Growth is the natural advancement of the children of God from the state of babes to become "young men" and "fathers" in Christ (1 John 2:12-14). But this may become either hindered or unnatural, and, consequently, the state may become all wrong. The Corinthians 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, 2. The word "hitherto" in this passage shows that they had never yet been in any other condition; they had remained in the condition of babes.
The Hebrews were somewhat similar, only 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, 13. "Ye are become such" shows that they had returned to that state. "But call to remembrance the former days." Ah, he says, You have regressed since the days when you endured a great fight of afflictions; you have forgotten the time when you "took joyfully the spoiling of your goods" because you knew that you possessed "in heaven a better and an enduring substance." (Heb. 10.) "Now
the just shall live by faith. -
Scripture presents three states of soul, or stages of growth, found among the children of God. These three states are easily discernible among Christians in our own day, and all three are evil, because they all arise from an arrested or unnatural growth. First there is the dwarf state, remaining in the condition of babes; second, the state of second childhood, or returning to that condition; third, the result of both of these-deformity.
The first state is illustrated by the Corinthians. Christians in this state are generally quite satisfied with themselves, and with what they know; they are never found running, as it were, in Paul's company as in 1 Cor. 8:2, and Phil. 3:12-14. In other words, they are at a standstill.
Second, there is the state of second childhood, the condition of the Hebrews. This state is not characterized so much by impeded growth, as at Corinth, but by 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 the power is wanting. This is a sad condition. There is refreshment in looking upon the confiding fresh young life of a babe; internally and externally there is harmony in such a one. But it is sad indeed to be brought face to face with second childhood. The hoary head that should have rightly guided or curbed the impetuosity of youth by 'its wise and prudent counsel, that should have encouraged the feeble steps of the tottering babe, how sad to see its utter impotency and helplessness.
In the third state, deformity, something is manifested that is repulsive to the spiritual eye. The saints addressed in 1 Corinthians and in the epistle to the Galatians are examples of a deformed state. It is clear that in natural things deformity may be either mental or physical. It may be 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 those addressed in these two epistles. Practice was wrong with the Corinthians, doctrine with the Galatians; the latter being internal, and far more serious than the former. 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). Yet he does not address such solemn warnings and denunciations to all the moral evil existing at Corinth as he addresses to the doctrinal evil at Galatia. (Gal. 1:6-9; 3:4; 4:11, 20; 5:1, 4, 7, 12.)
In Galatians the Apostle does not mention outward immorality such as we find in 1 Corinthians, and it is possible that in Galatia there was outwardly very little to complain of, the breaking of bread going on as usual, and those who attended it outwardly blameless. But they had gone back (Gal. 4:9); they had begun in the Spirit, but were now hindered, "bewitched" (Gal. 3:1). The "first works" (Rev. 2:5) were no longer done, legal works were adopted, and "the bondwoman and her son" were brought back to the house (Gal. 4:30). But what had they done? They had neglected the teaching of the Word by the Spirit, a certain line of action not left to their judgment, but laid down for them, which is called obeying the truth (Gal. 3:1). Their state was terrible to the Apostle, for if the teaching of the Spirit and the Word are given up by saints, what is left?
To remain in the condition of babes is dwarfishness, and produces external deformity, while to return to this condition, having known better, is second childhood, and is solemnly condemned by the Apostle who says, "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain." Gal. 4:11. Doubtless the Hebrews were in danger of falling into the same state, though not so far advanced as the Galatians in it. There is overwhelming danger in this state. The soul is slumbering and content with itself, and no human power, nothing but the solemn voice of the Lord by the Apostle can arouse it. He was not, and never can be indifferent to such a state.
It is a matter of comfort to the servants of the Lord, that souls in the three evil 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 us in dealing with such souls. By ignoring their state, we are allowing them to continue in it, but by ignoring them because of their state, we deprive ourselves of the duty and privilege of helping them to recovery.
We have been looking at arrested growth and have considered unnatural growth. We have seen that deformity follows each of them. The means of true growth, however, is given to us in 1 Pet. 2:2. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."
In the first epistle of John, we learn that true growth always manifests itself in increased occupation of the soul with the Person of Christ. When John is
writing of the "fathers" he says that he has written and still writes to them because they have "known Him that is from the beginning." This is all he has to say of them and he adds no further counsel to them as he does to the young men (1 John 2:15-17) and also to the babes (vv. 18-27). The omission, however, is full of instruction, for the few words he does say of them are in effect: You have already begun while yet upon earth the occupation of heaven and eternity, and I know of nothing beyond it. Thus true growth was manifested, for in the day of Revelation 5, a day swiftly approaching, "Jesus only" fills the scene and occupies "every family in the heavens" (Eph. 3:15 JND Trans.), and that holds true whatever their intelligence or however varied their comprehension of Him and His ways may be. If we are growing now upon earth, it will manifest itself in more caring for Him and for His approval, in pleasing the Lord at all cost (2 Cor. 5:9), and in ministering to those for whom He died. (1 John 5:1.)
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Cor. 13:11. Peter adds, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. 3:18. There is no growth except by the Word "which effectually worketh also in you that believe." 1 Thess. 2:13. If at first it gave me life, it must effectually work now in me if I am to grow, and may it be so with us increasingly to the praise and to the glory of His grace.