09 -- CHRISTIAN MATURITY
Life, purity, and maturity, these three prominent facts stand forth in Bible teaching as
distinct. A proper regard to these distinctions would have saved the Church from much of her
controversy on the subject of Christian Holiness.
Dr. Wm. Nast, in his address before the Evangelical Alliance, said respecting religious
experience, -- "There are three chief facts, viz. the impartation of spiritual life to the soul in
regeneration; the cleansing of the heart from all moral impurity, through the sanctification of the
Spirit; and the maturity of the Christian character."
Life, which is imparted in regeneration, and received by faith, is the first and indispensable
requisite of growth, and is the foundation of all maturity. The natural tendency of life is growth,
and all life depends upon it; everything that has life begins to decay when it ceases to grow. Hence
the very existence of Christian life depends upon its progress.
Nothing in the universe, so far as we can see, is capable of so much growth as our spiritual
nature. Spiritual life is the highest possible life, and has the greatest capabilities of enlargement.
Physical growth is often great; intellectual growth is still greater; but neither are equal to
the possible development of man 's spiritual nature. God has given laws to each, and adjusted
principles of growth to them, and each has a living progressive power. Our spiritual being may
progress more and still more through all future ages. God dwelleth in us, his love perfected in us;
and still our love may abound yet more and more.
Purity in a progressive being can exist only in harmony with its growth and development.
As there were steps preparatory for and preliminary to regeneration, and the same in
regard to purification; so there are conditions and preliminaries to Christian growth and maturity.
After the reception of spiritual life in regeneration, and after purification through the blood of
Jesus, the way is open for an unobstructed growth to "the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ."
By growth in grace, as we have seen, we do not understand growth from the vicious to the
virtuous, or from defilement to purity; but the expansion and development of every virtue
implanted in the soul at the new birth. Maturity, which of necessity must be comparative and
relative, is applied to an advanced state of all the graces of the new man, -- involving age, growth,
discipline, cultivation and development.
Maturity is necessarily gradual, progressive, and indefinite; incomplete in this life, and
very likely will be in the world to come. In this respect, the whole Christian life is to be one of
progress; there being ample room for growth at every period of its existence, and especially after
the heart is cleansed, which perfects the conditions of the most solid, rapid, symmetrical growth.
Identifying and confounding maturity with purity, lies at the base of nearly every objection
we have seen to an instantaneous sanctification; especially is this true of those who regard growth
in grace a cleansing process. How often the objection, -- "I do not believe in this mushroom
growth," or "this jumping into twenty years' experience by an instantaneous work."
In the sense the objector means, he is right. There is no instantaneous growth to manhood.
No child of God is cleansed into Christian maturity. No babe in Christ jumps into a maturity
involving twenty years of growth, discipline and development. But a babe in Christ may at once be
cleansed from all inbred sin, and thus become a pure Christian, which is quite different from a
mature Christian. These objections, as is clearly seen, identify purity with maturity, and with the
objector these terms are used synonymously. This makes serious confusion.
Rev. L. R. Dunn says,- "'Holiness is not maturity. There may be moral wholeness where
there is much that is immature and imperfect. A child may be healthy and perfect as a child, but it
is not therefore a man. Maturity is the result of growth, discipline, development." -- Holiness to the
Lord, p. 56.
We must distinguish between spiritual purity and spiritual development. Christian purity, a
present privilege and duty, is very different from Christian maturity, which is largely a subsequent
attainment, subject to the laws of growth, involving time, and an advanced religious life.
Spiritual purity refers more to our past and present state -- the removal of original and
acquired depravity; spiritual development refers to the future -- our progressive nature and the
growth of the Christian virtues.
The difference between an infant and a man is one of growth and development, as a child is
a perfect human being, possessing all the constituent parts of a full-grown man -- a man in
miniature. This, very properly, illustrates religious growth and maturity, -- but never purification.
