CHAPTER 5
Growing Up
“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He *said to him the third time, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.” (Joh 21:15-17 NAS95)
In anticipation of the influx of new births that were to take place in the days ahead, Jesus began preparing the disciples for their task ahead. As anyone knows, one of the most basic needs of babies is milk. Jesus’ request of Peter was for him to feed His lambs. Jesus revealed to us that there is great joy among the angels of God when one sinner repents; however, that is just the beginning. Once a baby is born, it needs to be fed.
“… like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,” (1Pe 2:2 NAS95)
The Scripture continually compares our physical birth and growth with our spiritual birth and growth. Milk is so very important in our early development and likewise in our spiritual development. It is in partaking of the pure milk of the Word that the new man begins to grow and develop. When consumed in abundance, the babe experiences rapid and healthy growth. How very important it is at this early stage, for a person to stay close and drink often from the source of this life-giving food.
“… but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt 18:6 NAS95)
The early stages of a person’s spiritual life are also a time of great vulnerability. As I have already pointed out, as long as we hold an unwavering faith and trust in Jesus, we remain safe and secure. The young in the faith lack the knowledge and experience to do battle with the voices of the world. The strategy of the enemy is to lure the unsuspecting from their position of safety, which is faith in God. It is, therefore, the responsibility of Christ’s Church to build a bulwark around these babes in Christ to protect and counter the attacks that are inevitable. This is an area of weakness in the American Church today. Surrounded by a culture of extreme sensitivity for offenses, the Church has become silent in defending the principles of behavior that provide that bulwark of protection.
There is another danger to the vulnerability of these tender new converts that lies within the church itself. Compromise of the Scriptural teachings and principles by those who profess to be Christians, can be more effective in creating doubt and apprehension than those attacks from the outside. I hope to deal in more detail about some of these compromises later. I raise this issue in the context of spiritual growth because of the important ramifications to the new believer, and for those who inadvertently are providing stumbling blocks.
Striving for Maturity
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Heb 5:12 NAS95)
“Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Pr 4:7 AV)
As the father of four grown children, I have experienced the joys that come with fatherhood. We cherish their achievements and the milestones in their development from their birth, and continuing throughout their lifetime. I have no doubt that it is the same with our heavenly Father.
The Scripture tells us that there is great joy in all of heaven at the birth of one of God’s children. It is also clear that God’s desire for all of His children is for them to continue to develop and mature. God’s goal and purpose is that we continue to grow spiritually, conforming to the image of His only begotten son, Christ Jesus.
More than once the Apostle Paul expresses disappointment that some of God’s children were a little slow in growing up. In the passage quoted above, it seems like some were actually reverting back to their childish ways to the extent that they were in need of having to be taught the basic fundamentals again. In spite of the fact that they were old enough, and should have learned enough to have become teachers, they were yet incapable of understanding anything beyond the most basic truths.
It was not because the milk was not good and essential for our development, that the writer of Hebrews was lamenting the fact that they were not able to eat solid food. It was because God never intended for us to remain babies for the rest of our lives. There was so much more God wanted to share with His children that could not be experienced until they grew up a little. As long as we cannot eat solid food, we are in need of milk. If we are in this condition, we are still in the need of the direct guidance of a teacher.
Big Babies
“For everyone who partakes [only] of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Heb 5:13-14 NAS95)
The maturing process requires exercise and practice to develop our senses, training us by the Word of God to be able to discern good and evil. Failure to partake of the Word of God, and to receive training in righteousness, results in retardation.
It seems like in America today, there is an epidemic of retardation in many of the churches. People who have been “Christians” for years, seem to be ignorant of the most basic principles of the teachings of Christ. The Scriptural solution for this dilemma is that they be taught again those fundamental principles of Christ’s teachings. In their present condition, they can only handle milk. Instead of being given milk, those who are presiding over these large nurseries seem to find it easier just to give them candy and cool-aid.
We see a trend prevailing in our culture, and in our churches, whereby many people have attained physical maturity, but have retained childish attitudes. Simply put, they are just big babies, expecting someone else to continue to give them everything that they desire. They refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. What we need to understand, if we are to change this trend, is that those in charge of raising these children are often the ones at fault. In our culture, the blame lies with the parents and educators. In the church, it is the same. Those who are responsible for the nurturing and educating of young Christians, have not fulfilled their responsibility. Usually this means that for the most part, they have taken the easy route. It is easier to provide entertainment than education. It is easier to feed candy and cool-aid than it is to ensure a diet of adequate nutrition. It is easier to let children have their own way than it is to provide discipline and correction. When we end up with big babies, it becomes obvious that the easy way was not the best way. Big babies are harder to deal with than newborn babies.
