How do we grow out of the milk? (Point 1)

How do we grow out of the milk? (Point 1)

Many would not like what I am going to say, but it is a fact that most believers today never grow to spiritual maturity, but instead remain babes in Christ? I can point the finger to myself as I was one for many years. So, what makes a believer a babe in Christ? What qualities does this type of believer show? Well, Paul answers this quite clearly when he addresses the Corinthians. After speaking about the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory, in 1Cor.2, Paul then writes,

1Cor 3:1-4  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  [2]  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  [3]  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  [4]  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The standout quality of a babe in Christ is carnality, which is opposite to a mature believer who walks by faith and after the spirit, according to the grace doctrine in Paul’s epistles. Carnal believers do not stand upon the Word of God but are controlled by their 5-senses, by their emotions, by visible things, and beguiled by ignorance and inexperience in the grace doctrine. This is why they are so unstable in their faith, being tossed to and fro by fables, by different doctrines, and by opinions, and why they are up and down like a rollercoaster in the various issues of life.

With this said, let’s get back to the question, “How do spiritual babes in Christ get weaned from the milk and grow up?”

Babies don’t just eat once a week!

You heard me. One thing to do is not to eat only once a week! This is what most believers do. They go to church once a week which happens to be their only feeding time. Some go to home cells and have a second feeding. Another question to ask is what are they being fed? Many pastors and leaders of local assemblies are babes in Christ too, teaching milk and never getting close to the meat. The point is one cannot grow on one or two bottles of spiritual milk per week. How many times do parents feed a natural baby with milk in a day. Several times in a day, not so? Not just twice in a week.

Talking of natural babies, let's do another comparison between natural babies and spiritual babes in Christ. Consider this statement from Jean Piaget in an article called: 4 Stages of Cognitive Development & Theory,

“While their capacity for abstract thought or complex reasoning is undeveloped, babies are far from being passive recipients of information. They are active learners, constantly testing their environment and forming early understandings through exploration.”

Now think of a babe in Christ. Are they actively learning the Word of God? Are they constantly testing their spiritual environment? Are they forming early understandings of their doctrine through exploration of the Word of God? No. Not really. They are moved by their senses and emotions. They are not spiritual. How many even take a bible to church? Listen dear reader, I know what I’m talking about because I was a babe in Christ for years!!! I can relate to the Corinthians with their envying of others spiritual gifts, with their strife (conflict, friction, and disputes), and with their divisions of doctrine, teachers, and traditions.

So, how does eating daily make a difference?

Consider this. How can a carnal believer become spiritual? By getting regular doses of the Spirit of God. Jesus said that his words are spirit and life (Jn.6:63), so to partake of the words of God, which is the ONLY source of God’s Spirit, is the ONLY way to grow out of a carnal mindset into a spiritual mindset and in faith. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we can start to increase in the knowledge of the word of God and start to understand God’s Spirit, His character, His ways, His thoughts, judgements and will. We need to be active learners, constantly exploring the spiritual information in God’s Word, relentlessly testing out the knowledge we learn, and tasting what is good and spiritually wholesome.

One can pick out many scriptures to motivate this point of regularly partaking of the word of God. Here are just a few to add some validity to what I’m saying,

Acts 17:10-11  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1Pet 2:2  As newborn babes, desire [crave] the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

I will bring a few more points to light in upcoming post that help to bring us out from the milk into the meat of the word. But for now, consider this point and the motivation provided, whether you are a babe in Christ or not. Irrespective of spiritual maturity, we need to be in the word of God daily for our strength, for our sanity, for our connection with God, and for continued education in our curriculum.

God bless.