Sometimes believers through lethargy can get stuck in spiritual infancy and never grow or mature. This can be extremely dangerous, and needs to be overcome as soon as possible for the good of their soul.
The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation
Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3
What would you think if you saw a 30 year old man, wearing a diaper, holding a rattle, and drinking milk from a bottle? That would be cute if it were a 3 month old baby. But for a 30 year old man it is tragic. We expect a three month old to act in that way, but not a 30 year old. Why? We expect people to grow up and mature.
The problem is that often in the church we have people who have been Christians for 10 or 20 or 30 years, who are still spiritual infants. Somewhere along the line, their spiritual development was arrested and they are stuck on a spiritual plateau. The crazy thing is that sometimes in the church we regard spiritual growth as optional. We shouldn’t treat spiritual growth as optional, but as expected for every Christian.
Peter says in 1 Peter 2:2 “as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk of the word, that you may grow in respect to your salvation.” That’s a command of Scripture.
And that is exactly the situation the Hebrew Christians were in that had received this letter. The author wanted to keep on teaching them about Christ’s ministry as our high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek. But he has to stop and go off on a bit of a tangent for a while before getting back to that. You see, 5:11 – 6:20 are a parenthesis in the author’s flow of thought. Remember, that his thesis in this book is the superiority of Jesus Christ. He has shown that Christ is superior to the prophets, angels, Moses, and the Jewish high priests. But before going on and developing this thought further, he realizes he needs to address a critical issue – their spiritual stagnation.
In a word, they had slipped into a state of spiritual stagnation. They were like the 30 year old in diapers and bottles. They were not growing, and had become weak and ineffective in the Christian life.
We are going to talk about spiritual stagnation this morning: its danger, symptoms and cure.
1. The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation
The ultimate danger of spiritual stagnation can be seen in Hebrews 6:4-6. Notice that verse 4 begins with “For”, letting us know that Hebrews 6:4-6 are a further explanation or amplification of Hebrews 5:11-14. In 6:4-6, the author speaks of someone who has fallen away. It is now impossible to renew him to repentance. He is lost forever. He has committed apostasy. He has rejected Christ and the Christian faith. This is the ultimate danger of spiritual stagnation.
Think of it like a driver who falls asleep at the wheel. Hebrews 5:11-6:3 are the author screaming, “Wake up! You are drifting away!” Hebrews 6:4-6 is the author showing the devastating crash if they will not wake up. Being a spiritually lazy person is not harmless. I could ultimately reveal that the reason you had no spiritual appetite was that you were not a genuine child of God at all! So the author is exhorting all of us to press on to maturity so that we have evidence to prove we are truly God’s child.
Spiritual stagnation is dangerous for a child of God, because he gets stuck early on in his Christian life and makes no genuine progress in his faith. Therefore, he is not able to bring much glory to God, and he provide little blessing to others. That is tragic.
Spiritual stagnation is also dangerous for the person who has made a profession of faith and joined the church but was never born again, because it may eventually lead to his turning his back on Christ where it will be impossible to repent.
So, let’s examine the symptoms and cure for spiritual stagnation.
2. The Symptoms of Spiritual Stagnation
How would a person know if they were spiritually stagnant or not? I see three symptoms:
- Dullness of hearing
- Perpetual Consumerism
- An All Milk Diet
Let’s take a look at each of them.
Dullness of Hearing
He says in vs. 11, “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” That word “dull” is used only one other time in the NT. It is Hebrews 6:12 where it is translated “sluggish.” The Greek word can mean lazy, sluggish, or dull. The problem was not that they were stupid and could not understand the author’s meaning. It was that they lacked a spiritual appetite which left them weak and lazy and in a frame of mind where they were not fit to receive spiritual truth.
This is not an intellectual problem; it’s a heart condition. Has your heart become apathetic about Christ and His word? Notice “you have become dull of hearing.” They weren’t always this way. They started out in the Christian life full of joy and optimism. But somewhere along the way, they became spiritually lethargic. Now when he has the opportunity in the morning of getting up and meeting with God, he says, “I’m tired. I think I will just sleep in today.” When the church meets he says, “I’m tired. I think I’ll just stay home and watch something on TV.” He has become spiritually sick. He lacks strength.
Even Jesus, the greatest teacher this world has ever known knew that it took more than great teaching. It also took a spiritually hungry and receptive listener. He would often say, “He who has ears, let him hear”, and “Take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” If Jesus is the One teaching, and the message isn’t coming through, who is at fault? It’s not Him!
Have you become spiritually lazy? Do you desire to know God more? Are you putting in the effort and energy to grow in your relationship with Him?
