 Okay, welcome back after the break. Before we went for a break, we were just beginning to look at Chapter 5, Kingdom Builder's Lifestyle. And we saw, or we just kind of discussed, you know, why God the character is important. Okay, so before looking at why God the character is important, let's define what character is. So basically character is, yes, Abu Bakr, do you have a question? You raised up your hand. I have a question. Yes, please go ahead. Yes. Concerning the assignment, last week's assignment. Yes, the assessment. Yes, assessment. I saw it and I did it and I submitted it. And I viewed my score. Because on that day, I wanted to travel to another camp and the place I don't know where I can see my phone to charge. So that's why I quickly did the assignment early in the morning on 14th, 14th of this month. So when I viewed my score before, I have my daughter. I have my daughter, but unfortunately I can't charge my phone until the 16th of this month. So when I charge my phone, I have my daughter. I went to my gym and I discovered that you send my score there. And after that, you now send another information concerning that assignment. When I go to my classwork and I discovered that the assignment was, the assessment was missing, the route missing in front of that assignment. And I did it. Okay, so if I heard you write, you're saying you did the assessments, you saw your score. You also got an email regarding your score. But now when you go back, you're not able to find your assessment, right? Is that what you're saying? The route missing in front of that assignment. Okay, so you're saying it's now missing, you don't have to worry. I haven't actually sent the scores individually to people. I'll do that. So you don't have to worry. I'll check if after I have another hour after this, and after that, I will check if your scores are in your paper is there. And then I will just reply to you on the stream page. Is that okay? Okay, thank you. Yes, Trefina, you have some questions on the assessment. Yes, Pastor, I think in the last film, the blanks, when we write it with capital letters, it's actually, I don't know what's the mistake, but I wrote the right answer and it said wrong. So I just hope you know that because I lost mark because of it. Yeah, so what I've done is I've, last week, I've gone through some of the fill in the blanks of those who submitted it, all those who submitted it last, I think last Friday I checked and I have, you know, individually, personally added the grades for those of them who have written the correct answer, if they have written a capital letter or whatever, but if the answer is right, I have given them the grades. So I will do that again, maybe this Friday or maybe the following Monday. Don't worry. And I will personally go to each one's paper, check everything and then give you the right scores. Okay, thank you, Trefina. Yes, Lubega. Mine was, was that you, you told me that you checked and you saw that I deserved more marks to add to my, my small ones. But when I was checking, I found that it is the same. Max, it was not changed. Maybe that's what you're going to do on Friday and we shall see on Monday. It's okay. Yeah, but then I think it's, it, it changed your scores when I, it automatically saves it. So it has to change. But I'll just check it if it's come on the Google sheet is there must be in the Google form. But whether it's come on the Google sheet, I'll check that and then you can, I'll personally go through and check each of your grades and see if it's all right. And then I'll then post the right grades to each one of you. Is that okay? Ma'am, even for me. Yeah, I'll do that for everybody. Yes, thank you ma'am. I'll take everybody's paper. Yeah. Ma'am, there's one blank with the answer is eternal, eternal kingdom. And rather, instead of writing just eternal, I wrote in the answer, eternal kingdom. So yeah, I'll check that. Yeah, I'll check all of them. Thank you ma'am. Thank you ma'am. Okay. I've not individually posted your grades to each one of you in the Google classroom. When I do that, and then you still have any, is there very, any variations or problems? And you can let me go after that. Okay. Okay, any more questions? Okay, we'll look at chapter five. Okay. So what is character? Character is basically who you are as a person. It's not what others assume you to be or what you assume to be before others. It's basically who you are in secret, the secret choices that you make actually reveals your character, your actions and reactions in unexpected circumstances reveal your character. Your conduct is revealed in your character and your words, attitudes, decisions are all revealed in your character. So it's basically your value system that influences the choices that you make that ultimately shows both as your character. Okay, just an example of the greatest Godly character in the Bible. Who do you think, you know, we can say is the greatest Godly character in the Bible? Greatest example of a Godly character in the Bible? Yes, Rosalind. I'm Daniel. Daniel. Okay. Thank you. Yes, Daniel is one of the greatest examples of Godly character. Before Daniel. Thank you, Subashish, Joseph. Yes, Joseph is the greatest, you know, examples of Godly character very early on in the Bible. You see that, you know, when he served in a Potiphar's house for 11 years, we know how Potiphar's wife always had an eye on Joseph. If we look at Genesis chapter 39, verse 12, it says that, you know, or verse 