Grow up!

"Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God."--Hebrews 6:1.  The Hebrew writer telling these Jewish Christians that they need to build on the basics.  The basics as we find in Hebrews 6:1-2 include faith, baptism, the resurrection and judgment.  These are all fundamental facts but we need to build on the fundamentals.  Basically, what we all need to do when it comes to our faith is to grow up!

Grow up.  We have all heard this term.  When people say grow up, it usually means that they are acting childishly in some form or fashion. This is what the Hebrew writer is essentially telling these Christians.  We find in Hebrews 5:12, that they ought to be teaching by now but because of their lack of maturity, they are not yet doing so.

Grow up.  As for myself, when it comes to my faith, I was a baby in Christ for the first three years I was a Christian. I was only brought to the point of baptism and knowing what I needed to do to receive forgiveness of my sins.  But as far as other things such as why the Lord's church is the one true church as well as the commitment to Christ involved in receiving forgiveness of sins through baptism into Christ, that was all something I had to investigate on my own not long after I turned 18.  I am 27 now.

Grow up.  Christians not growing up in the faith is not entirely their fault. Please bear with me but where many older Christians have dropped the ball is with the second half of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20.  Here we find that we are to make disciples by not only baptizing but also by teaching them to obey ALL that Christ has commanded.  Teaching is how people grow up.

Grow up.  A very real issue the Lord's church is facing today is the fact that we are losing our youth hand over fist.  Sometimes this is a product of their own choice but it is also very much due to the fact that us older Christians are failing to teach our youth and equipping them to defend the faith and properly share it with others.  We need to help younger Christians grow spiritually.

Grow up.  Think of it this way, a good parent would not neglect their child's nourishment and growth.  In the same way, those of us who are older Christians are not to neglect the spiritual growth of younger Christians. If  we neglect the younger generation of Christians, no matter what age they are, we run the risk of causing them to lose their souls to Satan.  

Grow up.  So my encouragement to you is this.  If you are an older Christian, take some time to teach a younger Christian and help them build on the basics.  If you are a younger Christian, take some time to seek an older Christian and ask them about any questions you might have.

Also, I don't pretend to know everything but if I can help you in anyway, including with what it means to obey the gospel, feel free to email me at davidmalleyg@gmail.com.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!