1. Ðɛ́ Jɛhova mɔ́ ɓɛ́ à ké nyu kɛ́?

 ONE thing that can make marry people happy, that when they born healthy baby. Even though parents can be happy to see their young baby, but they not want that child to be baby forever. In fact, if the child not growing it can really worry them. That the same way Jehovah can be happy when we start learning about him. But He not want us to stop there. (1 Cor. 3:1) He want us to “be full-grown” Christians.—1 Cor. 14:20.

2. Ðɛ́ à mu ɖɔ́ɔ́ kɔ̃in dèìn ɖé cɛ̃́ɛ́-ɖɛ̀ nìà kɛ múɛ́?

² What it mean to be full-grown Christian? How we can grow to be mature Christian? How studying deep Bible truths can help us to grow? And Why we must continue growing to be mature Christian? We will answer all this question them in this article.

ÐƐ́ MƆ̀ KƐ́ÐƐ́Ì-ÐÈÌN-SÍ-NYƆ̀ HWƐ̀-ÐƐ̀ JÙ-JÙ XWÍNÍÍN NYƐ́?

3. Ðɛ́ mɔ̀ kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ̀ ɖò hwɛ̀-ɖɛ̀ jù-jù xwíníín nyɛ́?

³ In the Bible, the Greek word they translate for “full-grown” can also mean “mature,” “perfect,” and “complete.” a (1 Cor. 2:6) We can be full-grown or mature Christian when we continue to grow in our relationship with Jehovah, and become spiritual men and women. Even if we feel that we mature, we must never stop growing spiritually. (1 Tim. 4:15) Whether we young or old, all of us can be spiritually mature. But wetin can show that somebody na grow to be mature Christian?

4. Xwɛ̀ à nyu kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ ɖò ɓɛ́ ɔ hwɛ̀-ɖɛ̀ kɛɛ dyí dyuòɛ̀ kɛ́?

⁴ Mature Christian that somebody who trying their  best to do all the things God say. That person can’t pick and choose among God laws. It not mean that the person can’t make mistakes. But every day in his life, he can think and act in line with God will. He na put on the new personality and he trying his best to think the way Jehovah can think. (Eph. 4:​22-24) He na learn to use Jehovah laws and principles to make good decisions. He not need plenty rules to tell him what to do. When he decide to do something, he can try hard to do it.—1 Cor. 9:​26, 27.

5. Ðɛ́ mɔ̀ nàɖì ɓè ɓɛ́ kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ ɖò ɓɛ́ ɔ se ɖɛ hwɛ̀ kɛɛ ɓɛ́ìn dyí dyéɛ kɛ́? (Ìfísĩ́ɔ̀ 4:​14, 15)

⁵ It can be easy for Christian who not mature to believe any false information. b (Read Ephesians 4:​14, 15.) He can be jealous of other people, make palaver with them, or be quick to get vex.e And most of the time, he can’t stand strong when he facing temptation.—1 Cor. 3:3.

6. Ðɛ́ à ɓɛ́ìn kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ̀ hwɛ̀-ɖɛ̀ jù-jù dyí poɛ̀n nyɛ́? (Dyé dyí-dyé-ɖɛ̀ɔ̀ ɖekè.)

⁶ Just what we talk about before, the Bible compare spiritual maturity to the different-different stages children can pass through before they get big. Small child not know what to do, so they need big person to protect them and tell them what to do. For example, the ma will hold her little daughter hand so they can cross the road. But when the child start getting big, the mother will allow her to cross the road on her own. But she will still remind her to look left and right before crossing the road. When the child get big, she can know how to cross the road on her own. Just how small children need help from big people to avoid danger, that the same way, most of the time Christians who not mature yet will need help from mature Christians to avoid spiritual danger and to make good decision. Mature Christian not looking like that. Before they make decision, they can use Bible principles to know Jehovah thinking on the matter and follow it.

7. Kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ̀ ɓè ɓɛ́ wa hwɛ̀ ɖɛ kɛɛ mɔ́ ɓɛ́ nyɔ tɔ̀ɔ̀ ɓè ké wa gbo kpáa?

⁷ You think this one mean that mature  Christian will not need help from anybody? No. Mature Christians also need to ask for help sometime. But somebody who not mature will ask other people to tell them what to do or make decision for them. Somebody who mature will ask other people to get more idea and experience, but at the same time he know that he need to make his own decisions. —Gal. 6:5.

8. Hwìè ɓèɔ̀ nyɛ́ kɔ̃̀ mú nyɔ ɓè ɓɛ́ wa hwɛ̀ ɖɛ kɛɛ kò ɓó wa muè ɓè gbo kɛ́?

⁸ Just how big-big people can be looking different-different, that the same way mature Christians get different-different spiritual qualities like wisdom, courage, being free handed and feeling sorry for people. Beside that, when two mature Christians face the same situation, maybe they will make different-different decisions that will be in line with Bible principles. This one can happen especially when it get something to do with the conscience. Knowing this will help them to not judge each other. Instead, they will focus on remaining united.—Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 1:10.

XWƐ̀ À ƁƐ́ÌN DYÚA MUƐ ƁƐ́ À KÉ KƐ́ÐƐ́Ì-ÐÈÌN-SÍ-NYƆ̀ HWƐ̀-ÐƐ̀ JÙ KƐ́?

9. À dyúa mu mu ɓɛ́ à nyuɛɛ mɔ̀ wàɖà-wàɖà ɖɛ púú? Zàìn kɔ̃in.

⁹ Children can naturally grow up. But nobody can grow to be mature Christian without making any effort. For example, the brothers and sisters in Corinth accepted the good news, got baptize, receive holy spirit, and learn plenty good-good things from the apostle Paul. (Acts 18:​8-11) But some years after they got baptize, plenty of them were not still mature. (1 Cor. 3:2) How we can make sure for this one to not happen to us?

10. Ðɛ́ à mɛ nyu ɓɛ́ à ké ɖɛ hwɛ̀ kɛ́? (Júɖè 20)

¹⁰ To be mature Christian, we must first get the desire to be mature. It can be hard for people who “love inexperience” and decide not to be mature to make spiritual progress. (Prov. 1:22) We not want be like people who na get big but still depending on their parents to make decisions for them. But we want work hard to make our own relationship with Jehovah more strong. (Read Jude 20) If you still trying hard to be mature Christian, pray to Jehovah to give you “both the desire and the power to act”.—Phil. 2:13.

11. Ðɛ́ mɔ̀ gbo-kpá-kpá ɓɛ́ à ɓéɖé ɓɛ́ à ké ɖɛ hwɛ̀ hwɛ̀ dyɛ̀ìn nyɛ́? (Ìfísĩ́ɔ̀ 4:​11-​13)

¹¹ Jehovah not expect us to be mature on our own. He na give us shepherds and teachers in the Christian congregation who can help us to be mature Christian. (Read Ephesians 4:​11-13.) Jehovah also give us his holy spirit to help us “think like Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:​14-16) Beside that, God also direct people to write the four Gospels to show us how Jesus use to think, speak and do things the time he was on earth. When you follow the way Jesus use to think and do things, you will be able to reach your goal to be mature Christian.

ÐƐ ZÙÙN ÐII-ÐƐ̀ KÓÐÓ-KÓÐÓ ÐII-DII ƁƐ́ÌN NYUƐ KƐ

12. Ðɛ́ mɔ̀ “ɖɛ ɓè ɓɛ́ wa tɛ̀mɛ̀ìn ma à ɓá kɛ́ɖɛ́ì dyí kĩ́ín” nyɛ́?

¹² For us to grow to be mature Christian, we must not just be satisfy with the  first things we learn about Jesus Christ. For example, teaching like repentance, faith, baptism, and resurrection. (Heb. 6:​1, 2) That some of the main teachings all true Christians believe. That the reason why the apostle Peter talk about all this thing them when he was preaching to the people on Pentecost. (Acts 2:​32-35, 38) For us to be Jesus disciples, we need to accept all this teaching them. For example, Paul say anybody who not believe in the resurrection, can’t be Jesus disciple. (1 Cor. 15:​12-14) So we must not be satisfy with the things we learn when just started studying the Bible.

13. Ðɛ́ à mɛ nyu ɓɛ́ à ké zùùn ɖii-ɖɛ̀ kóɖó-kóɖó jè céèà ɖé Híìɓúɖúù 5:​14 múɛɛ kpáná kɔ̃ún dyé kɛ́? (Dyé dyí-dyé-ɖɛ̀ɔ̀ ɖekè.)