10, it says, you know, she spoke to Joseph day by day that he did not heed her to lie with her or to be with her. Okay, so it was a constant temptation. There's a constant, you know, you know, proposal that, you know, Potiphar's wife would put forth to Joseph day after day. But we see that, you know, Joseph never heeded to her proposals, to her, you know, to what she wanted to have him do with her. We also see that, you know, in the same chapter, Genesis chapter 39, when no one was in the house, even her mask, even Potiphar was not there at home, how she takes hold of Joseph grabs him. And then he says, you know, how can I do this wicked thing against you, you know, because you're my master's wife, he is not withheld anything from me accepting you because you are his wife. And then he says, you know, how can I sin against God? You know, when I read this many, many years back as a teenager, I was just so amazed to see that even in the situation, you know, Joseph was able to say, how can I sin against God? And I was just asking myself, there's so many times when I have sinned against God, I have done things that are wrong. And I never thought my cross my mind that, oh, I'm sinning against God, I'm grieving the Holy Spirit that is within me, I'm breaking God's heart. But imagine Joseph in the plight that he was in the situation that he was, you know, just standing up and saying no, which is so difficult. And also just in that moment to say, you know, how can I sin against God? So I think he's one of the best examples of a Godly character. So, you know, we learned from Genesis chapter 39, verses one to 12, we learned that, you know, the power to say no to temptation comes from a strong character. Okay. And verse eight, we read that, you know, he refused and said to his master's wife, look, my master does not know what is with me in the house and he has committed all that he has in my hands. So it's just being a good steward, being faithful, being sincere. And so the power to say no comes from a strong character. We know that, you know, Joseph did have a very strong character, even when his brothers were playing the fool, not taking care of the sheep, not doing their work in the fields, he would go and tell his father and his father would basically be very, very angry with them. And that made, you know, Joseph's brothers more angry than just that quote that his father made for him. And also we know that a strong character comes, you know, when we are accountable to God, you know, when no one is watching us. So basically, I said, our character is what we are in the secret in the dark when nobody is seeing us or nobody is knows what we're doing, the choices that we are making, you know, our character is stand strong in the secret place in the quiet when there's nobody watching us when we're making our decisions, what we are watching, what we are thinking. So our conscience will keep us accountable to God, even when no one is watching. Okay, so that is why Joseph says, how can I sin against Spotify? And moreover, how can I sin against God? And, you know, ability to say no comes from a strong character, an ability to say no in the times of temptation is only possible. You know, when we have a strong character, we know that Joseph had a strong character because it was then it says the day after day, Potiphar's wife would go behind Joseph and he would just deny her or he would not do what she wanted him to do with her. So, you know, that strong character comes when we persistently are saying no to the wrong things or saying no to temptation. A strong character cannot be weakened and will not give into continual temptation. Okay, so how is character developed? We will look at, we'll study the life of Daniel and see how a godly character is developed. Okay, we know that Daniel, when he was very young, when he was a teen, he was taken as a captive to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed Israel, they took everyone as captive, destroyed a whole of Israel. And we see that, you know, when Daniel was chosen, because he was intelligent, smart from a princely family, he was chosen to be one of those people who be trained in Nebuchadnezzar's court so that he can be the future officer in his court. And we see that, you know, Daniel along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were offered the food from the king's table, knew that they shouldn't be eating that food. And so they asked, you know, the chief person and he said, no, you know, if I do this and don't disobey the king's order, then, you know, it'll cost me my life. But then they finally spoke to the guard and the guard who was serving them the food. And he agreed for 10 days, just, you know, give them lentil soup and vegetables and water. And the guard at the end of 10 days saw that, you know, these four boys, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, you know, look more healthier, smarter, bright compared to the others who are eating from the king's table and he allowed them to eat that same food for the next three years. So we see that, you know, a strong character does not come later on in life. It begins at the very early stage when in the early stages of our life, we are saying no to different things that are not pleasing, that are not right. So it's never too, you know, early to start working or developing a godly character. Okay. Also, a strong character comes by the influence of people around us. So if you have people who are also