[For this week our theme is "What does a healthy church look like?"]
When we don't grow...
One of the things that hurts a parent is to have a child who does not grow. Babies need to be given special attention until they can walk and talk and so every parent is anxious to pass through this stage. When they don't grow, the disappointed parent is hurt because his or her expectation and preparations to see the child develop to further stages is in vain. The author of Hebrews at this point is one of such parents. He is worried about his audience who have become spiritually stagnant and are stuck at the basics of Christian teachings.The author wants to teach his audience about Christ's eternal priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek" (v.10) but he cannot because they are spiritually sluggish. According to this passage, these people were not recent converts. They have been engaged in the Christian walk long enough now to be teachers of others. However, like babies who still need milk, they were not growing. This means they cannot understand the advanced spiritual teachings.
This is the opposite of what a healthy church looks like. When a church is planted, it is taught the basics about conversion: How one is born again, is introduced to the faith and the relationship that one now has with God. A healthy church, like a baby, is fed with these basic teachings and it grows to a point where solid food (difficult and deeper teaching about the Triune God) will be given to it. These teachings make Christians grow in Christ. At this point, one grows in faith and is able to understand Christ's righteousness, being able to distinguish sinful human nature and Christ's spiritual righteousness in order to follow Him.
There was a time when this faith was introduced to us, we were taught the basics and became part of the Family of God. This was necessary and it formed the foundation of our faith. Now is the time when we need to mature in Christ and be able to learn more about Him so that we accomplish His mission here on earth. Many do not understand Him; therefore, the church needs to grow and make others know Him as well.
Brothers and Sisters, we will never grow with milk. We need to advance in our mission by learning more truth about the Triune God and His righteousness for us to grow spiritually and join Him in His mission.
God bless you!
| 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. (Hebrews5:11-14) |
(Faresy Sakala, wife to Misheck, mother to Robson, Rose and Ronald and a minister at Trinity -- Gweru Presbyterian Church. Overwhelmed with duties, but I know that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!")
