The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper

The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper

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After reading the “A Biblical Model of Stages of Spiritual Development: The Journey According to John” by Don Willett, write a five to six (5-6) page essay. Use the following guidelines as you write this essay:

Give an overall explanation of John’s Stages of Faith Model. Include support from I John. (two to three (2-3) pages, double-spaced).
Summarize the Stages of Spiritual Growth (two to three (2-3) pages, double-spaced).
Reflect on the different stages of spiritual maturity and write a one to two (1-2) page reflection on how this helps you think about discipleship The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

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Spiritual growth and development are regarded as developing self-identity, building meaningful relationships with a higher power or others, and recognizing transcendence and unity. According to Willett (100), spiritual growth among Christians is recognized as being more like Jesus Christ. Through God’s power, the human being has everything they need to live with godliness which is the ultimate goal of spirituality and spiritual growth. It is a critical process for growing in Christ for the people, as God is believed to give them the grace and strength to grow while being refined. Drawing from the bible, spiritual growth and development is not an occasion but a process or a journey as Christians seek righteousness in Christ. Spirituality, like life, can be defined as a journey of growth involving movement and change. In turn, stages of spiritual development can be identified as mirroring stages in human development from infancy to adulthood. This paper aims to identify and explain the different stages of spiritual development per the gospel of John The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

Johns Stages of Faith Model

According to Willett (92), faith grows like the tree rings do, with each ring adding or contributing to the tree’s changes but building on what has been grown before. The faith model entails three milestones in the childhood stage of spirituality, three more in young adulthood, and 2 in adulthood. Each milestone entails a powerful catalyst into the believers spiritual growth or a challenge hindering progress in one’s growth if overlooked. The childhood stage of spiritual growth comprises experiencing grace and forgiveness as the first milestone, embracing God as the father as 2^nd milestone, and growing up together (focuses on developing mutually beneficial connections and on the shared commitment to one another’s spiritual development and well-being)The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

The young adulthood stage entails the ownership stage, with the 4th milestone being owning the first-hand faith (1 John 2:14). It addresses the core aspects of becoming a Christian denoted with distinction and living according to one’s choice and not bowing without question under pressure. There is the issue of self-identity and not blindly following other believers, hence building on one’s Christian values and biblical beliefs, which, regardless of the cost, guides one’s faith journey. 5^th milestone links truth and life with the goal of transformation and not just being informed. Learning about God is not the same as knowing God. Not simply information, but transformation, is the aim. “The Word is the final authority; its truth is absorbed and individually applied” is the truth that must be understood and lived out. Stage the 6th milestone entails promoting a godly faith that overcomes the adversary, the world, and the body. The rivals who resist the believer’s spiritual development and change must be faced. “I can stand strong against each of the three dangers impeding my spiritual progress” is the lesson to be taught (Willett 98)The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

Finally, under fatherhood, there are milestones 7 and 8, empowering others, seasoned by time and experience. Focuses on the essential topic of enabling others to develop and become mature Christians. This turning point forces Christians to nurture and skillfully lead others into wholeness and Christlikeness. Focuses on the fundamental problem of creating and experiencing a profound, rich, and mature religion. This turning point encourages believers to keep going to get to know God better and complete the trip successfully.

Stages of Spiritual Growth (Summary)

According to Willett (96), there are three major stages of spiritual growth and development as the growth occurs over time. Regarding the quote below, John refers to the three stages as childhood (Dear children), young adults (Yung men), and mature adulthood, regarded as father or parents. While this can be said to be chronological age, John uses this to refer to the difference in spiritual stages.

“1 John 2:12–14 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 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. 14 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.”The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper

The first stage, ‘childhood,’ is characterized by the forgiveness of sins in His name. This gives assurance of God’s forgiveness which is not founded on how good one does. The forgiveness of sins is provided as a gift through Jesus, which is the root of all healthy spiritual development, allowing for spiritual growth. Regarding Christian spirituality, the process does not end with the first stage but rather a foundation on which God builds to lead into the next stage, young men.

Childhood spirituality should break into young men’s stage, which does not mean a level of bliss and tranquility (Willett 98). The stage denotes growth and is characterized by victorious struggle as one faces the enemy Satan who constantly opposes one’s progress as he belongs to God. At this level, one should be ready to fight Satan as he wants people to remain enslaved to sins as he constantly pulls or opposes ones progress and sharing of Christ with others. Satan will attempt to stop you from pursuing Jesus’ way of life by attacking you. He will cause unpleasant conditions, stir up hatred toward you, oppress you personally, etc. This difficult battle is a sign that you are developing and healthy, not that something is wrong. Abiding in God’s Word gives one the strength to meet problems. Making your home in the truth of God’s Word will help you recognize and defeat Satan’s attacks since he is a deceiver, which all entail deceit. At this stage, there is constant exposure to God’s world through daily Bible reading and obeying His words. As one continues to follow and share God’s words with others despite Satan’s challenges, God wins victories on one behalf and transforms one to be more like Jesus. The young man in spirituality will be overcoming evil in diverse ways, which in their return glorifies God, eventually transitioning to the third stage of adulthood The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

At the adulthood stage, one has already known God. However, it does not outgrow appreciating God’s Love and forgiveness. Their lives are stable (Col. 1:11) and filled with endurance and hope (Rom. 5:3-5) because they have successfully navigated several challenges to their faith and have first-hand knowledge of God’s dependability. They have weathered many storms and have a quiet strength that is priceless beyond words because they have built their lives on the rock of God’s Word. Although it offers immense delight, this spiritual growth is not simply for people like you and me. It serves a wider purpose. They serve as spiritual parents to other younger Believers, which is why John refers to them as “fathers.” Younger Christians will be drawn to you by God so that you may encourage and mentor them as they grow spiritually. John also claims that playing this character makes him even happier.

The purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages are typically the three stages of development that make up this steady expansion. While not quite linear, these phases—childhood, adolescence, and adulthood- tend to reflect our own human growth stages. One has their initial conversion experience and reacts to grace in the purgative stage by giving up their sinful lifestyle and seeking one of virtue. A condition of recall is included in the illuminative phase. In reality, “recollection, that is, a continual attention of the intellect and the affections of the heart to thoughts and feelings which raise the soul to God, is the primary virtue of this condition.” At this point, one starts to think and feel like Jesus Christ. Lastly, the unitive stage is when a person experiences and acts upon their love, which is how they experience and experience union with God. Here, prayer takes on a more reflective quality, and virtue develops into something almost heroic The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

Reflection On Stages Of Spiritual Maturity And How It Helps Concerning Discipleship

Regarding discipleship, the stages of spiritual development foster one’s lifelong development towards becoming the person who not only lives in a defined way but also shows others how a disciple must learn it, show it, and do it. Christianity, discipleship aligns with being a dedicated follower of Jesus and being known by three critical characteristics, including following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to his mission. The stages of spiritual growth and formation focus on one’s relationship with God, while discipleship entails maturing one’s faith under defined values and beliefs. When thinking about Christianity life, the bible addressed spiritual maturity as a critical facet of discipleship The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper.

Drawing from the previous spiritual stages, spiritual formations play an integral role in focusing on deepening one’s relationship with God. The stage of sin directs a person seeking a more Christ-like life to grow deeper into one’s relationship with God. The stages of spirituality help develop spiritual discipleship as the tools for Christians’ spiritual formation and guidance. According to Willett (90), spiritual growth improves Christians’ ability to face and deal with life challenges (ups and downs) and hence bounce back from such experiences. It is easy for people to look at others with criticism and judgment. Still, when disciples adopt and grow spiritually, they understand the healthiness aligned with cultivating compassion and understanding of others. In summary, spiritual maturity is critical in the effectiveness and role of disciples, including a sense of hope and optimism, as discipleship has been identified as not easy. Spiritual development also gives understanding and compassion, a sense of meaning and purpose, appreciation and inspiration, and disciples peace of mind as God transforms them into people He wants.

In conclusion, drawing from the biblical model of stages of spiritual development, the model presents an easy to understand as it is critical to building man’s relationship with Christ and influences the discipleship relationships and teaching roles. Just human development has three levels of spiritual development: childhood, youth, and adulthood or parenthood. John effectively articulates the journey of spiritual development as a not simple, yet one which can be easily adopted in the life of Christians and disciples. Spiritual development is not automatic; it is more like a person’s intellectual development that needs willing contributions. However, the process can be arrested and even regress The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper

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Works Cited

Willett, Don. “A Biblical Model of Stages of Spiritual Development: The Journey according to John.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, vol. 3, no. 1, May 2010, pp. 88–102, https://doi.org/10.1177/193979091000300107. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023.

The Bible: Authorized King James Version. Edited by Robert Carroll and Stephen Prickett, Oxford UP, 2008 The Stages Of Spiritual Development Essay Paper