1 Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 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. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
What are some characteristics of babies? They cry when they are hungry. They are usually self centered and very possessive. They need a lot of attention. They have no discernment. They have a short attention span. They need instruction and to be taught self discipline. They are immature. They can fly off the handle at the drop of a hat. They tend to be emotional and feeling driven. They can be very manipulative.
The Corinthians were gifted in the things of The Spirit, but they were like babies when it came to spiritual maturity. They were envious of one another. There was strife and tension between them that you could cut with a knife. They were divided over their favorite teacher. They needed to grow up. Babies tend to blame others for their erratic behavior or the messes that they make. Growing in Christ is an ongoing process. Nobody ever arrives in this life. But when a Christian begins to grow up in The Lord, they put away childish behavior.
Babies are cute. They are innocent and a pleasure to have around. But when that baby is a teen and continues to act like a baby, they are not very cute anymore. Likewise, it is a sad thing when you see a person who has been a “calendar Christian” for x amount of years, still walking, talking and acting like a baby. When the body of Christ is divided over “isms”, we are like babies shaking the rattles of our systematic theologies instead of embracing one another in who we are in Christ. When a Christian’s temperament is unpredictable and driven by emotions, they are still at the baby stage of their Christian life. When a Christian blames others for their erratic behavior and attitude, they are still in the baby stage of their Christian life. It is not until we have an Isaiah 6 “woe encounter” with The Lord and see ourselves for who we truly are, that we can begin to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus ourselves and with one another. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:1-3) Selah.
