The Three Levels of Christian Maturity: A Deeper Look
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
Christian maturity is not an overnight achievement. It is a process of growth that can be compared to the stages of physical growth: infancy, toddler, and adulthood. In Scripture, believers are urged to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), moving from spiritual immaturity to full maturity in Christ.
This progression from a newborn Christian to a mature Christian requires time, patience, commitment, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Here, we’ll look at these three stages more deeply, with additional Scripture to guide our understanding.
Throughout this study, I will use the terms Level 1 (New Believer), Level 2 (Toddler Believer), and Level 3 (Mature Believer) to describe the three different types of spiritual growth in a believers life.
Level 1: The Newborn Christian (Spiritual Infancy)
A newborn Christian is someone who has recently come to faith in Jesus Christ. At this stage, they are spiritually immature, just beginning to understand the basic elements of salvation and Christian living. Like a baby, they are in need of spiritual milk–(basic teachings) and require careful nurturing and guidance.
Key Characteristics:
New birth: The person has just been “born again” (John 3:3).
Immature understanding: They are still learning about God’s love, salvation, and what it means to live as a newborn, born-again believer in Jesus Christ.
Need for growth: They must be nurtured in the basics of faith and have the need of discipleship by a more experienced mature believers to help them grow in their spiritual journey with Christ the Lord.
Scripture References:
John 3:3 (KJV):
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The “new birth” is central to the life of a every new Christian. This is the foundational moment when they enter into a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ–(God).
1 Peter 2:2 (KJV):
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
Just as a baby depends on milk to grow, the new Christian needs the foundational truths of God’s Word for spiritual nourishment and growth. A new believer must be focused on reading the Word, just as a physical newborn baby requires milk to sustain them. Newborn Christians are not able to eat and digest meat–(the deeper things) of the Word. The Lord desires them to grow as they continue drinking the spiritual milk of the Word, and the Lord knows that they are not yet able to eat and digest the deeper things of the Word.
As newborn believers continue reading and praying for a deeper understanding of the word of God they will become more aware of scriptual truth and not be carried away into false doctrines–(teachings) that is wide-spread even in our day.
Ephesians 4:14 (KJV):
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
A newborn Christian is susceptible to believing lies that God never intended them to believe. They can be “tossed by every wind of doctrine” that many are promoting today. God expects newborn babes in Christ to “be no more children” and wants them to learn what the Scriptures are really teaching as they continue reading, praying, and listening to the Holy Spirit teach them all truth found in the word of God.
Newborn babes in Christ must continue reading and hearing the Word in order to grow. They must also be open to hearing and learning the voice of God through the written Word. As they hear and read the Word, the Holy Spirit begins teaching and guiding them. Without this, they will not grow to the next level of maturity.
This is vital to spiritual growth so they can discern what is true and not be carried away by every wind of doctrine that many are teaching.
John 16:13 (KJV):
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
New believers are vulnerable to being misled or confused, so they need solid sound doctrinal teachings and guidance from mature Christians to avoid spiritual deception. New believers should enguage in regular fellowship with more seasoned believers where they can ask questions and learn scriptual truths!
Level 2: The Toddler Christian (Spiritual Childhood)
As a toddler Christian, a believer has moved beyond the basic and fundamental teachings of Christ and is beginning to walk out their faith more independently. However, they are still learning to stand firm in their faith. They may face challenges in life and begin to develop more understanding of the Christian life.
The toddler Christian becomes more aware of their own weaknesses and begins to experience spiritual growth in character, but they are still prone to immaturity and struggle because they have not fully matured yet. Many Christians today are at this level in their spiritual walk with the Lord.
Key Characteristics:
Learning to walk: The Level 2 believer begins making independent choices based on Scripture learned as an infant Christian, but they are still learning how to handle challenges and how to apply what they have learned to daily life. For instance, they may know what Scripture teaches about loving one another as Christ loves us, yet struggle to do so and may treat others unkindly, or in some cases even hatefully or disrespectfully, as many do today.
