Well, there’s a problem here, and so we come to the problem of degeneration or the danger of degeneration–the third warning passage. The first one is the danger of drifting. The second is the danger of disobedience; and now we have the danger of degeneration, the problem with dullness. It is obvious from verse eleven that the readers were characterized by stagnation. The word “sluggish” in 6:12, also meaning lazy, is the same as “dull” in 5:11. The perfect tense “you have become” used verse 11 implies this had become a fixed condition in their spiritual state. To the writer of Hebrews this dullness may be a precursor to degeneration; that is apostacy.
The doctrine of Melchizedek and his relationship to Christ was both full and difficult (5:11). It was especially hard to explain because the majority of the readers were immature (5:12).
Verses 13-14 point to one evidence or mark of maturity. This is the ability to discern (cf. 1 Cor. 2:15), and it is one of the evidences of maturity that you see almost consistently throughout the New Testament. The discernment does not come from “book learning” but from the practice of training spiritual senses (cf. 5:13-14). It is consistent practice and training.
11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Spiritual immaturity hinders effectiveness in serving Jesus
- The writer of Hebrews was concerned that their readers should be showing signs of Christian maturity. Think back on your life. Are there signs of maturity and growth? Or is there a pattern of stagnations? Or even of backsliding?
- The readers of Hebrews were compared to babies who needed to learn again the elementary truths of God’s Word. The solution to this dilemma lay in developing their spiritual senses through practice and training. The training they needed involved a steady application of spiritual discipline. Spiritual maturity would not develop primarily from a sudden burst of insight. It would come from a persistent usage of spiritual resources
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 11–12: “Concerning him [literally whom or which] we have much to say,” the writer began, referring to the subject of Jesus’ Melchizedek priesthood. As it turned out, the author’s subsequent discussion was indeed lengthy (7:1–10:18) as well as deep. Accordingly, the author anticipated that it would be “difficult to explain” because their readers were “poor listeners.” “Poor” or “dull” means sluggish or lazy. When these people heard the word of God they were not quick to accept it (6:11, 12). They had grown even more lazy in the faith, so explaining the truth to them would be difficult.
They had been Christians a long time, the author reminded them, so that “by this time” they “ought to be teachers.” Others who had been in the faith less time than they should be profiting from their instruction. Instead, they needed someone to instruct them again in the basics. The phrase “by this time you ought to be teachers” suggests all believers ought to be teachers not in the formal sense (compare 1 Cor 12:29; Jas 3:1), but in the sense that those who have been taught ought to impart to others what they have learned through the gifts God has given them.
In alluding to “the elementary principles” the writer employed an expression which could refer to the letters of the alphabet or basic addition and subtraction as they might be learned by a school child. These principles are the elements out of which everything else develops as the author’s rebuke suggested, but at the same time they had no intention of going over them (6:1). What the author apparently had mainly in view was their wavering state of mind in regard to the error that sought to lure them away from the faith. If they were being urged, whether by sectarians or others, to abandon their Christian profession, then clearly this called into question the fundamental truths they should have been firm in.[1] The result was, to all appearances, “you have come to need milk and not solid food.” But what the author would shortly offer them would be solid food indeed, by which they evidently hoped to pull them dramatically forward in their Christian experience. The phrase “you have come to need” suggests the audience had retrogressed because of disuse. If you don’t practice what you see and hear, you lose it and have to be told it again and again. To not use it is to lose it. The author illustrates the ingredients of growth (“milk and not solid food”). Milk equals input. Solid food equals output. We start with the input of truth (1 Pet 2:2), exercising the principle of readiness for learning. We gradually implement the principle of practice for retention of truth. Consistent and persistent practice of truth results in growth to maturity.
Speaking of babies or infants, we think of what Paul said to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, which says “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready” (ESV). Paul is talking about when he first came in to Corinth, he had led them to the Lord. He led them to the Lord by one and fed them with milk. They were truly babies. There is nothing wrong with that as we all need the basic truths and milk when we are babies. The writer of Hebrews changes the vocabulary. The writer says they become babies; they are not able to take it. They cannot take anything but milk, and the writer is talking about these people remaining as infants. With the first babies in Corinthians, no problem; beautiful, joyful, but when someone stays a baby and stays a baby and stays a baby, it’s tragic, and that’s what the writer is talking about. That is what we have here. They are still on milk. They cannot take solid food. Unfortunately, we see this in a lot of churches today where they are filled with infants instead of people who should be able to lead and teach.
