Chalmers' Blog

How Do We Measure Christian Maturity? (Hint: It’s Not Just Bible Facts)

Written by a fellow pilgrim who knows how easy it is to confuse information with transformation.

Christians love saying, “I’m a mature believer/Christian.” Sometimes it even comes with a tone, the tone, (we’ve all heard it) that suggests the discussion is now settled because of someone’s supposed spiritual seniority. But Scripture invites us to test such claims, not to shame or embarrass, but because true maturity is a gift God actually wants to grow in His people.

The problem is that we often measure maturity by the wrong metrics. We confuse information with formation, and equate Christian vocabulary with Christ-like virtue. Which is understandable because information is measurable. But I don’t think that it’s the right way.

The gospel saves us by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and the Spirit grows us as we abide in the Word. But that grace produces fruit, and that fruit is measurable, and that fruit is one sign of maturity.

So what does Christian maturity look like?

Saturday Snippets (December 6)

As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers…

Reviving Solid Preaching in Modern Churches

There’s a strange irony in the church today: we have more access to sermons, podcasts, commentaries, and theological resources than any generation before us, but we may be the most starved for solid preaching. At the same time, we have shelves full of the writings of the Puritans, Reformers, and faithful saints of old, and still many Christians act as if those voices are irrelevant, outdated, or simply too demanding. And underneath both trends lies a quiet but potent danger: generational snobbery, the belief that our time, our tastes, and our insights are superior to those who came before.

This problem is not new, but it is sharper now than ever. Let’s look at what’s driving it, why it matters, and how I think Scripture calls us to respond.

Saturday Snippets (Nov 29)

Where Have All the Impure Spirits Gone?

Last week I wrote an article about the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives if Christians today, particularly in the context of spiritual gifts. So naturally that got people thinking about demons or impure spirits. Here is an evangelical reflection on demons, deliverance, and some of our modern blind spots

One of the striking features of the New Testament—especially the Gospels and Acts—is how often Jesus and his apostles confront impure spirits (or demons, depending on what translation of the Bible you use). Whether in the synagogue, in the streets, or in the wilderness, demonic forces are shown to be active, vocal, and violently opposed to the kingdom of God. Yet many Christians today look at their own experience and wonder:

Saturday Snippets (November 22)

Do the Miraculous Gifts Still Exist Today?

Few questions stir as much discussion within churches as whether the “miraculous gifts”—such as prophecy, healing, and tongues—continue today or not. Many believers hold strong convictions either for cessationism (the view that some gifts ceased with the apostolic age) or continuationism (the view that such gifts continue). Yet the Reformed tradition has always sought to hold two essential truths simultaneously: God is sovereign and free to act as he pleases, and Scripture is our final and sufficient authority. Personally, I think that this is a logical and helpful position to land on.

Rather than dividing God’s people, this question can drive us deeper into the wisdom of His Word and the unity of His church. But to arrive at such a conclusion a few questions and points must be raised.

Saturday Snippets (November 15)

Does God Judge Everyone the Same?

Christians sometimes wonder whether God judges people differently depending on what they know, what they have heard, or the circumstances in which they live. It is an important pastoral question, touching on issues of fairness, guilt, the spread of the gospel, and the character of God himself. Scripture is clear that God is perfectly just, perfectly consistent, and perfectly righteous. But Scripture also speaks about different kinds of knowledge, different degrees of responsibility, and even unconscious sin. How do these realities hold together?

Effective Leadership and Accessibility

Being an avid reader means that I get a lot of different books across my desk. I read Christian books ranging from creativity and faith to theology, from Church ministry to street evangelism. I quite like the variety. Because I haven’t been posting as much lately, I’m catching up on my review pile, so for the next little while (hopefully just a couple of weeks until, or until the end of 2025 at the most!) I’ll be giving you multiple shorter recommendations of books that I’ve read in the last 6 months to a year. Today’s list certainly has a more ‘church-y’ vibe, but they aren’t only for church leaders! I hope you find something that you want to pick up and read.