No child becomes a full-grown man instantaneously. The Christian is not made LARGE by
instantaneous cleansing, but PURE. And, he may be pure and yet immature.
No one is BORN INTO MATURITY, and no one GROWS INTO PURITY. The Bible
nowhere promises maturity by faith, instantaneously; purity, it does.
The advanced attainments of spiritual manhood are attained by growth, and purity perfects
the conditions of that growth. After purity, growth in grace may be more or less rapid, according to
watchfulness, diligence, study of Scripture, prayer and ministries of the Spirit. The "babe in
Christ," though possessing all the essential elements of the new life, has a diseased nature -- "yet
carnal," which needs cleansing; and, when cleansed, he is not a mature Christian, he is still "a
babe in Christ" -- a pure, though an immature Christian.
Bishop Foster says, -- "A being of inferior capacities may be as free from the taint of sin,
as one of much more exalted powers. -- Christian Purity, p. 71.
It will be admitted, human nature is the same in all unregenerate men, though subject to
various modifications by surrounding circumstances. Regenerate nature, though specifically the
same, is subject to like modifications of temperament, capacity, education, and other
circumstances. The same holds true of entire sanctification; which, though essentially the same in
every case, is consistent with many unessential modifications, which many appear to disallow.
There are "babes," "young men," and "men of full age," in a state of entire sanctification.
We should not fail to distinguish between them, and bear in mind that maturity is to be understood
only in a relative sense.
Holiness, as has been seen, is expressive of moral quality, and not a name significant of an
advanced process of religious growth or maturity.
A small young apple-tree may bear as good fruit in quality or kind, as a much larger tree. It
may also bear fruit to its utmost capacity and strength, just as perfectly as a larger tree. The
husbandman expects fruit from it only according to its capacity. He looks upon growth to increase
its capacity for fruitfulness; but not to change the nature or quality of the fruit. So a babe in Christ,
after being entirely purified, may love God just as purely, fully, and with all his heart -- to the
extent of his capacity, as an adult Christian.
Mr. Wesley's definition, -- "Pure love reigning alone in the heart," may be possessed just
as positively by the "babe in Christ," cleansed "from all sin;" as by the "man in Christ."
Water in a small channel may be just as pure, and it may fill its channel just as perfectly, as
in a much larger one. And a pure stream may increase in volume and power. Perfection in quality
does not exclude increase in quantity. The powers of the soul are improvable, and its capacities
are expansive. Bishop Foster says: "If a finite soul be to its utmost capacity filled with love, it is
perfectly holy, though its capacity be capable of endless expansion." -- Christian Purity, p. 77.
Dr. John Dempster, in a sermon heretofore alluded to, says: "The difference between these
two states, is moral, not physical, owing not to one being more largely developed than the other,
but to one being more pure than the other."
These quotations recognize the difference between simple moral cleanliness -- purity, and
maturity -- an advanced development in purity, or spiritual manhood. These ideas, and their
processes are totally distinct. We must know there is a difference between purity or entire
sanctification in its infancy and in maturity -- as an advanced, established, and confirmed state of
purity. The purified soul by growth, confirmation, and the law of habit becomes "rooted and
grounded in love."
Dr. Dempster says, -- "Beyond sanctification there is no increase in purity, but increasing
increase in expansion."
"Purity is to be distinguished from maturity. When inbred sin is destroyed there can be no
increase of purity, but there may be an eternal increase in love, and in all the fruits of the Spirit." --
Binney's Theological Compend
Bishop Hamline says, "The field may be cleared of weeds, while the tender blade is
springing up, and months may be necessary to grow the grain. So the heart may be cleansed from
all sin, WHILE OUR GRACES ARE IMMATURE, and the cleansing is a preparation for their
unembarrassed and rapid growth." -Sermon, Beauty of Holiness, 1862.
There may be a large difference in the measure of grace in those who are wholly purified,
while there is an essential sameness as to their purity. The graces of the Spirit may exist in the soul
with much variety of strength and measure, while there is no alloy, or sin in it, this being the test of
its purity, according to the word of God.
