BABES IN CHRIST

BABES IN CHRIST
 
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3.1 - NKJV

 The letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth is one of the most important documents we have in the New Testament. It delivers spiritual truths to a really intriguing and challenging group of people. Our Corinthians brothers and sisters were “a tough crowd”, for sure.
To start with, the simple fact of being called “a Corinthian” was such a pejorative status that people tried to avoid it whenever possible. The City of Corinth, despite its great location and commercial importance and prosperity, was full of degradation and reproach, immorality, idolatry and constituted a true example of a lifestyle lived far away from God.
Paul calls the members of the church in Corinth “babes in Christ”, but I believe that adjective also applies to some Christians today. After all, what are the signs, the “marks”, the characteristics of being “a babe in Christ”? I think we can quote some of them:
First, babes lack maturity
You cannot expect “mature acts” from babes, but the church in Corinth was not formed of babes anymore. Paul himself spent 18 months ministering there (what a privilege for them!), and despite all the teachings and spiritual gifts operating among them, the church still had internal disputes and behavior that showed clearly their lack of maturity in spiritual matters. It’s our duty as Christians to try our best being mature followers of Jesus.
Second, babes despise things and matters which need rather to be treated seriously
The Corinthian church, regardless of being blessed with many spiritual gifts as well as earthly privileges, treated those blessings with despise and disdain. Followers of Jesus from all generations must acknowledge that we are the holders of the most precious treasure, the message of the Gospel of salvation, and that must be handled with utmost and farthest maturity and reverence. 
Third, babes demand help and care all the time
Men of God like Paul, Apollos, Aquila and his wife Priscila and many other experienced leaders of the early church of Jesus ministered in Corinth. But that was not enough for them. The childness present in the church of Corinth was such that the Apostle Paul had to write another letter pretty much to defend his apostolic authority and reminding them of his spiritual fatherhood. We must be really careful to not become or act like spoiled babies which never grow in Christ, even though being abundantly exposed to the Word of God.
 
You see, the issue with being babes is not being babes in itself at some point of our faith, but continuing as such as the years go by, always drinking baby milk and never being able to experience more solid spiritual food. Growth is a natural process, and if there is no growth, maturity or development in our walk with God, we must examine what is causing it, and fix it, with the help of our Lord and Savior Jesus, whom, the Bible states in the Gospel of Luke, every day would “grow in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Wishing many blessings to you and your family!
 
Pastor Joshua