Spiritual Babies
The other day I was observing a newborn child as she was being held by her mother. What a precious moment. The little one felt so secure in the loving arms of her mother. Just a little “peep”, from the baby, and the mother was there to feed her or change her diaper. Whatever she needed, the mother was close by to attend to it. As I was reflecting on this, I began to compare this scene with those that have experienced the “new birth” of salvation. Even though one may come to Christ as an adult, they are “born again” as spiritual babies. They can digest only the milk of the Word and are dependent on others to care for them.
Recently I was in Sweden teaching in a Bible school. Among the students were several who had received Christ in their lives only three months prior. Their hunger for the Word and their enthusiasm was remarkable. One young man, in particular, really touched my heart. He showed an intense desire to grow spiritually and sat on the first row, taking extensive notes of the teaching. One day, after being personally touched by what I had taught, he asked for prayer to be delivered from a stronghold of the enemy in his life. I prayed a very simple prayer of faith and there seemed to be no manifestation or outward sign of change. The next day, this young believer came to me and confessed that he had been radically set free. The problem that had plagued him from years was gone.
It is so easy to get new Christians healed or delivered, and it is fairly easy to heal those who have never been taught about healing. Like a baby that needs to be carried by someone, new babes in Christ can easily carried by the faith of others. But then there comes a time when they can no longer be carried; they must walk on their own feet, with their own faith. Babies are not babies forever, and yet so many Christians, instead of growing up, want to be constantly carried by the faith of their pastor or leaders. A baby receives the milk of the Word of God so that they might grow. Milk is simple food. It is simply believing the Bible to be true. It is taking the Lord at His Word; with no complications, reasoning, excusing or doubting. Yet, with time, God expects there to be growth.
The writer, of the book of Hebrews, reprimanded the Christians for their lack of spiritual growth. Instead of being mature, they were still needing for someone to feed them milk. (Heb. 5.11-14) Maturity is having the ability to care for others and to be able to discern between right and wrong. As it says in verse 12: “For though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of the oracles of God.” In chapter 6, he describes what those basic principles are, that leads one into maturity. The first being repentance and the second is faith. If you haven’t been growing, then you need to repent. The dead works that you are to repent of is your trusting in your own strength and leaning on your reasoning, rather than on God’s Word. After this foundation is established, you can go on to faith.
Faith is the milk needed to produce maturity. You are born again by faith. You receive the Promises of God by faith, you walk in faith and lead others into faith. Growing is a forward movement. You sit, you stand and then you walk. You sit with Him in heavenly places, you stand on the Word and you walk in faith. Having begun by faith, now continue in faith. Don’t stagnate in the baby mode; go on to maturity.
Scriptures to meditate on:
I Peter 2.2; Mark. 11.23; II Chron. 16.9; Eph. 4.14; Heb. 5.11-14