GROWING BEYOND SPIRITUAL INFANCY

GROWING BEYOND SPIRITUAL INFANCY

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

Key Verse: "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." — 1 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)

Supporting Texts: Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:13-15; Colossians 1:9-10; 2 Peter 3:18; James 1:22

Description: God desires every believer to grow beyond spiritual infancy into maturity, stability, discernment, and fruitful Christian service.

INTRODUCTION

Every Christian begins the journey of faith as a spiritual infant. Just as a newborn child is expected to grow physically, a new believer is expected to grow spiritually. Paul recognised that the Corinthian believers belonged to Christ, yet he had to address them as spiritual infants because their conduct showed that they had not developed as God intended.

Spiritual infancy is not a shameful starting point, but remaining there indefinitely is a serious spiritual problem. A baby needs milk, protection, supervision, and constant care, but a mature person should eventually develop the strength, understanding, discipline, and responsibility necessary for life. In the same way, believers must progress from basic Christian understanding to deeper knowledge, stronger faith, godly character, and responsible service.

God has provided everything necessary for spiritual growth through His Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, fellowship, discipleship, and practical obedience. We must therefore refuse spiritual stagnation and deliberately pursue maturity. The goal is not simply to know more about Christianity but to become increasingly like Christ.

1. RECOGNISE THE REALITY OF SPIRITUAL INFANCY

The first step towards maturity is honestly recognising our present spiritual condition. A believer cannot grow beyond a condition that he or she refuses to acknowledge.

a) Spiritual Infancy Is A Beginning (1 Peter 2:2)
New believers naturally need foundational teaching and spiritual nourishment. There is nothing wrong with beginning as a spiritual infant, but growth should follow conversion.

b) Infancy Limits Understanding (1 Corinthians 3:1-2)
Paul could not communicate deeper spiritual truths to the Corinthians because their spiritual condition limited what they could properly receive.

c) Infancy Requires Nourishment (Hebrews 5:12-13)
Spiritual infants continually depend upon basic instruction and have not yet developed the ability to handle deeper truths effectively.

d) Infancy Should Not Continue Forever (Ephesians 4:14)
God does not want believers to remain children who are easily influenced, unstable, and vulnerable to every changing teaching.

Biblical Example: The disciples spent years learning directly from Jesus, yet they repeatedly had to be corrected and taught because they were still developing spiritual understanding (Mark 9:33-37).

2. FEED YOUR SPIRIT WITH GOD'S WORD

Spiritual growth requires consistent nourishment from Scripture. A believer who neglects God's Word will struggle to develop spiritual strength and discernment.

a) Hunger For The Word (1 Peter 2:2)
Just as physical infants desire milk, believers should develop a genuine appetite for God's Word because it nourishes spiritual life.

b) Study The Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15)
Regular and careful study helps believers understand God's truth accurately and prepares them for effective Christian service.

c) Meditate On God's Truth (Psalm 1:1-3)
Meditation allows God's Word to move beyond information into our thinking, decisions, attitudes, and daily conduct.

d) Practise What You Learn (James 1:22)
Spiritual maturity does not come simply through hearing God's Word but through putting it into practice.

Biblical Example: Ezra prepared his heart to study God's Law, practise it, and teach it to others, demonstrating the proper progression from learning to obedience and ministry (Ezra 7:10).

3. MOVE FROM MILK TO SPIRITUAL MEAT

God wants believers to progress from basic spiritual understanding to deeper knowledge and mature application of His truth.

a) Learn The Foundations (Hebrews 6:1)
Foundational doctrines are important, but believers must build upon them and continue towards greater spiritual maturity.

b) Develop Spiritual Understanding (1 Corinthians 2:6)
God desires mature believers to understand the deeper wisdom that He reveals through the Holy Spirit.

c) Exercise Spiritual Discernment (Hebrews 5:14)
Maturity enables believers to distinguish between good and evil and apply God's truth wisely in real situations.

d) Pursue Deeper Knowledge Of Christ (Philippians 3:8-10)
Paul continually sought to know Christ more deeply, showing that spiritual maturity involves an ongoing pursuit of Jesus.

Biblical Example: Apollos began with an incomplete understanding, but Priscilla and Aquila explained God's way more accurately to him, after which he became more effective in ministry (Acts 18:24-28).

