2

The Three Stages of Christian

Life
1 John 2:12-14

Fostering Spiritual Growth in the Church

Paul J. Bucknell
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Questions instead of answers

• How do Christians spiritually grow?

• Why is it that many Christians do not properly

grow?

• How can I help a believer spiritually grow?

• What is the design God has for each believer’s

spiritual growth?
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Discovering 1 John 2:12-14

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are
forgiven you for His name’s sake. I am writing to you,
fathers, because you know Him who has been from the
beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you
have overcome the evil one. I have written to you,
children, because you know the Father. I have written to
you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from
the beginning. I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong, and the word of God abides in
you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
(1 John 2:12-14, NASB).
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life
Twice Written

Present tense
I am writing to you, little children, because....
I am writing to you, fathers, because....
I am writing to you, young men, because....

I have written to you, children, because ...

I have written to you, fathers, because ...
I have written to you, young men, because ....

Past tense
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Tracing Christian Growth 1 John 2:12-14

Little Children Young men Fathers

Spiritually
New Maturing
Christians young Christians
believers

The Growth Analogy:

✦ The familiar is used to describe the spiritually unfamiliar.
✦ Spiritual growth parallels the physical growth in a family.
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Two analogies combined

The Life Analogy The Growth Analogy
The analogy of physical The analogy of physical growth
life articulates the source, alerts us to the developmental
power, design, and drive of needs at each stage of spiritual
spiritual life. growth.

The power of interconnectivity occurs when two or more analogies are

merged together!
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

The Vision of Discipleship

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’”
(Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus connects evangelism to the process of discipleship!

✦ Varying definitions ✦ Discipleship’s rarity ✦ Pastors not trained

The Three Stages of
Christian Life
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Understanding Spiritual growth

t h
l g r ow
r i t u a
New
Sp i
life
New Mature &
Spiritually
believer Mobilized
young believers
Christians
Faith
begins incr
eas
e of
fa i t h
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Path of Discipleship Strengthening

Faith

3
Establishing
Discovering Hope

2
Love

1
Little Children
Strong security
Young men
Great confidence
from His word
Fathers
Deep intimacy with
God

from His love

 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Discerning One’s Spiritual Growth

Where are you?

Christ’s
image
New
life New Young Mature and
believer believer mobilized believer

• Do you • Do you doubt your • What steps are you • Are you going • To what degree are
have new salvation? Why? taking to deepen through any trials you becoming
life? your intake of right now? Is your made more in
• Are there any sins God’s Word? faith being Christ’s image?
• What signs you think God has strengthened or Explain.
of new life not forgiven? What • How do you weakened?
do you are they? handle defeat? • Are you presently
have? • Who are you growing?
• Why does God want • What temptations presently serving?
to have a close are you learning to
relationship with overcome? • Can you share a
you? lesson of life with
another to help them?
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Consequences of Improper Training

Christ’s
image
New
life New Young Mature and
believer believer mobilized believer

✦ Frustrations in your spiritual life are not due to the lack of

God’s grace.
✦ Frustrations occur because of improper training and our
poor response to training.
✦ Why are you or others not growing?
 The Three Stages of
Christian Life

Summary of Spiritual Growth

•Growth is normal and expected.
•Each Christian is expected to grow
(no exceptions).
•Greater blessings come at each stage.
•The effectiveness of our service increases as we
spiritually grow.
 Discussion Questions

1. Explain spiritual growth and whether you are

growing or not.
2. Which stage of spiritual growth are you at? How do
you know?
3. Are you helping others to grow spiritually? How
so?
 2

1 John 2:12-14
Growth in the Church
Rev. Paul J. Bucknell

Initiating Spiritual Growth in the Church

Biblical Foundations For Freedom
www.foundationsforfreedom.net
 An Overview

Three Discipleship Stages Compared

➡ Securing trust ➡ Growing strong ➡ Being more
from the love through the Word intimate with the
of God of God Lord to properly
care for others

✦ Encouraged ✦ Overcome ✦ Keep growing

✦ Accepted ✦ Strong ✦ Knowing God
✦ Belonging ✦ Word of God ✦ Reproducers
✦ Shapers

New believers As young believers The ‘fathers’

develop a strong trust deepen their trust in experience a deeper
in the Lord as they God’s Word, they will trust in the Lord so they
receive good basic grow in their are better able to help
biblical instruction. personal character. others grow.