Hebrews 5 was addressed to Christians who should have been mature enough to teach others but they were still babes in Christ. They were like infants, lacking spiritual growth and in danger of discipline from the Lord. They were urged to get with it and grow up!

The writer said, "Leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection" (Heb. 6:1). He is talking about "maturity." The recipients of this letter were to get beyond the milk stage and grow up to be mature (5:14) by feeding on the solid meat of the Word. "But sold food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."

Many churches today have this same problem. They should be strongholds of faith but instead they are just nurseries for infants. There's nothing wrong with a "nursery" for new Christians, but how sad it would be for the babies to not grow up. You would be a terrible parent if you only fed your baby milk for years and years. It's unnatural. The baby would suffer and you would also.

"For though by the time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God and you have come to need milk and not solid food" (Heb. 5: 12).

How long have you been a follower of Christ? How much have you grown? The apostle Peter challenged us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:18). We must not settle for where we are but rather aim to maturity!

By Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 1, May, 2009.

Return to the General Articles page