The Christian life is a journey in many senses, one of these is a journey of growth.
I think at times it is commonplace for people to start coming to church and then to think they have arrived as it pertains to their spiritual journey. They are now a religious person, and they are good to go. The box has been checked.
However, it is more important that people not simply come to church but that they come to Christ and find the salvation offered through Him. Yet, even then, there is an expectation for the saved to continue to grow.
For the one who has been genuinely born again, the seed planted on “good soil” will of necessity bear fruit. The Word of God in its nature is designed to bear fruit when it is planted in the right heart. Any issues with fruitlessness stem not from the seed, but the recipient.
At the end of Hebrews 5, the Scripture addresses this problem head on. The author puts forward the need for growth in the spiritual life, likening Christian growth to natural human growth. In the original context, this passage comes as a rebuke to those who were not quite ready for the extent of the author’s teaching found earlier in the chapter:
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:12-14).
In the author’s understanding, these believers should have matured to the point where they would be prepared to teach others. It was steak time and sadly enough they were stuck with milk! It was all they could handle.
Now, while it is true that no one will ever exhaust the riches of God’s Word and be beyond the need for some instruction or study helps here or there, it is likewise true that the Christian ought to mature to the point where they are capable of teaching others the truths of the faith. With a progressing growth in godliness, there should be a growth in knowledge and understanding of Christian doctrine.
People grow in countless areas throughout their lives. Many people are incredibly devoted to their career and its necessary skill sets, and they grow there. People grow physically as they exercise. People grow mentally as they read. People progress and move up the ladder in any number of areas, but for the same people is there progression in Christian growth?
Furthermore, many Christians can quote countless motives, or tell you all manner of stats for their favorite sports teams, yet are the same believers able to quote God’s Word at all? Do we as believers have a greater understanding of Scripture than when we were saved? Have we been growing towards maturity or simply thinking that we will spend our lives coasting until we reach glory without any effort put in?
It is not enough to remain a babe in Christ; we must be moving towards mature manhood (see Eph. 4:11-14). Spiritual growth is the only area of growth that has eternal ramifications. It is the only place where we can impact others in a way that will last forever.
If we can be devoted to everything else that is fleeting and will one day die with us, we should be diligently investing in the eternal.