The word perfection does not always imply equality. Two apples, each perfect, growing
on the same tree, may be equally sound, ripe, and delicious; and, as to quality exactly identical, yet
one may be much larger than the other. Their difference is in size and not in quality. And growth
does not change their quality.
Millions of Christians die in immaturity, and are saved. They have been cleansed, and they
die in the arms of Christ, and in good hope through grace. Maturity is nowhere made a condition of
entrance into heaven, while purity is.
Making the foregoing easily understood and clearly revealed distinctions, relieves this
subject of difficulties which have greatly perplexed multitudes of good men. The only way to
understand Mr. Wesley, is to observe these distinctions, which some failing to do have made that
great and good man contradict himself. The same is eminently true in regard to the Bible, which is
as clear as light, on the precious fundamental doctrine and duty of Christian holiness.
Maturation is the process of being "established, strengthened, settled;" -- the being "rooted
and grounded" in the love and grace of God. It is, advancing toward "the length, the breadth, the
depth and the height," involved in a life of obedience to God. Maturation is "giving all diligence,
adding to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to
temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness, charity."
So far as I know, all orthodox Christians teach the doctrine of total depravity, and that
those totally depraved may wax worse and worse, becoming more and more degenerate, and
sinking deeper and deeper in moral degradation. "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving and being deceived." Why may we not with equal propriety, teach that those
cleansed from all impurity, may increase more and more rapidly in all love, knowledge, and
goodness? If wealth and health enable a man to accumulate property easier and more rapidly than
one in a state of poverty and sickness; will not purity, which is the soul's health and wealth,
prepare it to grow with increasing vigor, beauty, and symmetry?
Vegetables in a garden cleansed from weeds and grass will grow more thriftily than
otherwise, nor will they cease to grow when every noxious thing is exterminated. No gardener
would have fears that in destroying the weeds he would cause the vegetables to cease growing: --
rather, they would grow the more rapidly.
A tree pruned, and all worms and insects cleansed from it, will not cease to grow, but will
grow all the faster. A healthy child will grow in stature and strength more rapidly and beautifully,
than one sickly or possessed of some constitutional disease. All disease or deformity obstructs
growth, while health is its most essential condition. Thus when the carnal mind is destroyed, with
all its miserable lusts -- every root of bitterness exterminated, and all spiritual disease "healed,"
the soul will grow with increasing thriftiness and uniformity.
If our capacity is obstructed, is partially occupied with an opposing principle -- inbred sin;
then our love must be defective, nor do we love God with all our heart.
The nature and process of growth and maturity are set forth by the Saviour, and illustrated
by the advancing harvest, "First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear;" and by
the grain of mustard seed, which grew until it became a tree and the fowls of the air lodged in it.
These figures indicate growth, and an advancing maturity necessary to accomplish the processes of
its existence; and without which the laws of their existence would be violated.
The Apostle expresses it as follows: "Till we all come ... unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." St. John, having regard to the stages of growth and
development, recognizes "little children," "young men," and "fathers" as the result of a growth of
all the parts, members, and graces constituting "a babe in Christ." A little child has all the parts
and lineaments of a man. The "babe in Christ" has all the essential elements of the new spiritual
life. He has them, not merely in infancy, but in connection with inbred sin -- in a nature "yet
carnal."
Bishop Foster says, --- "Though in regeneration all the elements of holiness are imparted,
all the rudiments of inbred sin are not destroyed, and hence, again, the absence of complete
sanctification, which, when it occurs, expels all sin." -- Christian Purity, p. 109.
The necessity and importance of religious growth no one will question. In the spiritual
world, the great law of life is growth. The Christian cannot cease to grow without danger. To keep
any religion at all we must grow in grace.
