ARE
YOU A SPIRITUAL BABE OR AN ADULT?
Introduction: Have you wondered
why some grown-up adults act like children? It is often a narcissist who acts
like a child. One study says, "Narcissist's behaviors can be mystifying
and disturbing if you expect them to act like adults consistently. Though
narcissists can behave like adults much of the time, when they feel
embarrassed, ignored, or inferior, they may revert to a childlike state, acting
like children during the "terrible twos."
Unfortunately,
in our society, we see a lot of adult men and women who never seem to get past the
stage of a two-year-old when it comes to getting their way. We call them
immature, and we charge them to grow up. We see a similar pattern play out
among those who are born again and call themselves Christians. We have been
studying through the book of Hebrews.
This
past Sunday, we looked at Jesus being the Great High Priest. In conclusion, the
author compared Jesus to Melchizedek. His audience couldn't follow this
profound truth. Today we will see what leads them to their immaturity and how
the author gently points them to their goal of "Spiritual maturity."
How about you today, Are You A Spiritual Babe or An Adult?
We
will pick up where we stopped last week. Hebrews 5:10, "And God designated
him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." It must have raised
questions in the minds of the listeners regarding this strange character called
Melchizedek. The author resorted to explaining.
In verse eleven, "There is
much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain,
especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen."
The
way the author answered their questions expose the state of mind of his
audience. In a sense, it also reveals the state of mind of individual
Christians in the 21st century. It looks like the author had much
more to say about Melchizedek, so he dedicated two entire chapters seven and
eight to talk about who he was, and how Jesus, was more significant. In our
passage, we will learn about some of the factors that contributed to their
immaturity.
By
reading, verse eleven, we understand that the author had much more evidence to say
about the high priestly role of Jesus, but was offering only a portion of the
vast evidence that could be provided at that time. Why? Because the believers were
spiritually dull and didn't seem to listen. Spiritual stagnation and
indifference to sound teachings seem to be a problem of our time too. What
makes a believer's spiritual growth stunted?
The
first blocker is a lack of desire to read God's word. When God accepts
a person into His family, he or she is like a newborn spiritual baby. Well, we
all know what is necessary for a physical newborn baby to grow and become
strong; it is the mother's milk. Similarly, a new believer must crave the pure
milk of God's word daily, an essential source of spiritual growth.
I
Peter 2:2, "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so
that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this
nourishment." When babies drink milk from their mother, they draw
nourishment, feel secure, and learn to trust their mother.
In
the same way, when a new believer spends time in reading God's word daily, he
draws strength, he feels secure, and learn to trust God who birthed him into
His family. I cannot overemphasize the necessity of reading God's word daily,
especially for new believers. There is nothing else that can replace the pure
milk of God's word, not even listening to the best sermons.
The
second blocker is a lack of listening and practicing God's word regularly. It
is one thing to read the Bible, but if we don't pay attention to what it says
and apply it in our daily lives, it will do no good to us. Jesus, in one of his
early teachings, said, "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it
is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock." Matthew 7:24.
As
a young believer, I not only read the Bible eagerly and daily; I tried to
practice it as well, which made me grow and become strong in my faith and the
understanding of God.
The
best way to retain what we are learning is by practicing it. If you don't
practice it, we will lose it. The same applies to the learning of spiritual
truths. If you don't act accordingly and keep practicing them, you are in
danger of losing them. Practice makes men and women perfect.
The
third blocker is unrepented sin. I want to compare the Christian life to a
spiritual garden that God has planted in our hearts. In recent years we have
learned a thing are two about weeds and how they hinder the growth of a garden.
Similarly, in our spiritual garden, the weeds are the unrepented sins. They
will suck up all the energy, blocking your spiritual growth.
Consider
these scriptures. Song S2:15, "Catch all the foxes, those little foxes,
before they ruin the vineyard of
love, for the grapevines are blossoming." Any sin, either big or small,
has the potential to destroy our spiritual garden. I Peter 2:11, "Dear
friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires,
which wage war against your soul."
I
am convinced that you may ask for all the prayers from your pastor and other
believing friends for you to overcome your sins. As long as you don't take
personal responsibility for your sin and repent and ask God for forgiveness,
you will remain spiritually immature. Which are the little foxes of sin that
you need to catch and kill? Coming back to our passage
The
Hebrews' spiritual lethargy and slow response to gospel teaching prevented
additional teaching at this time. This is a reminder for all of us that the
failure to appropriate the truth of the Gospel produces in us spiritual
dullness, whereby it hinders our spiritual growth and further prohibits us from
acquiring additional truth.
Let
me summarize the three blockers of our spiritual growth: The lack of desire for
God's word, lack of obedience to His word, and unrepented sin. After pointing
out their spiritual dullness and unwillingness to listen, the author explains
the reason for it and exposes their current state of mind as believers, which
was infantile and immature.
II ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL BABE? (12-14)
Vs. 12, "You have been
believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need
someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like
babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food." This can be the condition
of some of us today.
The
believers that the author was addressing were not recent converts; they may
have been under his teaching for a long time. He expected them to be teachers
by that time; instead, they remained as spiritual babies still needing milk and
not yet ready for the solid meat.
What
a sobering assessment of the believers of that time. Let me bring this to our
context. Many of us have been seasoned Christians for years and attending Hope
Church for a long time. We may have come under the solid Biblical teachings of
many teachers. If the author were to assess our spirituality, I wonder what he
would say about our maturity?
The
author's expectations of the believers of his time are in line with God's
expectations of His followers of all time. God expects them to be teaching
others about the truths of the Gospel.
Listen to the last command that Jesus gave to His disciples before He
ascended to haven. Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you." Jesus wanted this well-established tradition of teaching to
be continued.
What
is the difference between a teacher and teaching? A teacher is explicitly
gifted by God to equip the believers. (I Cor 12:27). Whereas teaching is a
normal part of all believers (Col 3:16). This typical way of life has been
commanded by God and been in practice for generations.
Duet
6:6-7, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when
you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and
when you rise."
In
other words, let the teaching of my commandments be a regular part of your
life. Jewish homes religiously followed this command of God and passed on the
truths of God to their children and their grandchildren. That is still the
expectation of God for us in the 21st century.
That
was surprisingly missing among the believers in the book of Hebrews. Many of
them came from a Jewish background and had also been following Christ for a
long time. Yet they were immature spiritual babies and expecting to be spoon-fed
again and again.
Hebrews
6:1-3, "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again
and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding."
The author urges them to move past six fundamental teachings. 1. Repentance. 2.
Faith in God. 3. Instructions about Baptism. 4. Laying on of hands. 5. The
resurrection of the dead. 6.Eternal judgment.
What
does this mean to us today? Whether you are a new Christian or a seasoned
Christian, your goal is to increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ so that we
will be mature. How do we know we are
spiritually matured? Rick Warren notes the mark of spiritual maturity occurs
when a believer "takes off the bib and puts on an apron."
Immature children wear bibs and expect others to meet their needs. Those who
don aprons have learned the joy of serving others. Which attire are you
wearing? Are you a spiritual babe or an adult?
Mature
believers will be able to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Every wind of new teaching will not waver us. The lies of people will not
influence us. We will speak the truth in love. (Eph 4:13). At Hope Church, we
want all believers to become spiritually mature and be able to teach others.
Parents must teach God's word to their children. Older believers need to come
alongside and show younger believers the ways of God so that we all will grow
together to spiritual maturity and become more Christlike. The teaching culture
must continue. Amen!
