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“The Danger Of Spiritual Immaturity” • 12.17.17 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro
- Our study has
brought us to the end of Hebrews 5,
which is also the end of the first section of the book. Our author has practically
begged his audience to consider his plea.
- "Let's Come In To Our Rest!" Jesus
Christ is superior to every other potential suitor and the benefits He offers
are far greater than can be imagined.
- With that
established, he transitions to his next plea: "Let's Go On To Maturity." Chapter 5:11 offers an insight into the reason why his writing has been
necessary.
- He has
enlightened them to the fact that Jesus is a superior High Priest. He wants to
share in greater detail, but they have become "dull of hearing." Literally,
they have become lazy or sluggish.
- They were no
longer sharp or quick to respond to God's Word. Their habit didn't diminish
God's Word, but it did impact their ability to be established in the faith and
to subsequently grow in it.
- Consequently,
they are a church plagued by spiritual immaturity. Far from being an
insignificant issue, our author addresses their symptoms in this section. Let's
begin at verse 12.
Text
• Hebrews
5:12 : "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." : The
phrase "by this time" reveals an expectation of progress. That is an
appropriate expectation for every leader to have.
- A healthy Christian will make
progress if their hearing, their receptivity to the Word of God remains sharp.
It seems that this audience had not only become stagnant, but had digressed as
well.
- The church at this writing, was
in her 3rd decade. This specific fellowship might have been as old as 20. Most in
attendance would have been in the church for multiple years.
-
They were "old enough" to have become teachers. What does he mean? This
is at least, a metaphor illustrating the depth of their lack of progress.
-
For all of the instruction that they have had, they should have been masters of
the information that our author has given them. They should have been able to
teach others this material!
-
They should not only be convinced of Christ's superiority to any suitor, but
they should have been champions leading others in that cause! Their learning
should lead to leading!
-
Your learning must lead you beyond being personally convinced of the truth, to
be passionately persuasive toward others who have not experienced it!
-
You may not have the gift of being a teacher within the church, but among men
and women without any idea regarding the faith, you should appear to be a
Master! That is the metaphor.
-
There might also be a bit more irony here regarding the concept of being a
teacher.
-
Our author is addressing Jewish Christians who are being tempted to return to
Judaism. The Jews believed themselves to be "teachers of babes." Paul
employed this title in Romans 2:20.
-
Because of their knowledge of the law of Moses, the Jews believed themselves to
be ones that could help the ignorant understand and relate to God.
-
The prophet Zechariah describes a
time when people from every nation will come to Jerusalem. Ten men will grab
the arm of a Jew because he knows God. (Zechariah
8:21-23)
-
Jewish people at large believed this to be the case regardless of their
relationship to Christ.
-
Those that had been in the church, those Jewish people who were being invited
to trust in Messiah, are the exact types of people that Zechariah was prophesying about!
-
These people who were invited into the faith should have been true teachers,
Jews who had understanding of the law of God in the light of their Messiah,
Jesus.
-
These are the ones that truly knew the way of God. In that respect, it may be
that the author is revealing to them how far they have fallen from their true
calling by their flirtation with Judaism!
-
By returning or being tempted to return to Judaism, they had regressed from a
potential position to teach, to having to become a student! They needed someone
to teach them!
-
I've noted this before, especially when teaching books like Galatians and Colossians. Works based religions, like Judaism, present themselves
as intellectually superior to Christianity.
-
They might allege that this was the "original" way to God, that the
"old" is better than the new. The problem is that the "old"
only serves as a part of the whole! It's half of a story!
-
Far from making them smarter, an adherence to Judaism has left these formerly
sharp members of Christ's Church in a freshly dulled condition! All systems,
all "isms," will do the same!
-
This is the author's first note of their immaturity: There is a consistent need
to review the basics! They still had need of an explanation of the spiritual "ABC's!"
(Sandy Adams)
-
It's not bad to desire to be taught. That is a good thing. Additionally, from
time to time, one should go through a refresher course.
-
The issue with an immature believer is that this is what they seem to always
need, even after having spent many years hearing it!
-
One commentator mentioned that he knew a 10 year old Christian who had
experienced the same two year Christian existence 5 times! Unfortunately, that
is the case with many Christians!
-
They might be chronologically old, but they aren't properly developed! They are,
as these Hebrews were: Still spiritual babies! They still needed milk, basic
teaching. He explains in verse 13.
