A Better Covenant part 13

A Better Covenant

Spiritual Immaturity

Hebrews 5:9-14

9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”

11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The Four “D’s” of Spiritual Danger:

(1) Dull of Hearing

- This is not:

    - The inability to hear

    - The refusal to listen

    - An attention disorder

- This is:

    - A lack of care

    - A lack of ambition

    - A lack of devotion

(2) Dietary Neophytes

- Neophyte = (Encarta Dictionary)

1. Beginner – a beginner or novice at something

2. Recent Convert – a recent convert to a religion

3. Religious Novice – a new resident to a religious community who has not yet taken vows

- Should have:

    - Already matured

    - Already been well taught

    - Already moved past the basics

(3) Diapered Sword Handlers

- Babies are:

    - Unaware of many of their surroundings

    - Unaware of dangers around them

    - Unable to defend themselves

- Unskillful in:

(1)    Finding,

(2)    Quoting,

(3)    Defending,

(4)    Applying,

- They do not use the Word:

(1)    Harmoniously,

(2)    Impartially,

(3)    Practically.

(4) Discerners of Good & Evil

- Christian development realities:

    (1.) There have always been children, the young, and the mature.

(2.) Everyone needs continual nourishment

(3.) The word of God is that food and nourishment to spiritual life

(4.) Each one has to eat at their own level

(5.) The spiritual senses develop over time and are dulled by sin

- There are spiritual senses as well as natural.

- There is a spiritual eye, a spiritual appetite, a spiritual taste; the soul has its sensations as well as the body; these are much depraved and lost by sin, but they are recovered by grace.

(6.) It is by use and exercise that these senses are improved

- They are made more quick and strong to taste the sweetness of what is good and true, and the bitterness of what is false and evil.

- Not only reason and faith, but spiritual sense, will teach men to distinguish between what is pleasing and what is provoking to God, between what is helpful and what is hurtful to our own souls.

CHALLENGE:

(1) Evaluate where you are.

(2) Grow from there.