Verses 13–14: It is unsatisfactory to remain a baby in spiritual matters. This is true because a spiritual “infant,” living on “milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness.” The word “unacquainted” or “unskilled” (apeiros) could be rendered as “inexperienced.”[2] It is not so much that a spiritual “infant” lacks information—though at first they obviously do—but rather that he/she has not yet learned to put “the word of righteousness” to effective use. This person lacks the skill which goes with maturity and which results in the ability to make appropriate moral choices. They lacked experience in practicing the information they had. Such ability is exactly what is possessed by the mature, meaning “who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” That kind of person can handle “solid food” and is mature. Maturity comes from practice.
Once more the writer revealed their concern about their readers’ ability to reject the false ideas which confronted them. Had they been sufficiently mature they would be able to “distinguish” or discern those ideas as “evil” over against the truths they should have known were “good.” But the author was concerned that this capability was not yet really the readers, though the author would make every effort to instill it in them. As we practice righteousness, we will have less difficulty in determining good from evil. Infant is a description of the spiritually immature. Infants have little discernment or self-discipline. They must be constantly told “no.” Mature believers are able to know right from wrong and to control their sinful appetites. The mature will still sin, but they have better tools to fight off the attacks. Those who make a habit of obeying the message of righteousness mature in the faith and are able to distinguish good and evil.
Years of practice, training, and obedience is how we grow in maturity. This is why age 30 is so important in the Bible. Have you ever noticed how important age 30 is? Priests became priests at age 30. Joseph became Prime Minister of Egypt at age 30. David became King at age 30. Christ began His ministry at age 30. Are we better than Christ? By no means.
What I am saying here is if you are under 30, it is strongly advised to not become a lead pastor immediately; the person is simply not ready. Start off as an associate pastor in the Christian field or be mentored in the corporate area by someone who has the ability to make decisions in the field you desire. Get your experience as you have not been tested yet. “What do you mean; I’ve come through Seminary or Grad School; of course, I have been tested!?” unfortunately, no, you have not. I learned this through hard experience. Many will tell you that after they graduated and worked for a couple of years, and then became a pastor or leader, they found there were holes in their abilities and character that they did not know a thing about. And when you get out there (or like me and have already been out there for a while or also like me and have a history of mistakes and failures), you are going to find that you are going to be tested and experience things that school and books cannot simply teach you. No matter how young or old you are, whether it is fresh out into the corporate world or venturing into a new personal business, there are things that will come up that you are simply unprepared for. It is better to have that experience as an associate pastor or under someone else’s leadership or someone else’s experience in that similar business area. I have heard countless stories of young pastors go out and say, “Well, this is just a little church. I can pastor it.” They don’t ask why has that been a little church for 20 years. They get clobbered, literally, and then they get destroyed, and you know what happens? They quit the ministry. Same is true for those risking their savings on a risky business. Some times it works for a few, but there is a long trail of people who have lost everything because they did not do their research or understand the business and expenses and risks. All the training, all the anticipation, wiped out. So start off as an associate or learner, and then become a pastor or leader. You can discern more as you get older and more experienced to the ways of the world. It takes time and unfortunately, many of us are impatient. I am in the poster child for impatience.
Ok, so let me offer a couple of caveats to what i said. (1) this is just general guidance and does not pertain to every situation. (2) IF God tells you to do something or leads you to something, whether that is quitting your job to become a pastor, or starting a church, or starting a new business, if God is leading you in that direction, do God’s will. Still consult with others to make sure you are hearing or understanding correctly, get advice from wise people, and turn that over to God and let Him lead you. Always do what God is leading you to do. We have talked at length about obedience on this show and site. (3) For some of you in different parts of the world, regardless of age, God may be leading you to a pastor a church or start a ministry or start a business because you are the right person for the role or that is what God’s will is for your life. In this case, obey. If you are a young pastor of a church or ministry in an area that is hostile to Christians and churches, maybe you are the best person for that job. Just try to find mentoring experience from someone around you or other pastors around the world. (4) God just wants us to be willing, so let us be willing. God know what is best for each of us in our unique positions. For some of us in the US, it will be best to learn under our church leaders to become a lay leader. for others, it will be best to learn from other entrepreneurs or business leaders. for some, maybe we just have to take the risk. Even if we take the risk, we still need to be willing to reach out for advice and wisdom.whatever we do, let’s listen to God and obey.
[1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 793.
[2] BDAG – “pertaining to lack of knowledge or capacity to do something, unacquainted with, unaccustomed to (‘lacking the ability to make trial). Appears to be the only place in the NT this word is used.