•
Hebrews 5:13,14 : "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." :
Everyone who partakes only of milk. It's not just a part of their diet, as it
should be for all of us. This is their only diet! Their intake is restricted to
a liquid diet.
-
This is the only thing that their dull ears and stunted digestive systems can
endure! Imagine this on a physical level. We would call such a thing a tragedy
for a grown person to be so ill.
-
Spiritually, it's just as tragic. This immaturity issues in being unskilled in
the word of righteousness, the second symptom of immaturity.
-
These immature believers lack the insight, experience or knowledge to act
properly, biblically.
-
They want to act in a righteous way, but because they are not properly fed,
when it comes time to act, they don't know what they should do! They know
"why" but they don't know "how!"
-
Is that not an appropriate way to describe those that remain stuck in their
patterns of life? They don't feed upon nourishing, strong food, choosing
instead to feed on what is easily digested.
-
They return to their favorite passages or their go-to verses, neglecting
anything that might challenge their own theological beliefs or their thought
patterns.
-
I find that this is especially true among those that define their experiences
apart from the church as "their church." "I go out alone to the
desert with my Bible and that's my church."
-
What you will find with that sort of person is that they open their Bible to
what they already agree with. You won't find them opening to passages that tear
them apart or confront them.
-
You won't find a "my church" believer reading Hebrews 10:26, an injunction against not assembling with other
believers at their "church!"
-
Is it any wonder then that they cannot break out of their patterned, learned
behavior? God's Word hasn't transformed their minds! There isn't enough
Biblical intake to affect the actions!
-
The church exists to force you to love people that aren't like you. A true
Pastor exists to teach you parts of the Bible you would otherwise ignore.
That's how you learn to live as God intended!
-
It's not a generational curse. It's not a "bad unbreakable habit." It's
not a "vicious cycle!"
-
It's a lack of God's strong Word sown into your spirit! If this fits you, you
are a babe in Christ! Look though at the contrast!
-
Babes need milk. Those who are of "full age" subsist upon solid,
strong food. They have need of that kind of food. They crave a good, well
balanced meal. Why?
-
Unlike the unskilled babe who doesn't know what to do, these full aged mature
believers have exercised their ability to perceive the life that God intends
for them.
-
They have literally been in the gym, repeatedly training themselves to
recognize, to distinguish the difference between good and evil.
-
These have taken God's Word and put it into immediate practice. They are working
out each Monday with a new set of convictions born out of the systematic study
of God's Word.
-
They are able to take new pieces of scriptural information into the workplace
and can see with greater clarity the balance between "good" and
"evil."
-
You might be thinking of these terms along generic or even archetypical lines.
The good guy is clean cut, while the bad guy wear all black! Think of this in
terms of personal considerations.
-
Is this good for me or will this result in an evil result? Some decisions have
seemed to be good at the outset, but have ended producing something that was
never intended!
-
An immature believer is defenseless in such a scenario. A meat feeder is not. Chapter
6.
•
Hebrews 6:1-3 : "Therefore, leaving the discussion of
the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of
laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if
God permits." : I really prefer the NLT's
rendering of verse 1.
•
Hebrews 6:1a (NLT) : "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 has just lovingly rebuked, corrected them for their lazy hearing
and their stunted growth. Did that offend you? Does it define you? It doesn't
have to.
-
I've noticed through scripture that there is never a correction where there
isn't also a gracious invitation! God's grace isn't just good enough to save
you. It's good enough to change you!
-
The same author that offended you now invites you to join him in moving beyond
the rudimental principles of Christ. Every one of us has the chance to progress!
-
You can remain offended or you can allow the offense to fuel your progress! I
suggest you take the latter course! Maturity in Christ is far superior to
immaturity!
-
That requires leaving behind repeated discussions of the elementary principles
of Christ. What are those principles? Essentially, the subjects covered in the
first five chapters!
-
Those were the subjects that should have been elementary to them, that they
should have been teaching others.
-
With that subject matter mastered, let's us be in the habit of going on! Let's
leave behind that which belongs to the immature and move on to perfection!
-
Once again, our English word "perfection" fails to drive in the
intended point. "Perfection" refers to a completed work, a fully realized
goal.
-
Let us go on to what we are intended to be. God intends you and I to be mature,
fully formed believers! He will complete that work but we are involved in that
process! We cooperate in that work.
