This verse in Ephesians makes it clear what we're struggling with here: spiritual immaturity. And we're not the only ones- apparently Hebrew Christians had the same issue.
Hebrews 5:11-14 seems oddly placed, but spiritual maturity was a must if the Hebrews were ever to fully comprehend and apply the truth of Jesus being their ultimate, eternal High Priest which is a main theme of Hebrews. Instead of merely looking forward to a Savior, they had unlimited access to the throne of God through their Savior. This would be a grave loss of blessing indeed if this truth was not applied to their lives! So, let's read the passage. Hebrews 5:11-14
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
So here we see that the people are "dull of hearing" basically meaning "slow to learn". These Hebrews had been Christians for 10+ years, and yet they were digressing. We see this when the phrase "are become" is used, meaning that their spiritual maturity has declined (Expositor's Bible Commentary). So his main focus were those who should be able to be teachers to babies, instead of babies themselves. It states here that the people had to revisit the basics of Christianity time and time again, and yet they still did not apply these truths to their lives, and consequently never grew in their Christianity like they should have. In Hebrews 6: 1-3, the author lists these basics of Christianity which are essential to follow, but were where the Hebrews stopped learning.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit.
So, what are the marks of spiritual immaturity vs. spiritual maturity? We see this in 5:11-14
Numbered points taken from Life Application Study Bible
Mature vs. Immature
1.Teaching Others vs. just being taught
The author clearly states that these Christians have been saved long enough to take on the role of teaching new Christians. Let's think about ourselves. How many times have we doubted our salvation? Do we have a full understanding of the Bible's definition of basic doctrines like existence of the devil and hell, purpose of the local church, etc.?Are we continual students of the Word? Does our testimony line up with what we believe and application of those truths? Are we actively mentoring a new Christian?
We need not go any further than the Great Commission which applies to all Christians, not just those with a spiritual gift of teaching. Matt. 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." The Lord says to teach all nations of the gospel, and this is a command. Then, He commands to teach new Christians to observe all things which the Lord had taught them when He was on earth. They were to model their lives after these truths and teach new believers. You may only be teaching one person you develop a relationship with, but the point is, we are all to teach new Christians.
It is clear that baby Christians should not be leading baby Christians. 2 Tim 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." A teacher needs to understand and apply Biblical truth to their lives, be a lifetime student of the Word, (2 Tim. 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."), and proven him/herself to be faithful to the Lord and Biblical doctrine. While it is true some have the spiritual gift of teaching, we are all responsible to be actively seeking non-Christians to tell them of the gospel, and then teaching new Christians to help them to develop into mature disciples of the Word.
This can be a one on one scenario. This doesn't mean that everyone should teach a Sunday School class as a requirement of church membership, but that when we have reached spiritual maturity, we should mentor others, and that's a command. A lot of the mentoring is accomplished by a testimony that lines up with your belief. While we all have a sin nature in our physical bodies, we should all be striving to repent and move forward in the strength of the Lord. Trying to be a pious Christian who hides their sin is dangerous, because the impurity of the heart will show itself at some point and much damage can be done to the whole church body as a result. Mentoring and being open and vulnerable about your personal struggles and how you manage them is a great comfort to a new Christian as they may feel defeated in their new walk.
"And
what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
- See more at:
http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/bible-verses-about-teachers.html#sthash.C4uW2bzS.dpuf
"And
what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
- See more at:
http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/bible-verses-about-teachers.html#sthash.C4uW2bzS.dpuf
2. Developing depth of understanding vs. struggling with the basics
The author again points to this in citing the basic doctrines that the church continually struggled to comprehend and then apply. I imagine the Hebrews would like to add bits and pieces of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. In other portions of Scripture, we find whole arguments about whether Gentile Christians should be circumcised or not, because under the Old Covenant, Hebrews were to be circumcised to signify separation. Perhaps we struggle with the basics because we think we are too uneducated to understand, or that it's the pastor job to study the Word for us. Don't worry about what you don't understand in the Bible- read the basics like John, and as you learn more about God, your spiritual understanding will grow as well through the work of the Holy Spirit. Don't ever try to read the Bible alone- ask the Holy Spirit to guide you with His truth to understand the basics, and then go from there. Eph. 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:" The Lord will reveal to you what He wants you to understand for right now. Don't be concerned that you can't interpret the meaning of Revelation- just focus on what the Lord is teaching you now and He will expand your understanding and reveal to you more and more. Now as it says in 2 Tim. 2:15, we should study and meditate on the Word, but let God do the revealing. That's why teaching through discipleship is of paramount importance- it provides a guide for the new Christian to ensure he/she has a solid foundation in Biblical doctrine to move forward in learning with.
There are more aspects to discuss about spiritual maturity in posts to come. But for now, let's remember how we define maturity. In 5:14, we see that the spiritually mature Christian has discernment as a result of practice. So far, we have seen that the mature Christian has a firm foundation in basic Biblical doctrine, is continually learning beyond the basics, and applies Biblical principles to his/her life so that he/she develops discernment as a natural result of the revelation of the Lord, and continually living in the strength of the Lord. There is nothing wrong with being a baby Christian if you are a chronologically new Christian, but there is an issue if you continually digress over years of time and constantly struggle with the basics. What if every baby Christian was taught and mentored by a mature Christian? Every Christian would know correct doctrine and how to apply it rather than applying emotion or misunderstood context to their lives. What a revival that would begin! Do your part! If you're a baby Christian, seek out a mentor by talking to the the leadership of your church. If you're a mature Christian, reach out to the new Christian and walk with them in this fallen world. Disciples making disciples making disciples- a picture of what the Lord intended the church to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment