Time to Grow Up

How do we grow as believers? It is, in part, by making sure we are properly nourished. According to an article on better health, starting babies on solids too late can cause growth issues and feeding problems. The same can be said for our spiritual development. When we become believers it is important for us to spend time learning the basics, but after a certain point, we must move past relying on milk alone and move on to the meat of scripture. Otherwise, we risk becoming malnourished. When a baby is ready to have solids introduced into their diet, they show signs such as increased hunger and interest in food around them, as well as being able to support themselves by sitting up and controlling their head. As you grow as a believer you should find yourself hungry to learn more, and you will begin to have more control over your actions. As this growth happens you need to be feeding yourself the right “food”. Growing as believers helps us to be strong and grounded, not easily swayed by the world and trials. We are better able to recognize good and bad doctrine as we mature and we can know what is good “food” to chew on and what needs to be tossed out. However, it is not enough to focus only on what you are eating, but also how much. Would you feed a newborn baby once a week? Would you yourself only eat once a week? Going to church on Sunday and then never diving into the Word again until the next Sunday is a quick way to become spiritually malnourished. You must feed yourself daily! Furthermore, you would not expect a baby to drink milk one day and then hold their own knife and fork to eat a steak the next; they must be taught how to properly feed themselves. It is the job of the body of Christ to teach the new believers and to assist them in their growth. But if new believers never move past elementary teachings then there will be no one to teach the next generation, and the whole body of Christ will grow weak and easily swayed by the ways of the world. We as a community of believers must be willing to speak truth in love so that everyone grows into their roles. “...until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:13-16 NASB1995 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14 “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:2-3