-
How? By opening our ears to hear and conforming our lives to practice what we
have heard! We do this by feeding upon God's Word. That is how the Holy Spirit
transforms our minds!
-
Our author has demonstrated what they should have been masters at. He now
covers a list of other doctrines that they might have spent the bulk of their
time mastering.
-
These five articles, it seems, were a fascination for them. They are also
"foundational" or fundamental. Let's look at each particularly.
-
They focused in upon "dead works." This refers to actions performed
to produce a favorable response from God. They are dead because they have no
impact upon God.
-
He cannot be swayed by any person attempting to sell their righteousness over
that of His Son's! It won't happen!
-
Think of what you are saying to God when you say to Him, "Oh, your Son's
gift is wonderful, but here's what I offer you instead?" Is that not an
insult of colossal proportions? Dead works!
-
Certainly, this community knew what it meant to turn their faith toward God.
God cannot be pleased with dead works, but faith will provide living work!
-
Before we are saved, there isn't a work on earth that God would accept. After
we are saved, there isn't a work that He will forget! Why? Because they come
from our faith toward Him!
-
Our author continues with baptisms. Notice that plural usage. Most other translations
favor the use of the word "washings." The Jews were experts in
ceremonial cleansings.
-
They had a washing ceremony for virtually every occasion. These were doctrines,
not from God, but from men! He continues with the laying on of hands.
-
This is truly vague to us. It could refer to prayers that are made for people.
It might be related to the transferrence of guilt from a worshipper to a
sacrifice. We aren't clear, but they were clear.
-
Whatever it meant, it belonged in the elementary category. The same could be
said of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
-
Now, at this point, I'd like you to ask yourselves what seems to be missing
from these five articles? What elementary doctrine or doctrines have been left
out?
-
Wouldn't you include doctrines regarding Jesus Christ? The Cross? Justification
by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone?
-
All of these articles represent a shared set of values with the Jewish
community! It's as if these Christians chose to focus themselves on the
doctrines that were the least offensive.
-
Think about it logically. It's possible that these Jewish Christians were
afraid to leave Christianity but they also didn't want to lose their
non-Christian Jewish friends.
-
How could they maintain the balance? By remaining in the agreed upon middle!
-
This brings us to our final symptom of immaturity: Hesitation to offend! I
don't mean that we should be offensive. We aren't rewarded for being jerks or
for wielding truth like a sword.
-
What I do mean is that you understand that the contents of the Bible you hold
contains that which offends the sensibilities of those that are in the world.
-
There are truths that are irreducible, which if left unsaid, leave out the very
power of a life transforming gospel!
-
There is no salvation without the atonement of Christ. There is no forgiveness
without the shedding of His blood.
-
There is no Christianity without Jesus because there is no other Name under
heaven given by God that men might be saved by!
-
The immature Christian always wants to walk the line, to stay where it's safe,
to keep themselves from experiencing the shame and the confrontation that comes
from the World.
-
That is not just a poor proposition for the believer. It is a recipe for
disaster among those that are around them! Think about it: God has brought
unbelievers into your life and you accept them.
-
They are at your table and you are a Christian. You always are able to find
common ground and there is never a disagreeable moment between you.
-
You may have gained a friend, but you have partipated in losing a soul! That is
the danger of immaturity! The author states "If God permits this, they
will go on."
-
The author hopes that he has gotten his point across. He hopes that God will
not require him to go through this again!
-
He is praying that this congregation will understand and comprehend these
things, but it will take more than his effort. It will take God's will to
produce this and their work to cooperate with it.
-
The danger is that they will not progress, but that they will remain in this
stunted condition. That leads us to what we find in verse 4 which we will consider next time.
Conclusion
- The symptoms of spiritual immaturity begin with malnourishment. This believer will only tolerate milk, that which is easy to digest.
- The symptoms of spiritual immaturity begin with malnourishment. This believer will only tolerate milk, that which is easy to digest.
-
Unfortunately, that leaves the person without the faculty to discern God's will
and therefore, leaves them to their own patterns of behavior.
-
Because this person can barely lead their own spiritual life, they are a danger
to others because they won't offend them with the truth. I pray that this
doesn't describe you.
-
Let us move on. Let us look for solid food. Let us seek to practice what's been
preached and let us wield the truth of God in love to those around us. That is
maturity in Christ!