Perpetual Consumerism
Notice verse 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 oracles of God…” These people ought to be teachers. The author was not writing to the elders. He is writing to the entire church. He is not saying that every Christian should be an official teacher in the church. We all teach on various levels. Parents teach their children. When an older believer disciples a younger believer he teaches him. When one Christian counsels another, teaching is involved. All Christians should be able to teach on some level. James 3:1 warns believers from hastily becoming official teachers because they will incur a stricter judgment.
Every Christian should know enough truth to be able to tell someone else who Jesus is and what He has done to save them, and what they need to do to be saved. They should know the basics of the Christian faith and be able to communicate them with others. If you can’t do that and you have been saved for a number of years, you may be a spiritually stagnant individual!
A Christian should grow spiritually so that he is not just being fed, but feeding others. I can’t even count how many times I have heard a Christian say that they left such and such a church because they were just not being fed. My question for them is “how long have you been a Christian?” If they have been converted more than two or three years, they should have learned how to feed themselves by now! What would you think of a teenager who insisted that his mother spoon feed him every morning before he goes off to school? If you have been a Christian for a while but are completely dependent on someone feeding you spiritually, something is wrong! You should be able to serve and teach others by this time.
One of the symptoms of spiritual stagnation is that you consume sermons and bible studies week after week, year after year, but never disciple or serve anyone else. Who are you discipling? Who are you pouring into? Who are you serving? If there is no one, you are in danger!
A consumer is someone who consumes, who takes, who receives. If you are stuck in that mode long term, you need to realize you are in great danger.
An All Milk Diet
Verse 12 says “you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.”
In 6:1-2 he says, “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, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.”
The 6 things he mentions in 6:1-2 were the elementary principles of the oracles of God. They were the ABCs of the Christian faith. All of those six things have to do with what a brand new Christian from a Jewish background would learn. If the Christian life is like a house, these 6 things would be the front porch. They are the entryway into the house. Let’s look at them briefly.
Repentance from dead works and faith toward God. Repentance and faith on our part are what we do to respond to the gospel and receive the gift of salvation. We must repent from dead works. That is most likely talking about works that flow from a spiritually dead person. If you are spiritually dead, you can do all kinds of religious things like praying, fasting, reading Scripture, attending church, giving to charity, but they are all dead works until you are born again. None of those things can save a person. And before a person can be saved, they must change their mind about all of that. They must realize their actions can’t save them. Instead they exercise faith in God. They turn from reliance upon their own actions and rely instead upon the perfect finished work of Jesus Christ.
Washings and laying on of hands. The Greek word for “washings” can refer to various kinds of washings. The Jews had many ceremonial purifications in their OT Scriptures. A leper who was healed had to be “washed” before he could re-enter the camp of Israel. A priest had to be washed before he could be ordained for ministry. A person who touched a dead body or something unclean had to be washed
In addition to Jewish purification ceremonies, these believers needed to be instructed about the baptism of John and Christian baptism. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance to prepare the people to receive their Messiah when He came on the scene. Christian baptism is what a believer does to identify with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. A new believer would be instructed in all of these things.
The laying on of hands in both the OT and NT was an act that signified identification, impartation, and commissioning. In the OT, a worshiper would lay his hands on an animal to signify that his sin was being transferred to the innocent victim. We also see Moses laying hands on Joshua to signify the public transfer of authority.
The reason it is linked with “washings” here was probably because new converts would likely have hands laid on them and prayer made on their behalf following their baptism.
The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. New believers were instructed that Christ had been raised from the dead, and that all people at the end of human history would also be raised. Not only that, but at the resurrection, all people would receive their eternal judgment by God, either being received into heaven or cast into hell.
Notice that these 3 couplets go together. Faith and repentance are paired together because they are the human response needed to be saved. Washings and laying on of hands are paired together because they are the ceremonies that would take place right at the beginning of the Christian life. The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are paired together because they are the great realities that all people will face at the second coming of Christ.
But these six great truths were part of Christianity 101. They were basic truths or practices that all Christians were expected to know about.
All of these things were “milk” in the author’s mind. Solid food would include what he goes on to teach them in this letter. Yes, all Christians need to know and understand the basics. But that is only the beginning. There is far more that we need to explore and delve into in order to grow in Christ.
Milk is essential for infants, but an adult surviving solely on milk suffers from malnutrition.
Milk represents basic the foundational truths of Christianity; solid food represents the deeper demands and doctrines of Christ.
If you are spiritually stagnant, it is time to press on to maturity and grow into all of God’s revealed truth.
3. The Cure For Spiritual Stagnation
Become Accustomed To the Word of Righteousness (13). If you have become spiritually lazy and dull of hearing, this is a heart problem. You are going to have to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. Part of that discipline will be a crying out to God to change your heart and make you hungry for God and His Word. Another part of that discipline is to commit yourself to the Scriptures in an ongoing, regular way. The author is saying that if you only learned a few basic truths at the beginning of your Christian life, and then got lazy and spiritually dull, you are not accustomed to the word of righteousness. That’s part of your problem. You have remained a spiritual baby for years. It’s time to grow up! And the way to do that is by becoming accustomed to the Word of Righteousness.