having a good sound character, godly character, strong character, they can be a good influence on our part. We see that, you know, Daniel, you know, along with the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you know, made the right choices. So he stayed with these three other boys who made the right choices. They also decided not to eat from the king's table compared to the other boys who ate from the king's table. We also see that, you know, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down before the idol that the king had made. And so we see that Daniel, you know, had companions who were strong in their moral character. They had strong character. That's why we see that even when the king said that if you don't tell me the dream that I dreamt and the meaning of the dream, then all of you officers will be killed. And so he goes to his house, Daniel goes to house. He tells Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego what he tells the god, you know, to just wait one more day. He will tell the king what is the dream and the interpretation of the dream. And we see that, you know, Daniel along with these other three men, you know, they pray to God and God reveals the dream that the king had and the interpretation. First Quarantine 1533 says, you know, don't be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits. So we can have good godly habits, but if we have people with worldly or the wicked, the people from the world, you know, they can influence us and we can easily get influenced by their company. So it's important that, you know, we are along with people who are having strong character or strong godly character. Okay, strong model characters built over time through discipline and practice. We see that in Daniel's life as well, he ate the food was disciplined in what he was taught about the food habits, the Jewish food habits. And also we see that, you know, when the king made this decree that all of them had to, you know, not worship any other king or sorry, any other God, the next 30 years, we see that, you know, Daniel reads the decree, he goes to his house as he usually does, goes to the upper room, opens the door towards Jerusalem, and he kneels down and he prays three times a day, just as it was his custom in his early days. Look at Daniel chapter six was 10, you know, very important. Daniel chapter six was 10. Can somebody read that please? Daniel chapter six was 10. Daniel chapter six was 10. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room with its windows open towards Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Thank you, Jeffina. Just know the words as usual, just as he has done in his very early days, you know, the version that we have in our PDF says, you know, as was his customs since early days. So, you know, character is does not just happen in a second when we face a strong character doesn't happen when we face temptation, we say no, it is built over time to discipline and practice. We also know that a strong moral character is strengthened even through adversities, even through challenges and difficult situations. For example, Romans chapter five versus three and four, which is a very familiar passage of scripture, it says, you know, tribulations produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. Okay. So even though we go through difficulties and tribulations and hardships, you know, we need to persevere because our perseverance brings about a strong moral character and character will bring about hope that God is going to deliver us and redeem us and set us free. We have that hope. Okay. So we look at why his character important. God the character is very important. It's a prerequisite for a kingdom ministry, you know, the Apostle Paul when he writes person second Timothy to Timothy, even as he's overseeing the churches at Ephesus, and when he writes the book of the episode of Titus to Titus, who he has left in Crete to oversee the church at Crete. Paul is writing to them and talking about spiritual leaders. And he's saying how to choose spiritual leaders, what are the qualifications he's to look at for in that person. And note, you know, in these passages in First Timothy chapter three, verses one to 15 Titus chapter one, verses five to nine, we see that, you know, Paul is telling them, it's not just telling them, okay, you know, choose somebody who is a theology to be trained who sounded biblical knowledge, who knows Bible verses or is able to pray like three, four hours a day, or, you know, somebody who is a tense church regularly. I mean, he doesn't mention all of that. But if you just look at First Timothy chapter three verses one to 15, if you can just turn your Bibles or your notes, you know, or Titus chapter one verses five to nine, we're surprised to read that Paul says, you know, choose people, you know, who are, who are not given to wine, who are not violent, not greedy for money. They're not quarrelsome, not covetous. Husband of one, my wife, temperates, sober-minded, you know, not double tongue, not greedy for money, not puffed up with pride, you know, they're not supposed to be having wives who are slanderers, who are unfaithful, you know, who's somebody who's able to take care of their own house, if they're not able to take care of their own wife and their own children, then how can they take care of, you know, the house of God? So we see that he's talking about how, you know, these bishops, the elders, the deacons, what kind of men