Thoughts On Christian Maturity From Hebrews
I’ve had many conversations that have gone something like this:
Me: So you enjoy studying theology?
Joe Nominal: I don’t need to study theology as long as I have Jesus. That stuff just divides.
I used to get frustrated to the point of acting in an un-humble, and un-Christ like way. I decided instead to point them to a verse that has stood out to me from Hebrews 6.
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. And this we will do, if God permits. (Heb 6:1–3)
This is on the heels of the previous chapter where the author admonishes the Hebrew believers to move from milk to solid food (Heb 5:12). It always seemed to be a perfect admonishment to give to believers who seemingly love to stay satisfied with milk and not move onto solid food.
Recently, a deacon at my church named Paul DeHart gave a lesson on this very passage. It was a perfect opportunity to ensure that my application was in fact correct and not a misuse of the text. In an e-mail he shared the following application that deserves to be heard by others.
“[W]hen talking to someone, saying something like: ‘I understand that you believe that Jesus is enough, but God has given his children a relationship with Christ, and this involves growing in our knowledge of Him. A good example of this call is found in the epistle of Hebrews where the author challenges the Jews to whom he is writing that they need to move beyond their immature views of Christ which are being twisted by not understanding how He fulfilled many of their Old Covenant practices. In the same way, we today need to grow in our knowledge of Christ so that we don’t start conforming Christ to the patterns and understandings that we have in this world. To understand a proper view of Christ, we need to understand Scripture, and see how Christ relates to us, to the world, and understand salvation, sanctification, etc. The study of these things is theology and it is important to our growth in Christ.’”
What great wisdom and application?I have nothing more to add!
Nov 2nd 2008
While it is important to have knowledge of “facts”, true Spirit led3knowledge and maturity involves much more than the facts.
I suspect that people are often reacting negatively to “academic debate and cranial expansion” rather than the activity of knowing and experiencing God in an ever deepening and profound way–which is a true product of Christ-centered theology.
And then, sometimes folks are just plain lazy…
Good post.
Tom
Nov 5th 2008
Hey Chris,
Cool post. I liked it. (My Internet connection works now… so I can blog.)
I think a primary reason many don’t engage theology very much is that they think it’s all been done. There is nothing left to determine. It’s clear. It’s simple. And besides, if you concluded anything other than what was already concluded you’d be heretical. And I think they have a point. I was raised in a social setting where any real questioning of doctrines did not occur. Why? Well, refer to my previous sentences. But this results in a stilted situation in which you have people who either acquiesce or not acquiesce. Those are the only two options which means there is no true engagement of concepts; you engage when you think you need to, not when there’s nothing left to do. Again, true engagement requires that you possibly not conclude what’s already been concluded. If all research and understanding has already been accomplished, there’s nothing more to do. I think this is a negative result of the conservative movement in Christianity.