The Christian who does not grow becomes peevish, fretful and unhappy, like a child that
has ceased to grow. Is this not the reason why so many professors of religion have become weak,
uneasy and dissatisfied? In nature, when growth ceases, decay and death are at hand. When a child
ceases to grow, it starts for the grave. Not to progress is to regress, and regression is destruction.
In regeneration, spiritual growth is like the slow progress of wheat choked and made sickly
by the intermingling tares. The growing wheat may represent the graces of religion, and the tares
our remaining corruptions. While these remain they are always in the way of the former. Entire
sanctification removes them -- roots them out of the heart, and leaves it a pure moral soil. It is then
that the graces of the Spirit have a luxuriant growth, and bear the fruits of righteousness to the
praise and glory of God.
When the heart is thus cleansed, it is freed from all obstacles to the Holy Spirit's most
gracious workings. Then it is prepared to progress as never before, and every breath of divine
inspiration, every ray of divine light, and every act of religious duty tends to strengthen and
establish it -- in a life of holiness.
If the soul loved God with all its power, Bishop Foster says, --- "It would not henceforth
remain stationary, but rather quickened with a deeper life, its growth would become more rapid."
"It is only when all sin is cleansed from the heart, (says Dr. F. G. Hibbard), when the
whole desire centres on God, and the whole consent of the will embraces each and every
command of God that the virtues of Christ or the graces of the Spirit can grow with unimpeded
progress." -- N. C. Advocate.
Maturity can be predicated only of age, time, growth, and an advanced spiritual life.
Careful, constant faithfulness to God, is the only way in this world to a well-balanced,
symmetrical, mature Christian. Purity affords a growth unobstructed in every direction within the
soul. Though the soul may have to maintain the assaults of enemies without -- a defensive warfare,
which is often quite difficult and aggressive; all is peaceful and friendly within.
It ought to be clear to every child of God, that after the Holy Ghost has cleansed the soul --
accomplished the negative part of salvation -- He can carry forward his positive work of
enlightenment and enrichment, adornment and endowment with love and power, more easily and
with less obstruction than ever before, -- the death of sin giving free scope to the life of
righteousness.
In the purified soul, the volume of love is more deep, strong and steady than is possible in
a mixed moral state. Then it burns a flame, diffusing itself through the entire man, illuminating and
sweetening the spirit, giving energy to the will, and refreshing and blessing the soul at every step
in the path of duty. In this condition the soul will love and glow, expand and mature amid all the
crosses and fluctuations of life. "When the embarrassments are thus removed out of the soul itself,
(says Dr. Luther Lee), progress will be more rapid, every virtue may increase in strength and
brightness." -- Lee's Theology, p. 25.
The regenerate and the fully sanctified grow in grace exactly alike: they gather strength,
increase in knowledge, and develop and mature in the graces of the new man in Christ, received in
regeneration. In the merely regenerate state this growth is greatly hindered, and is much less steady
and healthy; while in the purified heart, all obstructions having been removed, all spiritual disease
healed, there is more ample space for the Christian graces to grow and flourish. Thus it is that after
purification, growth is less impeded, and more rapid, uniform and solid.
By the cleansing power of Christ, and sanctified habit, all the tendency of our nature
becomes as steadily and strongly to virtue, obedience and piety, as it formerly was towards sin.
Furthermore, experience has shown that the elements of holiness planted in the regenerate
soul, cannot be fully developed without purifying grace, excluding all impurity. Faith, hope, love,
patience, meekness, gentleness and the like can neither increase unobstructedly, nor be perfect in
quality, without the cleansing blood washing all impurity from the soul.
As we have stated, spiritual life emanating from the Holy Ghost, in its progressive power
has no bounds, limits or dimensions, and the soul of man, the seat of this life, is endowed with
powers and capacities capable of endless improvement and unlimited expansion. These powers
and capabilities of the entirely sanctified increase or expand more rapidly than those of the
unsanctified, as sin degenerates, cripples and enervates; while holiness quickens, invigorates, and
secures the best possible foundation for the development of all our powers and faculties.
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