challenge them along their journey. We should remind baby believers of right and wrong from God’s perspective. It’s an ongoing process. Refinement never ends. Spiritual maturity requires a reordering of priorities. As Christians we have this power to submit to the spirit and be spirit led. “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Philippians 3:12 NLT “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” Philippians 3:13 NLT “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 NLT “The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.” 2 Peter 1:8-9 NLT Dangers of dating when you are unequally yoked? What does the Bible say? Why does this matter? A. There is no spiritual harmony (the Bible clearly states this) “What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?” 2 Corinthians 6:15 NLT “And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”2 Corinthians 6:16 NLT B. Bad company corrupts good character. Dating/marrying a non believer can and will hinder your walk. (Corinthians 15:33) C. Settling for a relationship that is not God centered will NOT strengthen your relationship with God. It will be a distraction & potentially cause you to fall away from God’s will. Are you distracted or focused? D. When you choose to date someone, they are a potential marriage partner. You want to choose someone you desire to be on mission with. E. Is your purpose aligned with their purpose? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thefreedompodcast/support