Ministries sometimes become frustrated with the fact that some Christians grow in the Lord for a little while, then stop growing and stay at an immature state in their walk with the Lord. We minister to them, we encourage them but much of the time there is no growth.
I have seen this so much it finally drove me to seek the answer. I will attempt to explain what I believe to be the problem in this short letter as this is in no means a full teaching on this subject.
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, 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. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Heb 5:12-14)
The writer to the Hebrews recognized that there was something wrong in the lives of the people to whom he was ministering. They were not growing and developing as they should. He did not scold them but he instructed them. He found they were spiritually immature because of lack of disciplined study. He told them they should be able to teach. In other words, each believer ought to be able to communicate the gospel to others around him. We do not really know something until we are able to express it in our own words and explain it for someone else to understand. We must be able to articulate what we believe.
Those who have never mastered the fundamentals cannot really grasp more advanced truths. Until they have been fed milk, (fundamentals), they cannot handle the meat of the word. Milk is for babies, and we love babies, but if they are the same size at age 10, we become concerned. So it is spiritually. Those who fail to grow up are problems to themselves and to everyone else around them.
Many Charismatic churches have classes and teach people how to prophesy, and how to cast out demons, and how to activate the gifts, and that is fine, as long as we have first insured solid foundations have been laid in the lives of the saints.
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. (Heb 6:1-2)
Here we have the six basic foundation stones of the Christian faith.
- Repentance from dead works
- Faith toward God
- Doctrine of baptisms
- Laying on of hands
- Resurrection of the dead
- Eternal judgment
Again, these are the fundamentals, and those who have not mastered the fundamentals cannot really grasp more advanced truths. There are good books and study material on this subject.
A good test for Christians you deal with would be: “ explain to me the doctrine of Resurrection of the Dead”. Or “explain to me the doctrine of Eternal Judgment”. These are just foundational doctrines that require our understanding before we are to move on to maturity.
For example: If all new Christians fully understood the last two doctrines, they would live their lives differently and have many less problems growing to maturity. (they are all equally important, the last two are only used as examples)
Foundations are so important and yet many tend to ignore them. One good example is Ephesians 2:20 which tells us the foundation of the church is through Apostles and Prophets…. That’s the reason there are so many different kinds of churches…. They are not founded by Apostles and Prophets. And if that is the case then many churches do not have any foundations.
Final thoughts about foundational things: – for free –
If you have someone who is struggling with keeping their healing, they are healed, then it keeps coming back… look at scriptures like this,
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. (1 Cor 11:27-30)
Second final thought: If you keep having problems in any area, stop and take a good look at the foundations in the situation and I believe you will find your answer. When the cracks are found, repair them, and if you are unable then send for foundational experts.
True apostles and prophets are foundation inspectors and are always ready to be of assistance to anyone who needs them. This is why Jesus gave five ministries. We all have special gifts and are ready to use them when needed. Let’s put the five to work, let’s network together to help each other with our problems, let’s call on each other.
Apostle Richard Wright
Wow! I love this Apostle Wright.