Now What?
So, what do you do if you end up with a bunch of big babies? The answer is clear in our passage from Hebrews 5:12. The big babies need to be taught again the elementary principles of the oracles of God. It sounds simple, but it is not easy because these are not new infants. They are people in whom the maturing process has not gone well. Although we cannot go back in time, we have the instruction that Paul gave to Timothy, that seems applicable to this situation.
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2Ti 2:22-26 AV)
Immaturity in people whose “senses haven’t been trained to discern good and evil”, creates a tendency to ask “foolish and unlearned questions”. Paul instructs Timothy not to fight or argue with them. Instead, we are to gently teach the truth with patience and meekness, to this group that is in opposition to themselves. We need to understand that they are in the need of repentance, because they have fallen into the snare of the devil. It says here in Scripture that they have been taken captive by the devil at his will. This would imply that they have strayed from the safety and protection of that high ground.
Continuing to Strive for Maturity
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,” (Heb 6:1 NAS95)
“Not that I have already obtained [it] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of [it] yet; but one thing [I do:] forgetting what [lies] behind and reaching forward to what [lies] ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:12-14 NAS95)
God’s purpose for His children is for them to become conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s goal for us should be our goal for ourselves. What this means is that we have a whole lot of growing up to do. In Peter’s epistle, we are told that we were born of holy seed. Our new birth was an act of God. This is what makes us His children and He becomes our Father. From the moment of our new birth, we were created in His likeness and image. If there was no resemblance, even from this early point in our life, we might question whether we were truly His child.
It is true that we may start out as a very immature image of God; nevertheless, the offspring of the God of love better be full of love. The mature image of love we see in Christ is revealed in His sacrificial death on the cross, on our behalf. In Christ, we see the perfection or mature image of what we are destined to become.
If the apostle Paul was still pressing toward that mark in the latter days of his ministry, then it is way too early for us to settle for something short of what God would have for us. As I have already mentioned, maturing is not just about getting older, but it is about developing the extent of our capabilities. What we end up individually looking like will in some ways vary, but it will invariably be an expression of the love of God.
There may be times or reasons why we might want to stop this whole maturing process. There certainly is in the spiritual, just like in the physical, such a thing as growing pains. There is a lot more to maturity than just getting bigger. We have to have instruction, correction, and everything else involved in education. We have to exercise and practice to develop skills and develop endurance. Then in graduated degrees, we have to accept responsibility and responsibilities. There also needs to be as we go along a broadening of the vision of our purpose and goals. Glimpses of future potentials will at times inspire us, and at times may overwhelm us.
This life in Christ also has its sweet spots and there will always be the temptation to just stop and stay right there in a sweet spot. For some, this time comes as early as when they first come to Christ, drink of the milk, share in the fellowship, and just enjoy being babied. For some of us we may desire to go back to a simpler time when we were less aware of the evil around us, and were not feeling the heaviness of responsibility weighing down on us. The realities of life do not allow for us to stop or go back. Whether we are talking about the physical or the spiritual, we need to press on ahead. To stop is to stagnate, from there we go downhill, and then eventually we will die.
It is important that we press on in this high calling in Christ Jesus. We soon realize that it is not just about us. We are here to help others along the way. We also find that there are those who are called to help us along our way. Our path of development will either make it harder or easier for those who follow us. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus as we press on is essential, if we are to maintain our standing on the high ground.
Saints, the Faithful in Christ
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 1:1-2 AV)
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians starts with a greeting that is typical in all his letters. The term, “saint”, in our present day is usually only used for those who have passed on and have been elevated to a special level. But the term “saint” simply means “holy one”. Those who are truly Christians, have had their sins washed away, and are living lives faithful to Christ today, simply are the saints of God. This is not a status that is achieved by accomplishing great deeds or the high acclaim of men, rather it is a position that we obtain through repentance and the forgiveness of sins. We are then obligated and inspired through love and thanksgiving to God to walk worthy of this calling. We accomplish this by putting our trust in Jesus as our Savior and in the power of God’s Spirit that dwells within us to live a holy life before God and man.
Those who are saint are to be the light of the world. We are to be the salt of the earth. We are to be the witnesses of the love of God that came to earth to save people from sin and death. That is why I have spent time here emphasizing the importance of God’s children maturing in their faith. That is why God had the a postle Paul instruct the saints in all the Churches, preparing them for the role that the Church has in every generation. That is why we cannot cede our standing on the moral high ground, that place of right standing with God. It is only by being positioned on the high moral ground that we can shine the light of the gospel effectively.
Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers
“And He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [even] Christ,” (Eph 4:11-15 NAS95)
Again I want to emphasize that a person’s standing on the high ground and the title of saint, are not contingent upon our level of maturity. It is simply based upon our right standing before God. It is not based upon our understanding of the principles of God, but our acceptance of them as a guide for our lives. It is not based upon our level of knowledge or wisdom, but upon our trust in Jesus and the Word of God.
But how we are positioned on that high ground may be based upon some of these things. Our maturity and personal gifts come into play when we consider what God is asking us as individuals to do. God does not put his babies in the middle of the battlefield. He doesn’t require those still reliant upon a diet of milk to serve meat. He does not ask children to be teachers.
I think you can get my point from these few examples. God prepares us for the tasks that lie before us. David killed a bear and a lion before he needed to stand up in front of a giant. God’s provisions come in many ways and forms. Our abilities, gifts, and opportunities come from God. But there is an element that lies strictly in our hands and that is our willingness. God looks for a person who is willing. When we place ourselves in God’s hand, then He can provide us with the knowledge, wisdom, and abilities necessary to perform His will.
“And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” (Mr 1:17-18 NAS95)
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers, are men of God’s making. These are men who have responded to the call of God and followed Jesus. These are men who are patterning their lives after their teacher and guide. These are men who have reached a level of maturity in which they can be used of God to lead, guide, exhort, and teach. Their position is not based upon their level of maturity or their desire for a particular position, but the calling or God in their lives. We are asked to follow Jesus. It is Jesus who makes us to become an instrument to be used by Him.
These individuals are necessary to guide and lead the followers of Christ on their path to maturity. It is the responsibility of these men is to maintain the purity of the Word of God and equip the saints for the work of the Church. It is the responsibility of these men to build up the body of Christ, maintaining unity with a focus on Christ. If they are successful, followers of Christ will not remain as children that are easily led astray and vulnerable to the cunning deceptions of the devil.
How do you counter false prophets and teachers? You counter them with the truth, the Word of God. That is why we need to recognize how very important it is that we have the knowledge that is contained in God’s Word. It is through the Word that we are able to recognize that which is false. It is through the teaching of the Word that God’s children are equipped and protected against that which would destroy us.
We become vulnerable when we trust in our own understanding. The warnings are clear that appearances can be deceiving. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, signs and wonders, or any of the other deceptive means Satan uses will not sway us from the truth if we adhere to the Word of God. We all need to be students of the Word of God if we are to avoid the threats of false information that can lead us astray. Spiritual maturity does not remove the need for vigilance. The subtle deceptive attacks just come in different ways and on different levels. God’s Word provides us with adequate protection as outlined in the 6th chapter of Ephesians, but we have to make use of that armor to be protected.
The role of the teacher is very important in the matters of our spiritual well-being. We also begin to understand the weight of responsibility that falls on those who have been called to teach. It is important that we get it right and closely adhere to the pure unadulterated Word of God. It is not only in what is said, but each one of us have responsibility for the way in which we walk.
A War for Men’s Souls
We are in a war and the battle is for the souls of men. Just because we occupy the high moral ground does not mean we will not come under attack. In fact it is because we occupy the high ground that we will be the focus of attacks. What I am trying to show here is that God provides everything we need and equips us to be able to repel any and every attack from the enemy.
I do not want to in any way detract from the concept that I earlier presented. The understanding that even babies are safe and secure from the enemy by their standing on the high ground is still true. But this security is contingent upon their trust in Jesus. The enemy’s attacks often come in the form of doubts or enticements. These are the kinds of things that need to be deflected and dealt with by those who are more mature and knowledgeable. One who is still a child may not have the knowledge and understanding to do battle with those who wage war. But as long as they trust God and His Word they cannot be dragged from their position on the high ground.