Struggling with sin: There is an increasing awareness of personal sin, but not yet full victory over all the struggles that sin produces in their life.
Growing in knowledge: They begin to understand deeper aspects of faith but may still lack spiritual depth.
A Level 2 believer has some understanding of Scripture but still behaves in a childlike manner as a follower of Jesus. Their fruit–(actions) contradict their understanding of Scripture. For example, they may know that fornication is sin, yet continue in it. Their behavior is undeveloped and resembles that of a toddler with a childlike mentality. The Bible refers to this as the “carnal mind“. The carnal mind is an under developed “spiritual mind” that must be renewed by the word of God.
Wrong spiritual thinking and living is what hinders a Level 2 believer from knowing the perfect will of God and results spiritual stagnation and inmaturity in their Christian walk with the Lord. Their “actions and speach” reveal their level of inmaturity and in many cases one can not tell the difference between a Level 2 believer and a person who is lost in the world.
In order for the Level 2 believer to grow to the next level of maturity they must begin taking the word of God seriously and in sincerity, moving from merely accepting doctrine to a deeper, more sincere obedience and personal relationship with God.
Scripture References:
Romans 12:2 (KJV)
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
1 Corinthians 3:1–2 (KJV):
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
These verses indicate that there are deeper things God wants every believer to experience, but the Lord cannot reveal these deeper things–(meat of the word) because of an underdeveloped spiritual mind. The result of an underdeveloped spiritual mind is little to no spiritual growth. The Level 2 believer misses out on what the Lord has planned for their life, their spiritual destiny becomes hindered and the spiritual blessings they desire are not manifesting in their life because of “stunted spiritual growth“.
Even in the natural, according to research a child with who is experiencing stunted growth for their age can experience poor nutrition, repeated infections, pr lack of stimulation especially in the crucial first 1000 days. It leads to impaired physical and cognitive development, weakened immunity, and poor future productivity, with effects often being irreversible after early childhood. Causes include malnutrition, poor sanitation (causing infections like diarrhea), inadequate care, genetic/hormonal issues, and chronic illness, requiring nutrient-rich diets, good hygiene, and medical intervention (like hormone therapy for deficiencies) for prevention or treatment.
Many today are experiencing a spiritual malnutrition and it has stunted their spiritual growth in their journey with God.
The following scripture verses will help in understandinghow to correct spiritual stagnation, let’s take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 2:9–16, with my comments in [brackets] below each verse for clarity.
1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV):
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
[At first glance, one might think God does not want His children to know what He has prepared for them, but verse 10 shows otherwise.]
Verse 10 (KJV):
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”
[To know what God has prepared for every believer, they must know the voice of the Holy Spirit and be willing to follow His leading. How can anyone follow the Lord without knowing His voice? Jesus taught this in John 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”]
Verse 11 (KJV):
“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
[Only the Holy Spirit knows the things of God. Without the Holy Spirit’s revelation, no believer can fully understand what God has prepared for them.]
Verse 12 (KJV):
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
[God has already prepared and pre-destined your destiny in Him, but “carnal thinking” prevents believers from walking in them.]
Verse 13 (KJV):
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
[Spiritual truths cannot be understood with a carnal mind.]
Verse 14 (KJV):
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
[It is clear that the natural man who thinks only with natural human understanding can not receive or understand the deep things of God or the things that God has prepared for them because they are only revealed by God to the “spiritual man” by what the Holy Spirit teaches them. This is why a toddler in Christ will always struggle in their faith and in understanding of God and the written word.]
Verse 15 (KJV):
“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
[Notice that it is the spiritual man that can judge correctly in all things, while never being judged because he or she is spiritual. The carnal level 2 believer will always experience correction from God because they are carnally minded and can not grown spiritually.]
