SPIRITUAL MATURITY: GROWING UP BY PRACTICE

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14 NIV).

The first lesson we learn from this verse is that spiritual maturity is the portion of those who are responsible—responsible for themselves first, then for others by helping them to believe right and to live right. 

Solid food is for the mature. Here the writer refers to the teaching and practice of righteousness as solid food. He goes further to tell us who the mature are, and he says they are the Christians "who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." 'Constant use' meaning, constant practice or habit.  

To help us grasp what he intends to say in this verse, the writer uses the Greek word "gumnazo" translated "trained" in NIV and "exercised" in KJV. This word actually means to gym, that is, to exercise the body or the mind in preparation for athletics or games. It refers to the deliberate effort to shape the body or set the mind to a condition that will enable an athlete to perform excellently in a game. 

Physical exercise is intended to make the body strong and healthy. It is done constantly until the desired condition of the body and the mind is achieved. This is the idea behind Hebrews 5:14. 

By constantly hearing and practising the word of God, you are able to distinguish good from evil, right from wrong and always choose to do right. Thus, right living takes shape in the Christian by constantly hearing and practising the word of God. Here, the writer intends to say that practice makes the babe mature. 

God always does right and is always right because he is righteous. Righteousness is his nature. This nature of righteousness becomes yours when you receive the Holy Spirit into your heart. So then, you can do right as God, your Father, always does right. 

Those who are mature have constantly heard God speak to them and they have constantly obeyed God. Obedience means hearing and doing God's word. 

The only way to be right in the sight of God is to hear and do his word. Until you hear God and do his word, you have no experience in right doing. 

Constantly hearing and doing God's word implies training yourself in right doing. This kind of exercise is far more worthy than bodily exercise as it makes you experienced in distinguishing good from evil, right from wrong and choosing to do what is right. 

By constantly hearing God, you learn of him and of his ways. Your knowledge of him becomes experiential and intimate. Your knowledge base deepens. 

And as you constantly practise his word, or put his word to use, you discover evidences that his word is true, thereby deepening your trust and confidence in him. You also discover the way to please him or to grieve him. 

As you get to know him more and more completely, you will want to become completely like him. 

Those who are mature have constantly trained their body and mind to respond to God's word in more excellent ways. When God speaks, they easily hear his voice, and when he gives a word, they easily put it to use. This is how they became mature. 

The babes in Christ, however, find it difficult to feed on the word, more difficult to hear God's voice, and most difficult to do his word. 

They are sensual, earthly minded and sin conscious, choosing to obey the cravings of the flesh rather than the impulses of the Spirit because they are not able to discern him. 

Babes are those Christians who have not learnt to distinguish good from evil, right from wrong, hence, are always not able to choose to do right. Here, right means hearing God's word and doing what he says. 

The message of righteousness is hard for babes in Christ to appreciate, just as bone is hard for a baby to chew. It does not help them to grow spiritually. It discourages them from feeding. 

The message that babes require to grow thereby, is the message of God's grace—his mercy, love and benevolence. The message of God's grace helps babes to appreciate God as a pampering Father. It helps build their trust in God as they get to see and acknowledge him to be merciful, loving and benevolent. 

Hearing God

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by (through) the word of God. To be able to hear God when he speaks, and to be able to tell that this is indeed the voice of God, first, you must consistently study the Bible and persistently do what God tells you through his word. 

The Bible

The Bible is the word of God. It reveals who God is and how he relates to human beings. It shows his mode of communication to human beings. It also shows how human beings have heard God's voice, obeyed his word, and prospered by his word. 

To grow up spiritually and be mature, you must train yourself to constantly hear and practise God's word.

#Truth Haven