1 Corinthians 13:11
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
In our childhood days, the things we used to do, we no longer do. We all remember the blissful play in the rain, how we used to run around in Adams suite, how we struggled with some words, and slowly we grew to let go of certain habits and moved unto near perfection even in expressions.
We all once said, ‘when I grow up I want to be…’ , I have also heard adults declare that ‘growing up is a hoax’ responsibility, responsibility, responsibility.
CS Lewis says “When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up,”
To be an adult is not necessarily to be mature, neither is it to be a child. I have seen children behave like adults and adults behave like infants. Some people grow old but never grow up, they just live in a similitude of true adulthood but are still trapped in childishness.
‘A Child cannot be childish, but adults can’
Any grown up who behaves like a child simply shows something is amiss. It is a case of what was is what is, we are meant to move from a state of imperfection to perfection, where we shun certain things and embrace maturity.
In this context are two types of baby Christians:
BREPHOS in Grk-Of uncertain affinity; an infant (properly unborn) literally or figuratively: – babe (young) child infant.
Luke 1:41
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Luke 2:12
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
In 1 Peter 2:2, the Greek word babes is brephos used for one who has just become born again
1 Peter 2:2
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
NEPIOS
a simple minded person, an immature Christian: a childish person.
1 Corithians 3:1-3
¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.²I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.³For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Paul addresses the corinth christians as babes, the Greek word nepios, one who’s unfit for Battle, those who have been a christian for a long time but still unskilled, untrained, not mentally coordinated, can’t communicate spiritual truths. “I have fed you with milk ( elementary teaching) and not solid food. They have no understanding of the mystery of Christ nor His righteousness among others.
Hebrews 5:13
” For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. ¹⁴But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
1 Peter 2:2
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
We only grow by feeding on the word of God and in so doing we will no longer need to be told what to do as we grow in discerning the heart of God. When a child grows, no longer are they told not to touch fire for they perceive the eventual consequences.
As you study not just read the word, certain things easily fall off, humility and obedience become easy, we are far removed from elementary teachings and spiritual gullibility.
Maturity is a process in which we attain perfection in Christ Jesus and in so doing we must abide in His word to be stable and be established standing and functioning in His likeness . ( Ephesians 4).
Maturity is not the possession of motivational gifts, manifestational gifts of the Spirit and ministry gifts/offices of Jesus.
We are called to manifest the fruits of the spirit as mature Christians.( Gal 5:22-23).
The mark of true maturity is love, him that you love you please by doing what pleases them! Love sums up the whole law of God.
Colossians 3:14
And above all these things put on charity ( Agape love) which is the bond of perfectness.
The Psalmist ( 25:6) prays: Remember not the sins of my youth, another version renders it as overlook the sins of my immaturity.
OTHER LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY/GROWTH.
Paidion-Luke 18:15-16
a childling (of either sex) that is (properly) an infant or (by extension) a half grown boy or girl; figuratively an immature Christian: – (little young) child
Neaniskos- a youth (under forty): – young man (old child) these flee, unlearned, unreliable.
Mark 14:51-52
A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,⁵² he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Teknon-Son or child
A “spiritual teenager” under more direct teaching and training to imitate the faith.
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
.
Huios- kinship: one and the same
A “mature son” who has become a full, recognized son with the associated privileges and status, often characterized by a deeper yielding to God’s Spirit.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Prophetic Utterance:
I am a tree planted, of full age living the life of God.
Bearing much fruit winning Souls into the Kingdom of God.
I am a King and carry myself as such.
I am a partaker of spiritual meat.
Guiding Text:
Hebrews 5:11-12
¹¹Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
¹³For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.