As we have said earlier, one of the main differences between the old and new testament saints, is that the old testament saints could not be born again. And so, because the old testament saints could not be born again, they obviously could not grow and mature spiritually. That is why the bible never describes the saints under the old covenant, as being either babes or being mature. In the new testament however, the saints are very often described as being either babes or being mature. The reason for that, is because the spirits of the new testament saints can grow. As we will see in this section, there are various stages of spiritual growth that each new testament saint goes through. Everyone acknowledges that there is such a thing as natural growth, but under the new covenant there is also such a thing as spiritual growth. Everyone also understands that there are various stages of natural growth, i.e. the first stage being childhood, after that young adults, and then finally mature adults. Spiritual growth is very similar. However, many believers do not understand the various stages of spiritual growth, and because of their lack of understanding, they encounter problems in their Christian walk. The bible refers to three main stages of spiritual growth. It refers to children, young men and fathers (1 John 2:12-14). As we will see in this section, each stage of growth, impacts the life of the believer differently. In the following sections, we will identify the main characteristics of each stage of spiritual growth, so that we can more easily recognise, which stage each of us are at.
Childhood
Hebrews 5:12-13 “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. (13) For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.”
The first stage of spiritual growth is childhood. Being a child in Christ or being a babe in Christ, are very often, synonymous terms in the new testament. There are three main traits that identify baby believers. The first is a limited understanding of the word of God, the second is carnal behaviour, and the third is weak faith. And so, one who is a baby Christian, will display all three of these traits, in their walk as believers. In the above passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul, teaches us that baby believers are unskilled in the word of righteousness. In other words, they are ignorant about many truths in the bible, particularly the mysteries of the gospel, as revealed in the new testament. In this passage, he tells us that babes can only absorb the milk of God’s word, which he explains as being the first principles of the oracles of God. If you read the full context of his teaching, you will see in the following chapter, that he then lists the six foundational doctrines of Christ, as being the first principles of the oracles of God. Those six doctrines are; repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement (Hebrews 6:1-2). And so, baby believers only have a capacity to understand the first principle truths in God’s word, and some even struggle to understand these doctrines, for Paul says of the church in Jerusalem, that they needed someone to teach them again, the first principles of Christ, thus indicating that they had not yet fully grasped those particular truths in scripture. What is a concern in the church today, is that many of the Lord’s ministers do not have a full understanding of these first principles, and yet they are the ones that are meant to bring the church to maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13). Another truth that we can see from this passage of scripture, is that spiritual growth is not linked automatically to the length of time that believers have been saved. For the church in Jerusalem had been established for many years when Paul wrote his letter to them, and yet he inferred that they were still babes in Christ.
Michael E.B. Maher
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