From immaturity to maturity

Our lives are complex. Our career is not infrequently characterized by dependencies. There is a healthy dependence already as a child, namely on the parents. In healthy growth, children are lovingly but firmly raised from this dependency to independence and released into adult life. This is the ideal case. Reality does not always correspond to this ideal case.

A similar development should also be taken for granted for our thinking, hoping and believing. Unfortunately, this does not always correspond to reality either. This is surprising because the Bible itself unmistakably points to such a development.

“So, brethren, I could not speak to you as to the spiritually minded, but only as to the carnally minded, as to babes in Christ. Milk I gave you to drink, not solid food, for you could not yet receive it.”
1Cor 3,1-2

Here we are talking about minors. At this point, the first issue is the impression of “mature” versus “immature.” Minors are dependent. They can (figuratively) only drink milk and not yet take in solid food (cf. Heb. 5:12-14). This speaks of very young children. The word “immature” (gr. nepios) is related to the word “young” (gr. neon). For a good understanding: this is a temporary situation. Because healthy young children grow up, become independent, and eventually become adults. The chosen image is clear and unambiguous.

In the same letter, in the chapter of love, Paul uses the same term:

“But when maturity comes, this will be dismissed from the fraction. When I was a minor, I spoke like a minor; I was minded like a minor, and I estimated everything like a minor. But when I became a man, I dismissed the things of immaturity.”
1Cor 13:10-11

Maturity and adulthood come after immaturity. Minors are essentially children. In the language of the New Testament, the difference between a child and a son is maturity (cf. Gal 4:1-7). Whether one is of age or not is not a question of age, but of thinking and behavior. That’s how Paul described it up here. However, he is concerned that believers grow up in the faith.

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the matured man, to the measure of the fullness of the completion of the Christ, that we may no longer be babes, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine as by surging waves…”
Eph 4:13-14

Immature people are also more often upset by all sorts of teachings. That is why Paul writes that we are “no longer minors, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine as by surging waves”. Many a seduction of thought comes quite cleverly. Only those who are strengthened by practice keep their perspective. Therefore, the focus in community development and in talking to each other should be on building up. Everything should be aimed at promoting the growth of the neighbor. Not only is it natural for growth to take place and maturity to be achieved, but it also helps to overcome the challenges of everyday life. By this is meant: the challenges of thinking and trust in everyday life. It all begins in the mind (Rom 12:1-2). The orientation in congregations and communities, in teaching and preaching, should therefore be toward the growth of people:

“But if we are true, we should make everything grow in love, into Him who is the head, Christ.”
Eph 4:15

In concrete terms, of course, this also means that people are made independent ofthe pastor. This does not make the current system (of dependencies in “spiritual vocations”) particularly easy. In order to maintain their own sustenance, some pastors and communities may not be particularly eager to dissolve dependencies. Paul, however, is concerned with empowering people, not keeping them in immaturity any longer.

In the next verse, the apostle speaks of the “growth of the body,” addressing the individuals within the church (the body of Christ). Whether someone is true and in love can be seen from this effort to make people grow, away from addictions and subcultures, and toward Christ.

The prevention of self-reliance and growth

In unhealthy situations, on the other hand, people are led into dependence or held there, for example by teachers, doctrines, organizations, churches. There are teachers who determine other people’s lives and beliefs. They determine whether someone is “good” or “bad,” “holy” or “sinful,” and the like. These situations prevent healthy growth. This is especially true for cults, but I have seen a similar form in many other places.

Not infrequently, it is radical communities that believe they possess the “only real truth.” Perhaps it would even be the case that whoever speaks of possessing “the truth” belongs to this group of growth-preventers.

Real love and real truth lead to independence. Always. This is the only way to promote growth. The Gospel provides the perfect foundation for this, because God has already established His righteousness for a long time. Therefore, there can be 100% grace, as an expression of 100% love, with which one may live life liberated.

Paul writes this from a specific situation:

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand fast therefore in it, and be not again bound in the yoke of slavery.”
Gal 5:1

What is striking about this verse is that, on the one hand, freedom is already there, but on the other hand, it must be consciously shaped. Freedom is not “just there. Accordingly, it is not natural to develop freedom in one’s own life. It takes daily decisions to want to live the freedom as well.

When people drift into bondage, it has not only to do with the manipulation that comes from outside. It also has to do with the person who allows himself to be manipulated. Children are more easily manipulated, but adults are manipulable too. Unfulfilled dreams make people manipulable. That is where dependence begins.

It is the promise of liberation, the divine, security, the feeling of being loved or understood, which target the weaknesses of people. Manipulation is a substitute for fulfillment. Those who manipulate and abuse pick people up with false promises. However, it is the people themselves who are susceptible to it and make projections. That’s how you slide into dependency. This is an important finding.

Some don’t want to get out of addiction. You want to stay in dependency at all costs, perhaps because it is too painful to say goodbye to projections. Those who consciously remain in dependencies have certain advantages in the dependency – or fears if one renounces it. That is why it is important to take care of alternative points of view (for example, for Bible interpretations) and to create new spaces of faith. Leading people out into freedom is both a theological and a human task.

Leading people out into freedom is both a theological and a human task.

Actual liberation and life-affirming growth toward adulthood can only come from knowing one’s own needs and understanding where one’s projections come from. Only then can better alternatives be considered.

Your faith belongs only to you

Those who are in dependencies are always made aware of this dependency in communities characterized by abuse. Maybe you regularly hear “you are weak”, “you are sinful and corrupt” until you believe it yourself. This dependence is not healthy. If you want to get out of such a tricky situation, you have to start taking responsibility for yourself. Exactly what that should look like probably varies from person to person. However, whatever the situation, it is always about realizing that you can change something yourself.

Paul writes:

“Have the faith you have for yourself in the face of God! Blessed is he who does not need to judge himself in what he considers approved.”
Rom 14:22

This is where you can start: Everyone can only bring his own faith before God. With this, it is quite possible to express that one can no longer subscribe to the faith of the community. Thus it is handed down from Luther, from his speech at the Imperial Diet in 1521, that he said:

“Here I stand, I can’t help it, God help me, amen.”
Luther, 1521 (handed down)

He thus triggered the Reformation. Luther, too, had to go through these processes and accept that he could not choose any other path than his own. Luther realized that he was responsible before God rather than before men. In a healthy faith community, people are raised to be independent in their faith, not held in immaturity. Paul once described it this way:

“Not that we rule over your faith, but we are fellow workers in your joy; for you stand by faith.”
2Cor 1,24

I wish you, if necessary, a little reformation, because your faith belongs to you.