they should be, you know, not be greedy, not be self-filled, not be quick tempered, not given to wine, not violent, they should be holies, self-controlled, sober-minded. I mean, the list is so endless if you look at it, and it's all basically talking about character, okay? So even what the Holy Spirit is revealing to Paul is, hey, you know, if, you know, character is more important because gifting comes from God, and if you don't have the right character, you cannot receive the gifting, you cannot receive the anointing. So true strength of our ministry is not in our anointing, but in our character, okay? Matthew chapter 9 verse 17 says, if you put new wine into old skin, you know, people don't put new wine into old skin because it will break, but they put new wine into, you know, new wine skins so that even when the wine is, you know, fermenting, the new wine skins have the capacity to, you know, to enlarge themselves and to accommodate the wine, and hence the wine and the wine skin are preserved. So looking at Matthew chapter 9 verse 17, we can see that, you know, the anointing is the wine and our character is the wine skin, okay? So if the wine skin, which means if our character is weak, you know, we are not able to, you know, be strong, we are not able to hold on to ourselves, then what happens? You know, the anointing that is there will leak and just be wasted away, okay? So your gifts can take you where your character cannot keep you, you know? Yes, you can have the best gifts, the best talent, you can be the most talented person, but your gift can take you where your character can't keep you. So you need to have the strength of character to help you, you know, to sustain the heights that the, that God is taking you to levels of, you know, prosperity or promotion that God is taking you, you need a strong moral character so that you can retain the gifts, the calling and the anointing that God has placed in your life, okay? Your moral character is your true strength, a man's or a woman's real strength is their moral character. It's your strong moral character that will help you to withstand temptations, accusations, the persecutions that you go through, the lies of the enemy and other pressures that you face, okay? And the most important message, you know, we can preach the most beautiful message with the most beautiful words, with, you know, the best theology and all of that, but if our life does not speak, you know, if our character does not speak, then nobody will be interested in listening to us. So it's important that, you know, when our character is good, you know, that even if it's a simple message, even if it's very down to earth, even if it does not have any charisma or, you know, any kind of style, you know, people will listen and the anointing will flow through powerfully and God will minister because it's not the charisma, it's not the words, it's not the style, but it's what God is interested is in our character. And, you know, when we have a good godly character, the anointing will flow through very, very powerfully and the gifts that God has given to us will be used to minister to people. And we see this in the life of Paul himself, you know, Paul himself says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Just imagine him saying that, imitate me as I imitate Christ. You know, he could have said imitate Christ, but he's saying imitate me. To say that statement or to make that statement, that bold statement requires, you know, years of strong character and no one able to point an accusing finger and say, hey, how can you say that when you did this yourself? But Paul is able to stand up and say, you know, imitate me as I imitate Christ. And we see him writing in, you know, first Thessalonians chapter one, verses five and six. He says, you know, the gospel that I preach does not come only with word, but also in power. And he says that, you know, you know what kind of men we bear among you for your sake. So he says, my gospel that I preach not only comes with word, but also demonstration of God's power, but also you know what kind of people we are, what kind of men we are, how we live our lives. If you look at first Thessalonians chapter two, verses one to ten, you know, in verses three, four, five, six, Paul says, you know, you know, that the exhortation that he brings about does not come from error or uncleanness. There is no deceit in him. But he says, you know, we have been approved by God because God has entrusted the gospel to us. So even as we speak, you know, we don't speak to please men. We are not men pleasers, but we do it to please God because he's the one who tests our heart. And every time we come and speak to you, we don't speak with flattering words. As you know, not our cloak for covetousness, God is our witness. That means we don't depend on you. We don't, you know, benefit from you. We don't take from what is yours. Paul was a tent maker. He had this business. He worked himself, supported himself. So we see that, you know, he does not make demands from anybody. He does not make use of the people. And in first Thessalonians chapter two was then he says, you are our witness and God also, how devotely and justly and blamelessly we have behaved ourselves among you who believe. So just imagine those words. He says, you know, you are our witnesses, you know, he's just calling upon them. He says, you are our witness, you know, how devout we have been, how just we have been, how blameless we