Spiritual growth (part 2)
We must also understand there are levels of teachings and each teacher has their proper place in the Lord which begins with the true salvation message of Yeshua (Jesus). The message of Yeshua (Jesus) and acceptance gives those that believe the ability to receive power and to receive greater knowledge of God. By this we grow in the Lord; however we do not grow over night. As we grow, the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) will also grow in our hearts and minds teaching us how we as believers are to conduct ourselves.
It is no different than attending public school, a person enters into the first grade to learn what they need to know in order to move forward into the second grade. A second grader cannot understand those things of a twelfth grader until they complete all the grades in between, they must grow in understanding to reach the fullness of Christ.
It is no different than growing in the Spirit, we cannot understand the things of the Spirit until we grow in the Lord, and we cannot grow until we are ready to listen and learn. We must first learn the basic salvation message, but we have the responsibility to learn and grow in understanding.
We cannot feed a baby meat, they have no teeth and cannot chew or digest meat while they are yet on milk, in other words, they have not grown enough to eat meat. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby" (1st Peter 2:2).
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14). “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity (perfection), not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do these things.” (Hebrews 6:1-3).
Now, if we say we live for Yeshua (Jesus), we put off the old man and walk in newness of life. If we continue in the old ways, if we do we are not walking in our new life and we are not walking in the Spirit and we will stunt our growth.
Too, there are many people that require deliverance from bondages before they are able to grow, when they are set free from a bondage they are able to grow, because they have been set free from that bondage and are able to see clearly. However, if any man refuses deliverance, they are not able to grow. We still abide in bondage and bondage hinders our walk with God, this is why we must all be set free of bondages and all must "repent".
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-26).
What is faith and what is belief? We have received God’s word by faith and when we study (eat) God’s word we will grow in the Lord. Has it not been said that if we believe in something we become what we believe? To put it another way, “we become what we eat.” We cannot become what we eat if we don’t eat and receive the truth when it is served. Above all, we cannot take the word of God for granted.