11/19/2025
Stuck in Spiritual Repeat? Growing Up in Christ (Ephesians 4:14-16)
It’s a challenging, yet often true, observation: “Some of you have been Christians for twenty years, but you’ve been repeating year one of the journey the entire time.”
Imagine trying to be a medical doctor but spending two decades only learning how to wash your hands—you’re following a basic step, but you’re not practicing medicine. In the spiritual life, many believers find themselves in a similar rut. They've accepted Christ, but their faith journey has stalled, marked by spiritual immaturity instead of progress.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, addresses this very issue, urging believers to move beyond the spiritual kindergarten and step into robust, mature Christian living. This passage is an incredibly rich theological blueprint for growth:
The Danger of Spiritual Infancy: Ephesians 4:14
Ephesians 4:14 (ESV): “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
The Instability
Paul starts by warning against remaining “children.” The childish state, theologically, is one of instability and vulnerability.
Tossed To and Fro: An immature believer is easily swayed. They are like a small boat without an anchor, constantly at the mercy of the "waves and wind." This imagery speaks directly to a lack of solid theological grounding.
Every Wind of Doctrine: This isn't just a critique of false teachings; it's a critique of the lack of discernment in the hearer. The immature Christian lacks the spiritual gravitas and biblical knowledge to distinguish truth from error.
Human Cunning and Deceitful Schemes: Spiritual childhood makes one easy prey for those who intentionally seek to mislead (false teachers, manipulative leaders). A mature faith builds a robust theological immune system, protecting the believer from becoming a victim of clever, deceptive arguments. To remain in "year one" is to remain defenseless.
The Mandate for Maturity: Ephesians 4:15
Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”
The Christocentric Growth
The solution to instability is growth—specifically, a particular type of growth: Christ-centered maturity.
Grow Up in Every Way: Maturity isn't selective. It’s an holistic transformation—affecting our knowledge, character, relationships, and actions. It means leaving behind the self-centeredness of a spiritual toddler and embracing the servant-leadership modeled by Christ.
Into Him Who Is the Head, Into Christ: This is the goal and the standard of Christian maturity. Theologically, our growth is not measured by our own progress or by comparison to others, but by our increasing conformity to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). He is the telos (the ultimate aim) of the believer's life.
Speaking the Truth in Love: This phrase captures the method of growth. It requires a balanced commitment to both orthodoxy (right belief—the truth) and orthopraxy (right action/attitude—in love). Truth without love is abrasive and ineffective; love without truth is sentimental and empty. Only the mature believer can wield both simultaneously, ensuring their words edify the church community.
The Divine Architecture: Ephesians 4:16
Ephesians 4:16 (ESV): “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
The Organic Unity
Paul concludes by shifting from the individual to the Corporate Body of Christ—the Church. This verse emphasizes the interconnectedness of all believers.
From Whom the Whole Body... Joined and Held Together: Christ is the source of unity and sustainer of the church. Just as the human body depends on the head (brain) for function, the Church depends entirely on Christ. This demonstrates a core theological truth: Christian life is never meant to be lived in isolation.
Every Joint with Which It Is Equipped: Every believer ("each part") has been equipped with spiritual gifts and functions by the Holy Spirit. This concept of gifting is essential. If you are repeating "year one," your gift is dormant, and a "joint" in the body is not working.
Builds Itself Up in Love: This is the ultimate, Spirit-led consequence of collective maturity.
When individuals grow up (v. 15), and when every member works properly (v. 16), the church grows—not through external marketing, but through internal, organic development, resulting in a community characterized by love.
It’s Time to Move Past "Year One"
If you've been a Christian for years but feel stuck, the remedy is not a new spiritual program but a renewed commitment to the principles laid out in Ephesians 4:
1) Stop being tossed: Anchor your faith in the deep study of Scripture to develop discernment.
2)Grow Up: Intentionally pursue Christ-likeness in every area of your life.
3)Work: Identify your spiritual gift and use it to edify the local body of believers.
Spiritual maturity is a lifelong process, not a one-time event. Don't let your 20th year in faith look exactly like your first. The church needs your fully functioning, mature self.
