Mature To The Glory Of God
Table Of Contents
Introduction
Maturity in the life of an elect is not simply about how long we have been saved or how much we know about the Bible. It is about becoming increasingly transformed so that our lives bring glory to God. Through the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, through the finished work of Christ accomplished through Jesus’ baptism, death, and resurrection, tremendous internal transformation takes place within us. This transformation should be reflected through the way we live, causing us to glorify God and draw others toward Him.
As we mature, we begin to bear fruit, just as a tree needs time to grow before it can produce fruit. Our spiritual growth is a process, and as we deepen in our faith, our lives can become a blessing to our families, friends, colleagues, and the people around us. Even when we are weak and vulnerable, continuing to look to God and depend on Him can become a testimony that points others toward Him.
Maturity is especially revealed when we face the realities of life. Trials, setbacks, struggles, and difficulties will come, but spiritual maturity teaches us to keep pressing on and trusting in God. When we endure with overcoming faith and continue to acknowledge that God is the One sustaining us, even our trials can become an opportunity to glorify Him.
At the centre of this message is the glory of God. His glory is not about outward or material beauty, but the beauty of His character—His goodness, righteousness, mercy, grace, and love. While human glory fades through accomplishments, status, and recognition, the glory of God endures forever. As we grow toward maturity, our lives must therefore be continually realigned to give Him the glory through unceasing worship, unceasing transformation, and unceasing service.
Unceasing Worship
Spiritual maturity is reflected through unceasing worship. When we truly understand who God is—His greatness, goodness, righteousness, mercy, and majesty—we cannot treat worship as something we do only when we sing a few songs in church. Worship is our response to who God is and what He has done. As Psalm 113:3 declares, God’s name is worthy to be praised, and when we worship Him, we direct our praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and honour to the One who alone deserves it.
As we mature in our faith, our worship should also mature. Worship is not limited to singing, but becomes a lifestyle expressed through our time, our talents, our money, our words, and the way we live. We cannot approach God only when we need something from Him, as though He were merely there to answer our requests. God desires a heart that knows Him and acknowledges His worth. The more we know Him, the more freely we can give Him the glory that belongs to Him.
We must also be careful not to take glory for ourselves. Acts 12:21–23 gives us the example of Herod, who received the praise of the people when they proclaimed him to be a god, yet he did not give glory to God. We can experience the same temptation when people praise us, applaud us, or recognize our accomplishments. Instead of taking that glory for ourselves, we should redirect it to God and acknowledge that whatever is good in our lives ultimately comes from Him. Glory belongs to God, and spiritual maturity teaches us to give the credit back to Him.
Unceasing worship also means worshipping God personally every day. Whether we are at home, at work, driving, cooking, or going about our daily responsibilities, we can continually keep our minds set on Him. There will always be distractions, fears, uncertainties, and things competing for our attention, but we must learn to realign our minds when they begin to drift. The mature believer develops an ongoing awareness of God and continually brings praise, thanksgiving, and prayer back to Him. As Romans 16:27 reminds us, God alone is wise, and He is to be glorified through Jesus Christ forever.
This unceasing worship is also expressed corporately as the family of God. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to forsake gathering together, and coming together as believers is part of how we live out our faith. We do not come to church merely looking for someone else to create an atmosphere of worship for us; we come bringing the worship that is already within us. Those who are growing in Christ should delight in gathering with God’s people, lifting Him up together, encouraging one another, and giving Him the glory He deserves. The more mature we become, the more fervently and continually we worship God—personally and together as His people.
Unceasing Transformation
Spiritual maturity is a life of unceasing transformation. When God saves us, He does not intend for us to remain the same person we were before. Romans 8:29 shows that God’s purpose is for us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Through the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, we have been made alive, justified, and brought into Christ, and the Holy Spirit now dwells within us to help, teach, strengthen, and guide us. From that point onward, our walk with God should continue to grow.
This growth does not happen overnight. It is a continuous journey of faith. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. As we keep hearing God’s Word, growing in His grace, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us, our thinking, desires, values, and way of living should increasingly change. The things that once controlled our attention begin to lose their importance as our hearts become increasingly centred on God and what is eternal.