have behaved ourselves. So I think, you know, more than busying ourselves into just building our kingdom, we need to concentrate on our, you know, building our character, godly character so that we can be like Paul saying, you know, we imitate me, you know, or, you know, look at how devout, just blameless I have been so that no one can point an accusing finger at us. So our life speaks the greatest message we will ever preach is the life that we live because people can forget all about our messages, what we have said, but it's our life that speak volumes, that, you know, speaks a great deal. Okay. Dr. Edwin says a man is more than a message. Your message is credible because you are credible when a man is no longer credible, his message is suspect. Okay. Now we look at spiritual maturity as important as spiritual gifting. So, you know, we are all interested in gifting, we want the gifts of the spirit, we desire the gifts of the spirit, we run behind that, but it's spiritual gifting is important, but more important than that or as important as that is spiritual maturity. Okay. So what is spiritual maturity? And how do we assess if we are truly spiritually mature? Now, in the New Testament, there are three words that are used for spiritual maturity. And, you know, when translated in English, it's basically just a basic word called complete. But then if you look at or examine the three Greek words used for spiritual maturity, it just speaks more than complete. It gives us, you know, additional insights. So there are three words, Greek words. One is Tilios. The other one is Plero. The other one is Caterids. Okay. So, Caterids. Tilios, Pelerio, and Caterids. So what is Tilios? Tilios is basically meaning complete, coming to full age, being mature, a perfect man. It basically means somebody is full of age or just grown up and adult. And it's used in a context of maturity. So a person is of full age or perfect or complete. It refers to their mental and their moral character. The word Pelerio means to fill up. Okay, we look at various references in the Bible where these words, Greek words are used so that we can understand better. Pelerio is basically meaning to fill up. It can also be translated complete, but the literal meaning is to fill up. And the third Greek word which is used for spiritual maturity in the New Testament is Caterids, which means to be complete thoroughly, thorough equipping. So it's often translated as complete, but the literal meaning is to be thoroughly equipped. Okay. So let's look at various verses in the New Testament where we can identify these, where we can see these words and we can identify seven characteristics of spiritual maturity using these Greek words. The first one is that spiritual maturity is growing in Christ's likeness. So can somebody please open up to Matthew chapter five verse 48? Somebody else can open to Ephesians chapter four was 13 and somebody else can open up to Colossians chapter one was 28 and 29. So one person can please read Colossians one, 28 and 29. Another person can read Ephesians four, 13, and another person can read Matthew chapter five was 48. So who will read Matthew chapter five was 48. Matthew chapter five was 48. Therefore, you shall be perfect. But just as your father in heaven is perfect. Thank you. So here the word perfect is Thelios, which is meaning, you know, coming to full age or mature, a perfect man. So basically it's therefore you shall be a mature man, complete, full of age, just as your father in heaven is perfect. Okay. So Jesus is challenging us to be full grown people, mature people, adults, full of age. And that is how God wants us to be. He does not want us to be childish. Okay. Ephesians chapter four was 13. Ephesians. Yes, go ahead. Go ahead, Lubega. Ephesians chapter four was 13. It says, still we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Amen. Amen. Thank you. So here the word perfect is Thelios. So, you know, it's basically talking about, you know, being a spiritually perfect man, spiritually mature man. So when do we become a spiritually perfect man or mature man or woman? It means when we come to the full stature of the fullness of Christ, which means that spiritual maturity is growing into Christ's likeness. And in verse 15 of Ephesians chapter four, it says, you know, we are called to grow up into all things into Christ's likeness. So in every area of our lives, we must be aligned just aligned to who Christ is, just to be who he is, to be like he is. And Christ must be manifested in all areas of our life. And this is what God wants to accomplish in each one of our lives, even as we journey through life, even as we become Kingdom builders, we know that the minute we, you know, we confess our sins and ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives, we know the Holy Spirit comes and lives in us and he sanctifies us. He makes us more Christ like. Okay. Colossians chapter one versus 28 and 29. Can somebody read that please? Can I read now? Sure, please. Thank you. Colossians chapter one versus 28 and 29. