Hebrews 6:1-12                                                                                  1 Peter 2:2-3

One of the great failing of human nature is our propensity to falling into routine. Many frequently find themselves devolving to a place where an initial intensity, expressed in doing things with specific intent, gives way to doing things habitually, doing things out of habit. Many people, without realizing it, become automatons who are busy doing things, but those things soon become the same things done repeatedly day after day. The consequences of such mindless repetition are great. Couples become bored with their relationship leading to either a physical dissolution or disinterest; employees become bored with their jobs which leads to less than excellent production; church members become bored with their churches which can lead to absenteeism or relocation; and the list goes on.

It is a matter of great concern if a child does not grow and mature in the manner that is considered normal. We call such a condition, arrested development. Parents will spend countless amounts of money and time addressing this issue in their children diagnosed with arrested development. However, equal concern is not given to the failure to grow and mature in our spiritual lives. One of the great tragedies of the American church is that many of her members are afflicted with the condition of arrested development.

God does not want us to labor in ignorance, nor does he want us to remain immature. Our heavenly Father wants us to grow, to mature; he wants us to crave, desire, or hunger after those things that are good and build us up. Arrested development is what turns churches into social clubs and gives rise to massive compromise with and accommodation to the dominant culture. Peter advises his readers to grow by craving pure spiritual milk and the writer of Hebrews advises leaving elementary teachings about Christ and going on to maturity. Immaturity is a scourge of the church. Though it is epidemic in the church we must have a determination to eradicate it. If we are to grow, if we are to mature in our walk with the Lord it becomes necessary for us to taste that the Lord is good, and after we have done that to crave pure spiritual milk, leave the elementary teaching about Christ, repudiate laziness, and emulate those who are mature.

1. Taste and see that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:3). Psalm 34:8 reads, “O Taste and see that the Lord is good . . .” There is something about tasting a food that is good, it only makes you crave more.
2. Crave pure spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2). To crave is to desire so deeply that it is like lusting or having a forbidden desire. Pure here means unmixed, unadulterated, undiluted.
3. Leave the elementary teachings about Christ (Hebrews 6:1). The writer describes these elementary teachings by listing three couplets: repentance and faith; baptism and the laying on of hands; and, resurrection and eternal judgment. These were important truths, which Christians must understand but they were elementary. There was also nothing distinctive from Judaism about them.
4. Repudiate laziness (Hebrews 6:12). Do not be sluggish, literally slow to learn. If believers do not stop their spiritual drifting they will never mature.
5. Emulate those who are mature (Hebrews 6:12). Emerge from spiritual lethargy and imitate the heroes of the faith delineated in the 11^th chapter.

The decision to grow is a personal one. What will we do to satisfy this spiritual appetite? What will we do to satiate this thirsting of our souls? Will we be satisfied to continue to do what we have always done while expecting miraculous results? Having grown weary of the ordinary the world is looking for the extraordinary. Having come to the realization of its limitations, this world is looking for that which lacks limits. This world is straining and striving for maturity. Believers content to labor with arrested development will never reach this dark world. If it is to drug into the light from the darkness of its daily existence it needs more from the people of God. It may not know it, but it deserves far better from those who count themselves among the blood bought, blood washed body of Christ.

We should not be content to continue to do what we have always done. We should crave to know more. We should hunger and thirst for the bread of heaven that will bring transformation and change to every aspect of our lives. We should want to graduate from remedial classes and go on to that which will catapult us into our destiny. We can do it by tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. We can do it by craving pure spiritual milk. We can do it by leaving the elementary teaching about Christ. We can do it by repudiating laziness. We can do it by imitating those heroes of the faith that left us a road map by their life, witness and writings, and by God’s grace we will!

© All Rights Reserved – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.