4. DEVELOP CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER

Spiritual maturity is not measured by knowledge alone. The evidence of growth is seen in transformed character and increasingly Christlike behaviour.

a) Grow In Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Love demonstrates maturity because it enables believers to respond to others with patience, kindness, humility, and selflessness.

b) Develop Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23)
A mature believer learns to exercise discipline over emotions, desires, words, and actions through the help of the Holy Spirit.

c) Practise Humility (Philippians 2:3-5)
Spiritual maturity produces humility rather than self-importance and teaches us to value others.

d) Walk In Holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16)
Growth in Christ involves increasing separation from sinful patterns and a deeper commitment to living according to God's standards.

Biblical Example: Joseph developed remarkable character through years of difficult experiences, remaining faithful to God even when circumstances were unjust (Genesis 39:7-12; 41:38-41).

5. BECOME RESPONSIBLE AND FRUITFUL BELIEVERS

Maturity moves believers from constant dependence on others towards responsible participation in God's work. Mature Christians become capable of strengthening others and contributing meaningfully to the body of Christ.

a) Teach Others (2 Timothy 2:2)
Those who have grown spiritually should become capable of passing God's truth to others who can also teach.

b) Serve Faithfully (1 Peter 4:10)
Every believer has received gifts that should be used responsibly for the benefit of others and the glory of God.

c) Encourage Other Believers (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Mature Christians do not merely seek personal growth; they strengthen and encourage those around them.

d) Bear Spiritual Fruit (John 15:5, 8)
Fruitfulness demonstrates that our relationship with Christ is producing visible results in our character, service, and influence.

Biblical Example: Timothy progressed from being a younger co-worker to becoming a trusted minister who could teach, lead, and strengthen the churches entrusted to him (Philippians 2:19-22; 2 Timothy 2:1-2).

CONCLUSION

Spiritual infancy is a beginning, not a destination. God wants us to grow beyond the stage where we can only receive basic instruction and depend entirely upon others. We must develop spiritual understanding, discernment, Christlike character, and the ability to serve and strengthen others.

Therefore, examine your spiritual growth and ask yourself whether you are progressing. Do not remain satisfied with yesterday's level of understanding or experience. Hunger for God's Word, obey what you learn, depend upon the Holy Spirit, pursue Christlike character, and continue growing until your life demonstrates the maturity and fruitfulness God desires.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, help me to recognise every area of spiritual immaturity in my life and give me grace to grow beyond it, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, give me a genuine hunger and thirst for Your Word and spiritual truth, in Jesus name.

3. Father, help me to move beyond spiritual milk and develop the capacity to understand and apply deeper truths from Your Word, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, give me spiritual discernment to distinguish between truth and error and to make decisions that honour You, in Jesus name.

5. Father, develop Christlike character in me and remove every attitude that hinders my spiritual growth, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, help me to practise everything I learn from Your Word and not become merely a hearer, in Jesus name.

7. Father, deliver me from spiritual stagnation and give me grace to make consistent progress in my Christian journey, in Jesus name.

8. Lord, help me to become spiritually responsible, faithful in service, and useful in building up other believers, in Jesus name.

9. Father, let my life produce lasting spiritual fruit that demonstrates genuine growth in Christ, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, take me from spiritual infancy into maturity and establish me as a stable, discerning, fruitful, and faithful believer, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. You shall not remain spiritually stagnant; you shall continually advance from spiritual infancy into maturity in Christ.

2. The Lord shall give you an increasing hunger for His Word, and your understanding of Scripture shall continually deepen.

3. You shall develop the spiritual capacity to receive, understand, and apply deeper truths from God's Word.

4. Your spiritual discernment shall increase, and you shall not be easily deceived or carried away by false teachings.

5. The character of Christ shall increasingly be formed in you, and your life shall demonstrate love, humility, holiness, patience, and self-control.

6. You shall receive grace to practise the Word of God consistently, and your obedience shall produce visible spiritual growth.

7. Every pattern of spiritual stagnation shall be broken, and you shall experience steady progress in your relationship with God.

8. You shall become spiritually strong and responsible, capable of encouraging, teaching, strengthening, and supporting other believers.

9. Your life shall become increasingly fruitful, and the evidence of your growth in Christ shall be visible to those around you.

10. You shall grow into a mature, stable, discerning, and fruitful believer, fully equipped to fulfil God's purpose and bring glory to His name.