True transformation should also become visible to the people around us. It should be seen in the grace we show, the way we treat others, and the way we conduct our lives. As we continue to grow, people should be able to look at us and recognize that we have changed—that we are no longer the person we once were. Our maturity should bring glory to God because His work is becoming evident through our lives. Over time, this transformation should also produce fruit that touches and blesses others, causing them to see God and give Him glory.
That is why spiritual growth cannot be treated casually. The Bible and the Church are given to nurture us, teach us, cultivate us, and help us grow, because without maturity we remain vulnerable. We need to continually grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as 2 Peter 3:18 teaches. The more we know God and understand His truth, the more His character is reflected through us and the more our lives are aligned with the purpose He has prepared for us.
Unceasing transformation also means examining ourselves and making sure that our faith is genuine. We cannot simply assume that everything is well because we have once responded to the Gospel. There must be evidence of growth and a continual work of God within us. When transformation has truly begun, it will continue. Our lives will progressively reflect Christ, our families will see the change, and our actions will increasingly point people toward God. This transformation does not glorify us—it glorifies God, because He is the One who began the work and continues to bring us toward the person He intended us to become.
Unceasing Service
Spiritual maturity is also expressed through unceasing service. A mature believer does not simply receive from God but recognizes that everything God has given can be used to serve others and glorify Him. 1 Peter 4:10–11 reminds us that each person has received a gift and is called to use it as a good steward of God’s grace. Whatever we do, whether through speaking or serving, should be done with the ability God supplies so that He may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Service therefore is not about showing how capable we are, but about faithfully using what God has placed in our hands for His purposes.
That is why we should not bury our gifting behind excuses such as being too busy, not being good enough, or feeling that we are not capable. God has given each of us something, and maturity means being willing to use it. We may not begin by doing something big or standing at the forefront, but we can start somewhere and serve faithfully in the small things. Serving God in those ordinary places becomes an expression of humility because we are no longer living only for ourselves. Instead, we are offering our time, abilities, and opportunities back to God and using them for His glory.
Unceasing service also becomes a blessing to others. 2 Corinthians 9:12–13 shows that service does more than meet practical needs; it can cause people to give thanks to God. When we willingly serve, others can experience the goodness of God through what we do, and their response becomes thanksgiving directed toward Him. This is how our service can glorify God—people are not ultimately meant to look at us and stop there, but through our service, they should be led to recognize the God who gave us the ability to serve in the first place.
Our attitude in service also matters. Colossians 3:23–24 teaches us to do whatever we do wholeheartedly as unto the Lord and not merely to please people. We are not ultimately serving for applause, appreciation, or recognition, because people may not always notice or thank us. God is the One we are serving, and He is the One who sees and rewards our faithfulness. When our motivation depends on people’s response, we can become discouraged and stop serving, but maturity enables us to keep going because our eyes remain on God rather than on the opinions of others.
Ultimately, unceasing service is about bearing fruit that brings glory to God. John 15:8 reminds us that the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit. As we continue to mature, our service should increasingly point people to Christ rather than drawing attention to ourselves. Our lives should validate the Gospel of the water and the Spirit through the way we serve, showing that what we believe is truly transforming us. No matter what others say, whether they appreciate us, ignore us, or even oppose us, we can continue serving because we are not serving man—we are serving the Lord.
Living It Out
Maturity is not measured by how much we know, but by how our lives are continually being changed to the glory of God. Let your worship become unceasing, not something limited to a Sunday gathering. Keep your heart directed toward God through prayer, His Word, thanksgiving, and a life that remembers that He alone deserves the glory. At the same time, allow the Holy Spirit to keep transforming you as you grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Do not be discouraged when growth takes time. Transformation is a journey, and God is continually bringing you from glory to glory.
God has given each of us gifts and abilities, do not bury what He has placed in your hands. Find a place to serve, begin where you can, and serve wholeheartedly as unto the Lord. Even when people do not notice, appreciate, or thank you, remember that you are serving Christ, and He sees your labour. Let your service meet the needs of others, cause them to give thanks to God, and point them back to Jesus. As you continually worship, continually transform, and continually serve, your life will bear fruit that brings glory to God.
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