The earliest African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in their private devotions. Each one reportedly had separate spots in the thicket where he poured out his heart to God. The several paths to these little ‘Bethels’ became distinctly marked; and when anyone began to decline in devotions, it was soon apparent to others. They would then kindly remind him, saying, “Brother, the grass grows on your path yonder.”¹ Being regular in your time with God is a key to spiritual growth as the Apostle Peter lets us know in his second epistle.

Why You Don’t Have to Be Sick in Light of the Bible

[Tweet “You can be saved for a whole pile of physical years and still be a spiritual infant.”]

Baby Believers and Spiritual Growth

1 Peter 2:2 (ESV) — 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

• The pages of the New Testament clearly indicates to us that there are stages of development for all of God’s spiritual children.
• The stages mirror physical development.
• No one is born again as a fully developed, completely mature, totally grown-up believer no more than is anyone physically born as a fully grown adult.
• Jesus alluded to this in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 21:16 (KJV) — 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

• The word ‘babes’ here is the word nēpios, or infant child.
• Jesus loves the little children but we are not supposed to stay that way.
• We should grow out of the babyhood stage of spiritual growth and development.
• Peter gives direction and admonition to spiritual babes in the Lord.

1 Peter 2:1–2 (KJV) — 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

New Born Babes

• As ‘newborn babes’.
• What’s a newborn babe in New Testament language?
• It’s an individual who has just come to the faith.
• We could say it this way, a person who has just received Jesus, or just been born again.
• Peter lays out for all believers newly come to the faith, the path to spiritual growth.
• If you desire spiritual growth, that is to grow out of babyhood into a mature fully grown son of God, then desire the milk of the Word of God.
• By this exercise is how one grows.
• To say it differently, simple milk is your ticket to explosive spiritual growth.
• This is an important distinction because what this verse is saying to us is that growth is not a by-product of chronological age.
• That is you can be saved for a whole pile of physical years and still be a spiritual infant.
• Just because you have worn out the floors in the church house by your coming and going doesn’t mean you’re all grown-up.
• Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, it makes no difference.

Physical Age Does not Mean Spiritual Growth

• Chronological age does not translate to maturity in Jesus.
• Now it should translate, it should equal it.
• You should grow every year.
• But some don’t because they are not feeding on the Word.
• And if you don’t feed, you’re going to fuss just like babies do.
• So, our individual lack of development is a failure to feed on God’s Word.
• This failure to be a consummate consumer of God’s Word keeps people trapped in their diapers.
• Let’s say it again with slightly different words.
• If we have walked with Jesus and have not grown, it’s because we are not partaking of the Word.

Carnality Is a Lack of Spiritual Growth

• There’s another Paul uses to describe infantile believers in Christ.
• Paul clues us into it in his dealings with the Corinthian brethren.

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 (KJV) — 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

• It’s the word carnal.
• Paul doesn’t use the adjective ‘newborn’ to describe baby Christians in his letter to the Corinthians.
• He just calls them babes, straight out.
• Reading these three verses at once gives us the indication why.
• Paul says he wanted to feed them with meat but they were not able to bear it.
• Just the fact that Paul desired to feed these believers meat was an indication that they were not the ‘new-born babes’ of First Peter two.
• This is a whole different crowd of folks Paul is addressing.
• The Corinthians were babes all right just not new-born babes.
• These believers had already been in the church for a while.
• But, their behavior, their envious ways, their striving with one another, and their sectioning off into factions over ministers were clear evidence of their lack of spiritual growth and development.
• What led them to this state?
• The Corinthians were not feeding on the Word.
• They had failed to grow.
• These believers were carnal as Paul calls them.

Mature in Christ

Colossians 1:28 (KJV) — 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

• We can see the place where Paul wanted to get the Corinthians.
• He wanted them to be mature in Christ.
• The Greek word for mature means at an advanced stage of spiritual growth.
• That’s the target for all of us; advanced spiritual development in Jesus.

Call to Action:

We need to take heed of Peter’s message. Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. That’s your ticket to spiritual growth in God.

Question: In what areas has the Word of God helped you to grow? Please share your story in the comments section below.

The Five Wise and the Five Foolish Virgins

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