Verse 16 (KJV):
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
[The mind of Christ is known by reading the word and hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying, and by applying it to ones life. All truth is found only in the person of Jesus Christ, and in order for any believer to experience the fullness and quality of life that God has prepared from them they must become the “spiritual man” that God intended them to become in Christ Jesus the Lord.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Proverbs 3:3 “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”
The mind of Christ is known through reading and applying God’s Word. All truth is found in Jesus Christ alone (John 14:6).
Additional Scripture References:
The writer of the book of Hebrews describes the believers at the Corinthian church “babes in Christ,” still needing milk rather than solid food. This shows that, although they are in Christ, they are not growing, they are not yet ready for deeper teachings.
- Hebrews 5:12-14 (KJV):
“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” The writer of Hebrews rebukes the believers for still needing milk when they should be more mature in their understanding of God’s Word. They are still learning to discern spiritual truths and distinguish between good and evil, sin and righteousness, doubt and faith. - Romans 7:18 (KJV):
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” In this stage, a believer may struggle with the reality of sin that every believer has to battle, and how to overcome it. Paul acknowledges the struggle of the flesh, something that is common for believers in this stage of spiritual growth.
Level 3: The Mature Christian (Spiritual Adulthood)
The mature Christian has grown deeply in their relationship with Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit is evident in their life. The Level 3 believer has surrendered their will and no longer lives according to carnal thinking. They have realized that life at Level 2 did not produce the spiritual blessings as described in the Scriptures and have chosen to fully submit to the will of God.
Jesus taught this clearly:
Luke 14:33 (KJV):
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
They are now able to discern God’s will, serve in ministry, give, and teach others. Their lives reflect the teachings of Christ, and they face life’s challenges with faith and patience.
John 16:33 (KJV):
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Key Characteristics:
Spiritual independence: A mature Christian feeds themselves with God’s Word and relies on the Holy Spirit in every area of life.
Fruit of the Spirit: The fruit of the Spirit reveals spiritual maturity. Their actions–(fruit of the Spirit) is evident in their life.
Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
Ministry-oriented: A Level 3 mature believer have these spiritual traits.
- Fruit of the Spirit: They have grown to display the fruit of the Spirit in their character and actions. The fruit of the Spirit reveal the level of maturity in a believers life. This is why Jesus taught that you shall recognize them by their “fruits” in Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
- Galatians 5:22-24 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”
- Ministry-oriented: The level 3 believers are equipped to serve and teach others, helping to guide less mature believers. The spiritual man is able to restore level 1 and level 2 believers if they will listen to what they share.
- Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Additional Scripture References:
- Ephesians 4:13-15 (KJV):
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” This passage describes the goal of Christian maturity: unity in the faith, knowledge of Christ, not tossed by false doctrines, and growing to reflect the fullness of Jesus. A mature believer is not easily swayed by false teaching but stands firm in the truth and is able to share the word of God with others in the spirit of meekness and love. - Colossians 1:28-29 (KJV):
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” Mature level 3 Christians are not only growing themselves, but they are actively involved in the growth of others. They have moved from being taught to teaching, helping others to grow in wisdom and faith. - 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV):
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” A mature Christian studies the Word of God to understand it deeply, rightly dividing the Scriptures for their own life and to help others. They have a solid understanding of God’s truth and apply it faithfully. One of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity is the fruit of the Spirit. As believers grow, they increasingly reflect the character of Christ, which is evident in their actions and attitudes.
Conclusion: From Milk to Meat
Christian maturity is a lifelong process, moving from the milk of basic teachings to the meat of deep spiritual truths. Just as physical growth requires time, nourishment, and care, spiritual growth demands dedication, study, and submission to the Holy Spirit. It’s a journey marked by struggles, victories, learning, and transformation.
Whether you’re a newborn Christian just starting your journey or you are a mature believer, God’s Word calls each of us to keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord!
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and inthe knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him beglory both now and for ever. Amen.”
May we all strive toward spiritual maturity, reflecting Christ more clearly each day as we all grow in the Lord.