The Baby Metaphor
(study – 6)
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All believers are born to fellowship with God, and have a responsibility to grow,
Believers have a responsibility, that flows from God desire for His children,
- a responsibility that is given as a command to His children.
But speaking the truth in Love
We are to grow up in all respects into Him… Eph.4:5
The pattern for all new believers – is to become like the Lord Jesus Christ….
Although we’re saved sinners.. we are not all that God desires us to be… not Yet!!
We are to grow… and growth means slowly changing into Christ’s likeness,
We are to put off all sin – which hinders spiritual growth – by applying 1 John chapter 1.
We are to long for the Word of God – which is the Standard for growth 1 Peter chapter 2.
And remember – Scripture alone is the only standard for sin, the only measure of sin.
And the Word of God alone – gives the only instruction for Christian growth,
2 Peter 2:18 commands us to grow…
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
But you know what – God does not force this upon His children,
God does not force this upon us… we have a choice,
God is appealing to our will – our God-given volition,
Christians can choose to carry out his command – or they can ignore His command.
Normal physical growth implies normal physical health,
Normal spiritual growth implies normal spiritual health.
1 John 1 informs us in that fellowship with God is the healthy Christian Life,
2 Peter 2 tells us God’s word is the food we need for healthy Spiritual Growth.
God desires that we grow in grace..
In this church dispensation we do not live not under the law – but under grace,
In Romans 6 we are reminded, “for ye are not under the law – but under grace.”
And Paul continues:-
Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin,
but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Rom.6:13
In this passage Paul teaching reflects the words of 2 Peter chapter 2
In very simple language – it means, to lay aside… all sin – to put all sin away…
And this is achieved by growing in Grace – by becoming more like Jesus.
But What is GRACE?
Well Grace is a state in which we live in the Church dispensation,
And Grace is a resource on which we draw in the church age.
And GRACE simply defined :-
God’s Grace is His Unmerited, Unconditional, Unearned, Unending Favour
It means that Christ’s work on the Cross was Adequate –nothing more is needed
But don’t most Christians consider they need to “Do” – in order to deserve grace?
Don’t most consider that God only blesses – if they “Do” in order to deserve ?
And don’t many consider that no blessings – is because “I don’t deserve it?’
But God’s grace is diametrically opposite to much man-made “Christian” teaching,
God’s Grace is the antithesis to the perceptions and bias of most sincere believers.
How difficult it is for all of us to really come to terms with Gods Grace,
I have certainly struggled to come to terms with what this actually means.
But there needs to be an understanding of His Grace – rooted in our very being,
How hard it is for many of us to understand that He did it all… Period.
In John 1:17 we read.. “grace came only through the Lord Jesus.”
And in John 1:16 we’re told, “of His fullness we’ve all received, and grace for grace.”
And when we are told to grow in Grace – it means appropriate His Grace
– it means that we are to accept his Grace -
Simply accept His Unmerited, Unconditional, Unearned, Unending favour
But Grace is all a matter of faith.. faith We must trust His Word
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God. Eph.2:8
All believers are born to fellowship with God
All Believers have a responsibility to grow in grace
– a responsibility that flows from God desire for – and command to His children.
We are to put off all sin – which hinders spiritual growth, by applying 1 John chapter 1.
We are to Long For the Word of God – which is the standard for growth in 1 Pet chapter 2.
But though it’s God’s desire and command –
Growth is the choice of every believer
We can follow the directions in God’s Word and grow – or ignore His command,
And Hebrews is the best explanation of what happens to one who refuses to grow.
Hebrews clearly explains what happens to the one that does not grow,
Hebrews 5 starkly outlines the tragedy of arrested, stunted or regressive growth.
Hebrews 5 is addressing maturing believers who become dull of hearing,
Hebrews 5 displays a frustration with believers who regress in growth.
HOW SAD
Though it is important to be hungry for the Word as a new born baby…
How vital that we do not start to grow – and then regress back to babyhood.
The metaphor of ‘babyhood’ is used in two distinct ways in scripture :
FIRST it is used to encourage the positive – hungry for the Word of God,
SECOND it is used to discourage the negative – regression back to babyhood.
Hebrews 5 is addressing maturing believers who had become dull of hearing,
Hebrews 5 displays a frustration with believers who regressed in growth.
HOW SAD
Hebrews 5 show believers who’d become Stagnant in the Reception of God’s Word
Hebrews 5 show believers who had become Sluggish in Proclamation of God’s Word
Hebrews 5 show believers who had become Inactivate in Application of God’s Word
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. Heb.5:12
How sad to read about those that had regressed from maturity to immaturity
May we who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying in His Word…
Listen to His Voice
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- The Baby Metaphor - part 6
- Full Study Index for ‘A Study on GROWING in GRACE’
- A Study : GROWING in GRACE
Elizabeth Haworth
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