The need for growing spiritually is well established in the New Testament. Those who remain babes in Christ remain as vulnerable to spiritual dangers as their physical counterparts are to the temporal dangers of life. They are weak, and undiscerning, which make them easy fodder for the devil and his minions.
“For he who lacks these things [attributes of the spiritually mature] is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).
Knowing the importance of spiritual development and growth, it is disheartening when we witness a Christian who is stagnant spiritually. It happens far too often.
The Hebrew writer was concerned with a whole group of disciples who were exhibiting such stagnation. Consider his words. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12).
Hebrews 5 not only points out the condition of the spiritually stagnant Christians there, but also gives us some insight as to why they were failing to grow. Consider the following.
The disciples in Hebrews 5 were failing to grow:
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Because they had become dull of hearing. “…of whom [Christ] we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing” (5:11). Israel was like that in Amos’ day. He was rebuffed by a people who did not want to hear God’s word. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel told him, “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, and there prophesy. But never again prophesy at Bethel…” (Amos 7:12-13). Anytime a Christian is not willing to hear the truths of God, he is sure to be weakened spiritually.
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Because they thought they had grown enough. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God…” (5:12). The words seem to indicate a satisfaction in their level of discernment. They had stopped progressing. Their lack of interest led to a digression in their knowledge. You have heard of a child unhappy about having to learn higher math. They can add and subtract, and that’s enough for them. It is sad when a Christian exhibits that attitude toward the words of life. We instead should mirror the attitude of Paul, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).
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Because they would not allow the word of God to change them for the better. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (5:13-14). One of my granddaughters seems to be fond of only macaroni and cheese, and popsicles. Both foods are fine, but she will need much more to grow and thrive physically. I once was told by an older Christian that she thought every sermon should be a first principle sermon. Her shallow understanding of God’s word was evident in her manner and life. The word of God has the power to absolutely transform us. “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (2 Peter 2:2).
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Because they failed to “go on to” spiritual maturity. “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection…” (6:1). The phrase used in the ASV is helpful here, “let us press on.” The Greek word, phero means “to carry; to bring forth.” It is used of a gust of wind, and has the suggestion (Thayer says) of force or speed. There must be action, will, and force in our attempt to grow in knowledge and discernment. “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God… (11) Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest…” (Hebrews 3:9,11a).
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Because they had already fallen away (the eventual outcome of not growing). “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (6:4-6). If you are not going forward, you are going backward. God clearly shows in His word that such regression can lead to outright apostasy. We can reach the state where God’s appeal will no longer touch our hearts. May we always be aware of the danger, and do all we can to avoid such a sad condition.
God expects us to be diligent, and to “show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end” (6:11). The writer of Hebrews uses the word “sluggish” as an antonym of diligence. it in describing those Christians who were not growing, in chapters 5 and 6. We must ask ourselves, are we diligent? Or sluggish? Rather than just drifting along, growing only a little or not at all, let us “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (6:12).
