The past week at LCT (Leadership Coordination Team) we talked about the issue of spiritual growth. In looking at this issue, we studied a brief passage from Hebrews 5:11-6:3. In this passage, the writer of Hebrews pauses to reflect on the spiritual condition of his readers. He is trying to explain to them pretty deep theological truths. I suppose that he is struggling a bit about he should say it. It is almost as if he puts his pen down and places his head down on the desk, then writes these words. He is frustrated, dismayed, and eager for the church to grow.

Heb. 5:11    We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil Heb. 6:1    Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

He unnervingly tells his readers that they are “slow to learn” (literally “sluggish in hearing”). He is eager to share with them pretty incredible insights, but they are incapable of retaining this information. You can sense the despair in the words.

He then uses the common metaphor of milk that is used throughout scripture to talk of immaturity. It is found in these verses.

1Cor. 3:2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

1Pet. 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

What a great analogy of growth. How silly would a grown person look drinking out of a baby bottle? And the writer of Hebrews suggests that the early readers of this letter were just that. When we reflect on our own spiritual maturity, we must ask ourselves the same question.

He goes on to describe the condition of immaturity as one that does not stretch beyond the “elementary truths of God's word.” How often do we never stretch ourselves beyond minimal Christianity? I am reading a book entitled Thinking the Faith in which the author challenges us to not simply accept the theology that has been handed down to us, but to go through the process, the struggle of working through the theology ourselves. There is nothing wrong with the theology of our Fathers, but we must mature in that theology ourselves. I think this is what the author is talking about.

He speaks of six tenets of the faith. These are Jewish tenets that the Jewish audience would have accepted without problems. But they had not taken the time or the energy to go beyond these elementary truths. It is like a college student sitting in a 2 ^nd grade grammar class.

And then in the final verse of this section, the writer states, “We will do so, God permitting.” I love his humility, his vision, his hope that those who are still immature would grow, would develop, would stretch beyond the elementary, the basic.

What are you doing to grow?

Are you involved in a study of God's word beyond worship? (small group, Sunday school class)

May God bless your efforts to grow.

Wade