Hebrews 5:11-14 NIV
[11] “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. [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.”

How well this writer knew his readers! He must have been familiar enough with them as a group to rebuke them without offending them.

Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT
[1] “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. [2] You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [3] And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

Another reprimand! Another warning!

It seems that his readers were either retreating into Judaism to escape persecution or stuck on the basics of their understanding of the gospel. Our writer finds it necessary to interject another warning, this time about about spiritual immaturity, urging them to move beyond the basics of repentance, faith, ordinances, judgment etc.

“You are still baby Christians, sucking a bottle instead of eating gourmet steak!” What an endictment! It’s fine to be a toddler as long as it is a passing phase of growing up, not a permanent state.

What distinguishes a mature person from an immature person? A toddler, a young child, has not yet learned to do what is right regardless of feelings. A liitle one acts according to his inborn selfish nature. It takes years of patient training for a person to follow his conscience rather than his appetites. Some, if not many, never learn!

Likewise, in the Christian life, a mature believer is one who is learning to do what is right regardless of the way he feels. Since we are already righteous because of our faith in Jesus, our role in this life is to live righteously in our day-to-day living. If we are not maturing in righteousness, we deny the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in us to work out our salvation in our daily lives.

It’s no use pussyfooting around elementary, as in basic, doctrines without putting them into practice in our lives.

According to our writer, people who are stuck on the basics are in danger of turning away from the very truths that led them to faith in Jesus. Intellectual faith, i.e., faith that is all mind and no heart, can end up in skepticism, agnosticism and eventual atheism.

Going back on the reality of our salvation experience slams the door on God’s grace, cancels the work of Jesus on the cross, and calls in question the truthfulness of Jesus Himself.

Therefore, such warnings are needful and urgent. Perhaps his readers had never considered the consequences of such a backward step. Did it ever occur to them that a choice like that would cut them off forever from an eternal destiny in the presence of God?

This brings me to a sobering thought. Those congregations that practice altar calls for any and every occasion…are they perhaps encouraging God’s people to live yo-yo lives of irresponsible living and “rededication to Jesus” by constantly calling them to “rededicate” their lives to Jesus? This practice fleecing the face of what God has done…raised them from spiritual death and made them new creatures in Christ.

There may be limited place for such occasions but should never be a substitute for faithful obedience to Jesus. The truly mature Christian will plod on, day after day, living out his faith and faithfulness in the way he responds to tests and temptations. The Holy Spirit in him, his teacher and guide, will keep him on track as he listens and submits to Jesus as Lord. Ours is not another religion but a living relationship with Jesus as Lord.

To be continued…