September 2, 2008

  • Why do most Christians remain spiritual babies? The author of Hebrews
    tells us it is because they choose not to go on to maturity in Christ
    Jesus.

    The capacity for entering into deeper spiritual truths
    depends on the faithfulness with which the soul has been obedient in
    discerning good and evil in our daily lives.

    Our fellowship with
    God depends upon our obedience to His Word, and our obedience
    determines how much spiritual maturity takes place in our lives. If we
    do not act upon what we know to be true in God’s Word, we will not grow
    in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Neither will we move from “milk” to
    “meat” in God’s word.

    It is very simple; if we love Him, we will obey Him. There is no getting around that spiritual truth.

    The
    writer of Hebrews carefully tells his readers, "Concerning Him we have
    much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of
    hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). Charles Williams words it this way, “You have
    become lazy. You have become so dull in you spiritual senses. You are
    so slow to grasp spiritual truth.”

    Why had the early baby
    believers become so dull in their spiritual hearing, and sluggish, even
    slothful in gaining spiritual insight? They had never progressed from
    the need of spiritual milk. Solid food is for full-grown individuals
    “whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to
    discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and
    what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law” (Amplified
    Bible, Heb. 5:14).

    Maturity produces more maturity. Immaturity
    reinforces and leads to more immaturity. You do not jump from
    immaturity to a fully mature person. Christians become mature
    spiritually “on account of long usage have their powers of perception
    exercised to the point where they are able to discriminate between both
    that which is good in character and that which is evil” (v.14, Wuest
    Expanded Translation).

    The emphasis is on spiritual progress.
    Laziness prevents spiritual development. When you drift from God’s
    word, you will begin doubting it, and you will become “dull listeners.”
    If you have the attitude that everything spiritual is dull, you will
    begin a dangerous slide into spiritual immaturity. The Bible is dull.
    The preacher is dull. The Sunday School lesson is dull, and you are
    dead spiritually. When there is no hunger and thirsting for the
    righteousness of God, you are spiritually dead or in grave condition.

    The
    neglect of past opportunities to put into practice God’s teachings or
    moral truths results in spiritual dullness. We become lazy spiritually
    and unresponsive to the pleading of the Holy Spirit to pursue godliness.

    Both milk and meat are needed for nourishment, but the former is for infants and the latter for adults.

    The
    Christian in every generation is confronted by the cultures of the
    world. Pressure is constantly applied for us to conform. "Therefore I
    urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a
    living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual
    service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
    transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what
    the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect"
    (Romans 12:1-2). We are to focus our eyes upon Jesus Christ who always
    confronts every culture of every generation. Meat for strong Christians
    deals with the hard issues of moral good and evil. It distinguishes the
    difference between that which is good and better, and better and best.

    The
    spiritually mature believer by the exercise of his senses discerns good
    and evil and builds through these experiences a standard of
    righteousness by which he exercises an even more mature spiritual
    discernment.

    How is your spiritual appetite? What are you hungry for spiritually?

    Maturity comes with habitual spiritual practice. Our spiritual perception and discernment comes through constant practice.

    When
    we put into daily practice the spiritual light, we have already
    received which prepares us for more spiritual truth. We move from
    spiritual milk to meat as we obey our Lord and Master.

    Selah!

    (c)
    2006 Message by Wil Pounds. Anyone is free to use this material and
    distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances
    whatsoever without the author's written consent.