Building Spiritual Maturity: Love, Growth, and Responsibility

In the heart of 1 Corinthians chapters 3 and 4, we find Paul addressing the church at Corinth—a diverse, multicultural city with its own unique challenges. Paul’s words remind us that spiritual maturity is not measured by how long we’ve been believers, but by how we live and love. He distinguishes between the natural person (unregenerate, without the Spirit), the carnal person (saved but immature, living for human opinion), and the spiritual person (mature, free from strife, and responsive to God’s truth). Many of us, if we’re honest, can find ourselves stuck in that carnal stage, content with spiritual “milk” because it’s easy and comfortable, rather than pressing into the “meat” of God’s Word, which requires effort, meditation, and a willingness to let the Holy Spirit do deep work in us.

Paul’s analogy of building on the foundation of Christ challenges us to consider what materials we’re using—are we building with gold, silver, and precious stones (sound doctrine and a life devoted to truth), or with wood, hay, and straw (compromise and shallow living)? The quality of our spiritual construction will be revealed in times of testing. We are called to be God’s fellow workers, co-laboring with Him, not micromanaged but entrusted with responsibility and the freedom to grow.

A key theme is the danger of elevating human leaders above Christ, confusing preference with reverence. We are encouraged to honor those who teach and lead, but never to place them above the authority of God’s Word. True spiritual growth is rooted not just in knowledge, but in love, discernment, and a willingness to be shaped by the Spirit. Paul’s own example is one of humility, endurance, and fatherly love—he warns, corrects, and encourages, always seeking the maturity and unity of the church.

Family dynamics, both in our homes and in the church, will inevitably bring conflict and disagreement. But maturity means learning to love, forgive, and stay connected, even when it’s hard. We are not called to be the Holy Spirit for others, nor to judge or gossip about one another, but to love, encourage, and trust God to do the work of transformation. God’s heart is not to shame us, but to draw us into deeper relationship, to let us experience His kindness, patience, and abundant life. No matter our past mistakes or current struggles, His grace is sufficient, and He is always ready to help us grow.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Spiritual maturity is not automatic with time or church attendance; it requires intentional engagement with God’s Word and a willingness to move beyond spiritual comfort zones. Like chewing on tough meat, growth comes as we meditate, wrestle, and let the Holy Spirit reveal deeper truths, even when it’s uncomfortable. True maturity is seen in how we handle strife, envy, and division, not just in what we know. [02:46]
• 2. The foundation of our lives must be Christ, but we are responsible for what we build upon it. Building with durable materials—sound doctrine, integrity, and devotion—ensures that our faith endures testing. If we settle for superficiality or compromise, the storms of life will expose the weakness of our construction, but God’s grace remains for those who return to Him. [29:26]
• 3. We must guard against idolizing human leaders or teachers, confusing our preferences for reverence. While it’s good to honor and learn from those God has placed in our lives, our ultimate loyalty and discernment must be anchored in Scripture and the Spirit. Spiritual growth is stunted when we outsource our relationship with God to others or become sectarian. [11:34]
• 4. Love is the true mark of discipleship and maturity. It’s easy to be knowledgeable or outwardly spiritual, but if we lack love—especially for those who hurt or oppose us—we remain immature. The Spirit empowers us to forgive, stay connected, and overcome the enemy’s schemes of division, both in our families and in the church. [18:25]
• 5. God’s correction is always rooted in love, not shame. He is patient, kind, and eager to help us grow, never demanding instant perfection. Our role is to respond to His invitation, trust His timing, and extend the same grace to others, knowing that transformation is a process and that God delights in our progress, not just our arrival. [54:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:19] - Introducing Weekly Devotions
• [00:43] - Context: Corinth and Paul’s Letters
• [01:46] - Three Types of Spiritual People
• [04:00] - Moving from Milk to Meat
• [06:40] - Meditating on the Word: The Cow Analogy
• [09:07] - The Call to Spiritual Maturity
• [11:04] - Preference vs. Reverence for Leaders
• [13:29] - True Growth Requires God’s Word
• [15:25] - Discernment and Rootedness in Scripture
• [18:25] - Love as the Mark of Discipleship
• [21:32] - Handling Conflict in the Church Family
• [27:21] - Building on the Foundation of Christ
• [33:23] - The Temple of God and Holiness
• [37:13] - Judging Others and God’s Role
• [45:20] - Leaders as Farmers, Builders, and Stewards
• [50:37] - Paul’s Fatherly Appeal and Example
• [52:27] - The Responsibility to Grow
• [54:05] - God’s Kindness and Grace
• [56:35] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
• [59:56] - Blessing and Dismissal

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 3:1–15 (ESV) — > But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
>
> What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
>
> According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

- Hebrews 5:12–14 (ESV)
> For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Observation Questions

1. According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 3, what are the differences between the “natural person,” the “carnal person,” and the “spiritual person”? ([02:46])
2. What does Paul mean when he talks about building on the foundation of Christ with “gold, silver, precious stones” versus “wood, hay, straw”? ([29:26])
3. In Hebrews 5:12–14, what is the difference between “milk” and “solid food,” and what does this say about spiritual maturity?
4. What kind of behaviors does Paul say are signs of spiritual immaturity in the church at Corinth? ([02:46])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul is so concerned about the Corinthians staying in a “carnal” or immature stage of faith? What are the dangers of staying spiritually immature? ([04:00])
2. How does the analogy of building with different materials (gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw) help us understand the importance of what we “build” into our lives as Christians? ([29:26])
3. What does it look like to “move from milk to meat” in your spiritual life? Why might some people prefer to stay with “milk”? ([04:23])
4. Why is it dangerous to elevate human leaders or teachers above Christ, and how can this stunt spiritual growth? ([11:34])

Application Questions

1. Paul says that spiritual maturity isn’t about how long you’ve been a Christian, but about how you live and love. In what areas of your life do you see signs of spiritual immaturity (like strife, envy, or division)? What’s one step you could take to grow in that area this week? ([02:46])
2. The sermon talked about being content with “spiritual milk” because it’s easy and comfortable. Is there a part of your faith where you’ve settled for comfort instead of growth? What would it look like for you to “chew on the meat” of God’s Word this month? ([04:23])
3. Paul warns against idolizing leaders or teachers. Are there Christian voices or personalities you tend to put on a pedestal? How can you honor them without letting them take the place of God’s Word or the Holy Spirit in your life? ([11:34])
4. The foundation of our lives must be Christ, but we are responsible for what we build on it. What are some “materials” (habits, beliefs, priorities) you are currently building with? Are there any you feel God is asking you to change or strengthen? ([29:26])
5. The sermon emphasized that love is the true mark of maturity, especially in conflict. Think of a recent disagreement in your family or church. How did you respond? What would it look like to handle it with more love and maturity next time? ([18:25])
6. Paul says we are not called to be the Holy Spirit for others or to judge and gossip, but to love and encourage. Is there someone you’ve been tempted to “fix” or talk about instead of praying for and loving? What’s a practical way you can encourage them this week? ([36:30])
7. God’s correction is always rooted in love, not shame. When you make mistakes or struggle, do you tend to beat yourself up or receive God’s grace? How can you remind yourself of God’s kindness and patience when you fall short? ([54:05])