Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
“But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.”
— Ephesians 4:15 AMP
Many Christians never grow up in Christ; they continue as babies year after year. They do not grow in their spiritual life, and their behavior remains unchanged. Year after year, they do not grow because they only desire to dine on the milk of the Word of God. Should we be content to remain children when we can advance to adolescence and ultimately grow up into adults? Should we be content to believe only in Christ, without desiring to reach maturity and be like Him? No baby was ever meant to remain a toddler. Kittens grow up to become cats; puppies grow up into dogs. Many Christians, however, remain as babies because they refuse to consume the meat of the Word.
Milk vs. Meat
In Christianity, the “milk” of the Word of God nourishes the newborn or baby Christian. Milk provides basic knowledge of the fundamental truths of the Word of God, such as the love of God, salvation, repentance, and the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ. The “meat” of the Word of God is for the Christian who has passed the infant stage and desires to grow up into their purpose. To digest the meat of the Word requires spiritual maturity. Meat is only for those who can chew and digest advanced spiritual teachings, such as understanding the principles of faith, spiritual warfare, and overcoming temptation.
The Maturing Christian
The maturing Christian does not give in to every religious novelty that comes along. That’s because they know religious impostors are waiting to kidnap God’s children and get them into their false cults. However, the maturing believer recognizes false doctrine and avoids it altogether. The cultists do not try to win lost souls to Christ. They have no interest in establishing missions in the slum areas of our cities. They are opportunists and have no good news for the broken, homeless individual. Instead, these religious hypocrites set a spider’s web to capture immature and undernourished Christians.
God created us in His image to be like Him. Should we not desire to be like Him? The whole world waits and groans for the revealing of God’s sons and daughters (Romans 8:19 NLV). God has given us grace, by which we can grow up into sons and daughters of the Most High. To grow in grace, we only need to get closer to Jesus by spending time with Him. In His presence, we will ripen like fruit by the warmth of His smile. We must do as John did and lay our heads on His breast and receive His love. Only then will we grow up as sons and daughters and advance in righteousness, hope, faith, and love.