Protection For Those On The High Ground
“I solemnly charge [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season [and] out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but [wanting] to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2Ti 4:1-4 NAS95)
God has in every generation given a charge to maturing members of the faith and equipped them to preach His Word. It is His Word, whether given as instruction, encouragement, correction, or a rebuke, that guard the safety of those occupying the high ground. When the time comes that people will no longer pay attention to the voice of God through His servants they become vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. The nature of that attack is to appeal to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Subtly those attacks create doubts, questioning the wisdom of God.
How very important it is that those who are more mature continue to seek wisdom and understanding to fulfill their responsibility to guard and deflect the attacks of the enemy. As I view the landscape of America today I see those brave individuals that have taken this charge seriously and are standing firm. They have taken up the armor of God and are preaching His Word with boldness. But I am also aware that we live in a time that many are not willing to endure sound doctrine, but desiring to have their ears tickled they are following false teachers. Safety has been compromised and many churches are crumbling under the attack of the enemy.
False Prophets and Teachers
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Mt 7:15 NAS95)
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” (Mt 24:24 NAS95)
“Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men]. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Ac 20:26-29 AV)
Danger From Within
“… but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt 18:6 NAS95)
Probably the greatest dangers that Christians face today are the ones that come from within our ranks. False prophets and false teachers can infiltrate our churches and cause much damage. But even a more sinister danger is when one of our own strays from the truth and others naively follow. This is serious business when we consider the potential effect our words and actions can have on others.
It does not seem to be fair that it takes a whole lot of good to offset a little bit of evil. But that is the nature of good and evil. If something is tainted with evil it simply is not good. That is why purity is emphasized in the Scripture. Doctrinal teaching needs to come directly from the Scripture, for true wisdom comes from above.
“Let not many [of you] become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” (Jas 3:1 NAS95)
Those who are gifted and obtain a position as a teacher incur a great responsibility because of the extent of their influence. As we think of those men who lead large congregations, or men whose teachings form the doctrinal basis for entire denominations, it is easy to imagine the damage that can be done if they teach in error. James seems to be addressing those who are or wish to be teachers at this level. There are men in every generation who because of their abilities and position exercise great influence over how people will understand the Scripture. If these men have not come under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit or if in their pride they stray from the purity of the Word, they will incur a strict judgment.
The epistle of James goes on to illustrate the influence of a teacher. By likening a teacher to the bit in a horse’s mouth, or the rudder of a ship, we can see how the influence of that small member can turn the whole. A small bit in a horse’s mouth determines the direction that horse travels. Likewise, it is the relatively small rudder of a ship that determines its direction. So it is also true that a teacher, just one individual member, can lead a whole congregation in the direction of his teaching.
We also need to realize that all of us in some measure have been entrusted with teaching on some level. As we mature in the faith we inherit a responsibility for those who may be following us. For fathers and mothers their children come first in that line of those who are influenced by their words and behavior. We can and should be good examples to follow. But in all humility we need to use our influence to redirect people’s attention toward the example of Christ Himself. After all, Christianity in its purest form is simply discipleship of Christ.
There is grave danger when those who have begun a good walk with the Lord become prideful and stray from sound doctrine. It is not just their own soul that is in danger, for because of their sphere of influence, especially among the immature and the naive, the souls of many are endangered. Those who have become teachers and leaders in their own communities have a grave responsibility to guide those who follow in the path of righteousness. When the leaders stumble it is possible that many people will be affected. But every one of us has a sphere of influence, and we would be wise to consider that our words and actions have consequences. If you cause even one of these little ones to stumble, “… it would be better for you to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt 18:6 NAS95)
Where We Stand
I have tried to lay out a basic understanding of where we are as the Christians today here in America. I will give a brief recap of what I have said. Briefly I have touched on the history of Christianity and how it has been instrumental in the formation of the United States. I have touched on some of the elements that are essential to understanding our position in Christ as we stand before God. I have touched on how we can achieve a right standing before God, and how important it is for us to maintain that standing. I have labeled “our standing before God” as the “high moral ground”. I have touched on the challenges that have come against those who stand on that high moral ground, starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden. As I move on I want to increasingly focus on the issues that we are facing today in America. Maintaining our standing on the “high moral ground” is not a matter of comparing ourselves to the standing of other people. Our standing in this position is a matter of our salvation. Unless we have this standing before God, we will not be saved and will perish with the world.