You will not grow spiritually unless you are committed to reading, studying, and meditating on God’s word. 1 Peter 2:2 says “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation…” The word of God is what helps Christians grow.
Let me ask you who feel like you are spiritually stagnant. What is your devotional life like? Are you spending time with God daily? Are you reading His Word? When you don’t understand it, do you do some study to seek to find out what it means? Are you meditating on it throughout the day? If you can’t say “Yes” to these questions, it is no wonder you are spiritually stagnant. You are going to have to make some lifestyle changes.
Train Your Spiritual Senses (14). One of the marks of a spiritually maturing Christian is that they have their senses trained to discern good and evil. What does that tell you about an immature Christian? He is not able to discern between good and evil.
Perhaps this explains why so many people flock to self-proclaimed prophets, apostles and pastors who teach heresy, exploit the people in their greed, and live sexually promiscuous lives. These men are manipulating and exploiting spiritual babies who can’t discern good from evil.
I was a lot like that. When I was 20 years old, I was very gullible and naïve. I ended up with the Moonies for a weekend, and was almost unable to get out. I was not able to discern between good and evil very well.
Perhaps this is why some Christians can’t discern that homosexuality and transgenderism are not the will of God. Maybe that’s why so many Christians end up divorcing their spouses with no biblical grounds. Perhaps this is why some believers end up aborting their own babies.
I think you get the point. Spiritual maturity is necessary in order to discern good and evil.
Therefore, we need to train our senses. The word for “train” is gymnazo. We get our word “gymnasium” from it. It is referring to a trained athlete. Just like an athlete exercises their muscles, Christians must exercise spiritual judgment. We need to consistently apply God’s truth to our daily choices, until doing God’s will becomes a spiritual habit.
How does an athlete get ready for a competition?
- He eats nutritious food. So too the Christian must feed regularly on good solid truth. He must not pick and choose the things He likes from the Bible, like a little kid that skips his peas and carrots and eats ice cream instead. He goes through the Bible and is exposed to all of God’s truth.
- He works out. He goes down to the gymn, lifts weights, and runs on the treadmill every day, whether he wants to or not. He disciplines himself. Just knowing what is right is not enough. We have to actually apply what is right to our lives. Every time we choose honesty over a lie, or kindness over revenge, we are doing a “spiritual repetition” that strengthens our conscience.
- He builds muscle memory. When I first learn a new song, I have to think about every single note and riff. Nothing comes naturally. But when I have practiced that song 100 times, I don’t have to think about it so much. Most of that song will come back to me naturally, because of the disciplined repetitions. Over time we won’t have to pause and debate every temptation. We will quickly recognize and react to things that are spiritually healthy or spiritually toxic.
- He gets a spiritual trainer. The trainer teaches him, corrects bad behavior, inspires and motivates him to do greater achievements. So too, the Holy Spirit does the same in a believer’s life. He indwells us, and is constantly working in our lives to make us like Christ.
Make A Decision to Press On to Maturity (6:1). It all comes down to whether you will make a decision of your will to leave spiritual stagnation and press on to maturity. “Leaving” doesn’t mean abandoning the basics, but building upon them. A builder doesn’t lay the foundation over and over again; once the foundation is laid they build the house on top of it.
Are you willing to expend the effort necessary to grow? If not, you will stay in your spiritual stagnation. You are going to have to make up your mind that spiritual stagnation is not acceptable, and whatever effort is required on your part is worth it.
Conclusion
Honestly answer this question: are you a consumer or a contributor in the body of Christ? Are you applying yourself in order to grow or have you become spiritually lazy? Are you growing in your understanding of God’s Word, or have you become complacent?
Here are some Action Steps for this week:
- Commit to reading God’s Word. Commit to spend time daily in God’s Word. That is the starting point. If you won’t do that, there is little hope you will get out of your spiritual stagnation. This will include not only reading, but hearing, studying, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture.
- Find someone to teach. This might be your children, or a friend, or a relative, or neighbor, or workmate. Take one truth you learned this week from Scripture and share it with someone else.
- Practice discernment. Apply biblical truth to one difficult decision or habit you are facing right now. Instead of just making a decision off the cuff, determine that you will search the Scriptures and make your decision based on what you discover.
Is there anyone here who would be honest and vulnerable enough to confess that they are spiritually stagnant and need help? If you will raise your hand, we can pray for you, and begin to seek to help you out of that condition. The way out of spiritual stagnation is to admit it, and seek God’s power and grace.
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