¹³ The things we learn when we started studying the Bible, different from deep spiritual food that include Jehovah laws and Bible principles that can help us understand his thinking. To benefit from deep spiritual food, we must study the Bible, think on what we read and try our best to apply what we learn. When we do it, it will help us to make decisions that will make Jehovah happy. c—Read Hebrews 5:14

14. Xwɛ̀ Pɔ́ɔ̀ nyu ma Kɔ̀ɖéíntĩ́ɔ̀-nyɔ̀ ɓèɔ̀ gbo kpáa ɓɛ́ wa ké ma ɖɛ hwɛ̀ kɛ́?

¹⁴ Most of the time, Christian who not mature can find it hard to think on Bible principles and apply them when they facing certain situation. When they not get direct law in the Bible, some of them can just feel that they can do anything they want do. Even when they not get direct law in the Bible for certain situation, some people can still ask for it. For example, Christians in Corinth ask Paul for direct law about whether they can eat food that they sacrifice to idol. Instead of telling them what to do, Paul help them to see that each of them get the right to choose what they want do base on their conscience.  He talk about some Bible principles that were coming to help them make good decisions. And they were not coming stumble other people and get guilty conscience because of their decisions. (1 Cor. 8:​4, 7-9) Paul was helping them to grow to be mature Christians. He was trying to help them to use their own thinking to make decision instead of depending on other people or looking for direct law.

15. Xwɛ̀ Pɔ́ɔ̀ nyu ma Híìɓúɖúù-nyɔ̀ ɓèɔ̀ gbo kpáa ɓɛ́ wa ké ma dyúa mu ɖé zùùn wɛ̃́?

¹⁵ We can learn good lesson from what Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians. Some of them were not growing spiritually. In fact, they had “gone back to needing milk, not solid [spiritual] food.” (Heb. 5:12) They refuse to learn and accept the new things that Jehovah was teaching them through the congregation. (Prov. 4:18) For example, plenty Jewish Christians were still going by the Mosaic law even though Jesus sacrifice put end to it 30 years before that time. (Rom. 10:4; Titus 1:10) So this 30 years gave them plenty time for them to understand that they were not following the Mosaic law again. Paul was trying to help them to accept the deep truths that he was teaching them. His letter help them to see that the new way of worship that Jehovah put in place through Jesus, was better than the one they were doing before. It also gave them the courage to continue preaching even though some of the Jews were against them.—Heb. 10:​19-23.

ƁƆ́ M̀ MÌƆÙN HWÒÐÒ KƆ̃ DÈƐ MÌƆ

16. Ɓó ɖɛ hwɛ̀ hwɛ̀ kɔ̃in nyɛɛ, ɖɛ́ à mɛ nyu kɛ́?

¹⁶ We must work hard to be mature and also work hard to remain mature. We must be careful to not think that we already mature, so we not need to do anything again to make our friendship with Jehovah more strong. (1 Cor. 10:12) We must “keep testing” ourselves to make sure that we trying our best to make progress.—2 Cor. 13:5.

17. Xwɛ̀ Pɔ́ɔ̀ céè-ɖɛ̀ ɓɛ́ ɔ céè ma kà ɖé Kɔ̀ɖɔ́sĩ̀à-nyɔ̀ ɓèɔ̀ gboɛɛ tɛ̀mɛ̀ìn kà à kɔ̃ à ké ɖɛ hwɛ̀ tee kɛ́?

 ¹⁷ When Paul was writing to the Colossians, he encourage them to remain mature. Even though they were already mature Christians, Paul told them to be very careful so they can’t start thinking like the people in the world. (Col. 2:​6-10) Epaphras knew the people in the congregation good-good. So he use to pray all the time for them to “finally stand complete,” or be mature. (Col. 4:12) Wetin we can learn from this? Paul and Epaphras knew that to remain mature, we need God help and we need to apply effort. They wanted the Colossians to remain mature Christians even if they facing problems.

18. Ðɛ́ ɓɛ́ìn kɛ́ɖɛ́ì-ɖèìn-sí-nyɔ̀ ɖò ɓɛ́ ɔ hwɛ̀-ɖɛ̀ kɛɛ gbo kpáa kɛ́? (Dyé dyí-dyé-ɖɛ̀ɔ̀ ɖekè.)

¹⁸ Paul warn the Hebrew Christians that it possible for mature Christian to lose their friendship with Jehovah forever if they not careful. The person can be so proud to the point that they not even want repent for God to forgive them. It good to know that the Hebrew Christians never reach that far. (Heb. 6:​4-9) But what about some people today who inactive or disfellowship but later on repent? Because they were humble and repent, it show that they different from the people that Paul talk about. Still when they come back, they will need Jehovah help. (Ezek. 34:​15, 16) The elders will make arrangement for one mature Christian to help them to make their relationship with Jehovah strong again.

19. Ðɛ́ mɔ̀ dyí-sɔ̀-ɖɛ́ à mɛ ɓéɖé kɛ́?

¹⁹ If you trying hard to be mature Christian, you can reach your goal! Continue learning deep Bible truths and try to think the way Jehovah can think. And if you already mature, continue to remain mature Christian.