Growth is the natural advancement of the children of God from the state of babes to become “young men and fathers” in Christ — see 1 John 2:12-1412I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:12‑14). But this growth may be hindered, regressive, or unnatural, and the spiritual state consequently may become all wrong. Thus there are three deficient states of soul, or deformed stages of growth, in the children of God, to be found in Scripture, and discernible too among Christians in our own day. All three are evil, because they all arise from an arrested or unnatural growth. First, the dwarf state — remaining in the condition of babes; second, the state of second childhood, or returning to that condition; and third, the result of both the others — deformity.
Babes
The first is illustrated by the Corinthians, who were still remaining in the condition of babes when the apostle addressed his first epistle to them. “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” (1 Cor. 3:1-21And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I 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 3:1‑2)). The word “hitherto” shows that they had never yet been in any other condition; they had remained in the condition of babes. Christians in this state are generally perfectly satisfied with themselves, and with what they know; they are never found running in Paul’s company, as in 1 Corinthians 8:22And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2)
Second Childhood
Second, there is the state of second childhood; this we see was the condition of the Hebrews. When the apostle addressed them, they were somewhat similar to the Corinthians, but with this difference; the Hebrews had advanced, but had afterward returned to the state of babes. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe” (Heb. 5:12-1312For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (Hebrews 5:12‑13)). “Ye are become such” shows that they had gone back to it.
In this state you have unnatural growth; the internal has not kept pace with the external. It is more difficult to detect, for there is all the outward appearance of wisdom and manhood, but with the understanding and the power wanting. What can be more touching than to see impotency and helplessness in the hoary head — the head that should have curbed the impetuosity of youth by its prudent counsel, or encouraged the feeble steps of the tottering babe?
Deformity
I pass on to notice now the third state — deformity, in which state something is repulsive to the spiritual eye. I take as examples of those in this condition the saints addressed in 1 Corinthians and in Galatians. It is clear that in natural things deformity may be either mental or physical; that of the mind which is internal, or that of the body which is external and more visible. This is also true in the things of God, and both are illustrated in these two epistles. Doctrine was wrong with the Galatians, practice with the Corinthians; the one internal, and far more serious and solemn than the other. With all the dreadful moral evil existing at Corinth, Paul does not address such solemn warnings as he addresses to the Galatians. Having begun in the Spirit, they had gone back, and were now hindered. Legal works had been adopted, and they were no longer “obeying the truth” (Gal. 3:11O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1)).
It needed no great spiritual discernment to detect the deformity at Corinth. That which was allowed among them was a “common scandal,” and such as was “not so much as named,” even among the Gentiles (1 Cor. 5).
Recovery
It is a matter of comfort that souls in the three states we have been considering are not beyond recovery through the application of the Word in the power of the Spirit of God, for we have all three of them addressed in the passages we have had before us. Nothing but divine wisdom can help such souls now, but others have both the duty and privilege of helping them to recovery.
True growth always manifests itself in increased occupation of the soul with the person of Christ. When John writes of the “fathers,” he says that he has written to them because they have “known Him that is from the beginning.” This is all he has to say of them; he adds no further counsel to them, gives them no further occupation. But the omission is full of instruction, for the few words he does say of them are in effect, “You have already begun the occupation of heaven and eternity, and I know of nothing beyond it.” Thus true growth was manifested. There is no growth but by the Word. If at first it gave me life, it must effectually work now in me if I am to grow.
Adapted from H. C. Anstey