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From Saplings To Oaks Of Righteousness

Growing old is inevitable but growing up is a choice. That's because spiritual maturity is not how old you are but how Christ-like you have become since your spiritual birth at conversion.

In 1 CORINTHIANS 13:11 Paul says. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Some Marks of Immature Christians  HEBREWS 5:11-6:3 

•  spiritual dullness 
•  inability to listen   
•  believers so long now they ought to be teaching others   
•  still need someone to teach the basics of God's Word   
•  babies need milk and cannot digest solid food 
•  they have no discernment or ability distinguish right from wrong  
•  they need to be taught the basics over and over again (such as repentance,  
   faith, baptism, ministering to people, life after death & final judgement.)

The Goals Of Discipleship      PHILIPPIANS 3:10

In PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 Paul points out that we will not achieve spiritual perfection this side of heaven. Nevertheless we should put the past behind us and press forward to the goal of spiritual maturity, which he summarises in PHILIPPIANS 3:10  -  I want to know -

•  the PERSON
•  the POWER     } of the LORD Jesus Christ
•  the PASSION

Paul is pointing out that none of us will achieve maturity until we see Jesus face to face, but we need to press on to reach the goal.