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end, I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me, my Tili. Thank you, Rosalind. Amen. So the word perfect here is again the Greek word Tilios. So, you know, the goal of Christian ministry, what is the goal of Christian ministry is to present each person, you know, mature, full of age, you know, being strong and mature in Christ. Okay. So that's the first area of spiritual maturity. We're going to look at six more, you know, we're going to look at totally about seven ways we can identify the characteristics of spiritual maturity in the New Testament. The first one, spiritual maturity is growing into Christ's likeness. The second one is spiritual maturity is being perfect and complete in all the will of God. So can somebody please read Colossians chapter four versus 12 and somebody else can open up to second Corinthians chapter 13 versus 9 and 11. And one more person to Hebrews chapter 13 was 20 and 21. Yet another person to Luke 640 and another person to Ephesians 411 to 12. So it is Ephesians 411 and 12. Luke chapter 6 was 40. Another person please can read Hebrews 13 20 and 21. And someone else can read second Corinthians 13 9 and 11. The second point, spiritual maturity is being thoroughly equipped for every good work. So can one of you please read second Corinthians chapter 13 versus 9 and 11 please? Second Corinthians chapter 13 verse 9 and 11 for we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray that you may be met complete. Finally brethren, farewell, become complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Amen. Thank you, Zealotoli. So here the words complete in this verse is the Greek word katharitso and it's basically saying that we need to pray for believers. What do we pray for believers? We pray that they become fully equipped and also another injunction here is to become complete or fully equipped. And so the responsibility here in this verse is on us that we need to do what it takes to be fully equipped to equip ourselves to journey towards spiritual maturity. So spiritual maturity does not come automatically. You know, spiritual maturity is our responsibility. We need to take the steps that is required to equip ourselves to be fully equipped as we journey towards spiritual maturity. Hebrews 13, 20 and 21. I can confirm you. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 20, 20 and 21. Peace. Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, shipped through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-placing in his life through Jesus Christ, through whom you belong forever and ever. Amen. Thank you. Amen. So in Hebrews chapter 13 here again we see the prayer is for God to work in the believer to fully equip them so the words are complete. In verse 21 is katharitso. So we need to pray and ask God to work in the believer to bring them into full equipping to carry out every good work according to his will. And you know this equipping that happens as God works in our lives enabling us to do what is well-pleasing in his sight as we just read in this, just as we just read in this verse. So we cannot receive equipping to work out every good work. It's Christ who works in us. So apart from his work in us bringing about what is well-pleasing in his sight. So we cannot receive equipping to work out every good work. We just pray but the equipping happens as God works in us and enabling us to do what is well-pleasing in his sight. Luke chapter 6 verse 40. Luke chapter 6 verse 40. Yes please, thank you. Luke 6 verse 40. A disciple is not above his teacher but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Amen. Thank you. The word perfectly trained is katharitso, the Greek word. So Jesus desires that all of us, his disciples be like him. For us to be like our teacher, we need to go through the process of being thoroughly trained and equipped. The last verse in the second point is Ephesians chapter 4 verses 11 and 12. Somebody read that please. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 and 12. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church, the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, their responsibilities to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church the body of Christ. Thank you. So here the Greek word is for equipping is katharitso and it's basically talking about the five-fold ministry that the Holy Spirit gives to various people and he says that this five-fold ministry is for the equipping of the saints. So again the word katharitso here is basically talking about thoroughly being equipped, being complete so that we can equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The third aspect of spiritual maturity is when we are spiritual mature, it gives us the ability to receive solid meat which means gives us the ability to receive revelation. In Hebrews chapter 5 verse 11 to 14, the writer is saying of whom we have much to say and hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness for he is a babe but solid food belongs to those who are full aged, tilios, the Greek word that's used here, that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. So here basically in this verse and in Hebrews chapter 6 verses 1 to 3 and Priscordianians chapter 2 verses 6 to 7 he says you know he's talking about you know only when we are spiritually mature when we come to full age you know can we receive the doctrines the teachings of God's word we can receive the solid meat solid meat means a revelation the truth of God's word and so here in the verses that I just read you know the writer is saying you need to be teachers but you are you know still you know not in that position to teach because you are you know just needing milk okay and he says you're just still babes and he says solid food belongs to those who are full of age that means mature fully grown adults and by the reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. So it's basically a spiritual mature person is a person who has a renewed mind and a renewed mind is able to understand the ways and the thoughts of God a renewed mind is able to you know through their senses able to discern what is good and evil what is right and wrong able to do what is right and not do what is wrong. So he's saying you know in these in these passages of scripture saying these people who have you know actually gone through the basics they have learned the elementary principles and are pressing forward towards maturity you know only when they do that they come become of full of age but these are people who are able to receive and these kind of people who come to full age are mature in their understanding in their spiritual maturity they're full of age they're mature he says are able to receive wisdom and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. The third thing is spiritual maturity is having our senses trained to discern what is right and wrong so our senses is basically our soul our mind will and our emotions you know when our mind will and emotions we know are when we are born again our spirit man is born again but our body and our soul is just the same and so we need to you know be renewed by the transforming of our minds you know where we are basically feeding our soul with the word of God and when we are feeding our mind with the word of God you know then we are able to constantly you know we have a renewed mind we are able to understand the ways of God the mind of God and we are you know we have our senses trained in knowing what is right and wrong the next one the fourth one is spiritual maturity is putting away childish behavior now we know that when we ask when we a person is an adult we see him mature you know doesn't behave like a kid there are some adults who are not mature they we see them behaving very childish ways we see some young people who are very mature in their ways of behaving and understanding they don't behave like children and also their understanding their thinking their speaking is not childlike but very mature and so spiritual maturity puts us in a place where our understanding thinking and our speaking is spiritually mature according to the ways and the thoughts of God and if we need to understand God if we need to know what God is speaking to us if we need deeper revelations that God wants you want God to reveal to you you want to know deeper truths then you need to journey towards spiritual maturity which means you cannot a childish person is a carnal person if you're feeding your spirit your spirit that means you're growing to spiritual maturity but if you're behaving very carnal you're feeding your carnal nature your your fleshly nature that means you're becoming very childish and how do you know if you're being very childish if you have envy jealousy there's you know you you you don't live in unity you're constantly bringing strife you're competing with others there's selfish ambition all of these are characteristics of a childish behavior and you know that you are childish and you need to journey towards spiritual maturity and people with a childish behavior cannot understand the ways and the thoughts of God the next one is spiritual maturity is having your full body and tongue in control okay James chapter three verse two says for we all stumble in many things anyone does not stumble in words he's a perfect man that means tedious fully mature you know a perfect man full of age okay and he's able also to bridle the whole body so a spiritually mature person has the ability to keep their body in control means how much they sleep what they eat exercise what they indulge in they're able to you know keep a control over their body and their tongue we know that self control is not the result or the work of the carnal nature is the work of the spirit in our lives and also it's a sign of spiritual maturity so if you want to know if it's spiritually mature you know you need to see how you're you know controlling your back bodily appetites you know I'm not just talking about what you're eating your sexual appetites your the desires of your flesh what you're buying how you're spending your money what you're indulging in and also you know controlling the tongue the book of Proverbs teaches us about the importance of self control it says in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 32 he who's slow to anger is better than the mighty and he who rules his spirit then he who takes the takes a city Proverbs chapter 25 verse 28 says a person without self control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out okay so we know that spiritual maturity is a process it does not happen instantly it takes time uh hence we journey with God and how do we journey with God we don't feed our carnal nature we feed our spiritual spiritual nature how do we do that not reading his word the mode his word we're meditating on his word it renews our mind it fills our soul and our body and you know and also through other people and through other life experiences we can learn and hence we constantly progress in spiritual maturity okay we'll continue with this chapter five in the next class anyone has any questions before we sign out any questions okay no questions okay if there are no questions we'll end the class thank you everyone for joining class have a good week a week ahead and God bless I will see you next Wednesday thank you