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Pastor Jay's Blog

The Danger of Immaturity and Its Safety Net

 

The other day it occurred to me that spiritual immaturity is like drinking alcohol. Both of these have within them the seeds of self-destruction. Let me explain the connection. Alcohol is a controlling agent. It incapacitates the mind so that a person falls under the sway of unchecked emotions and rationale. Alcohol is like a key that progressively unlocks the chains of a wild beast. You never know what the wild beast will do, but it will be in control when it does it. This means there is an ironic catch-22 at play in drinking alcohol. If someone chooses to drink alcohol, the one thing they need is self-control. However, at the very same time the one thing that is being reduced is self-control. What a dangerous game to play.

Spiritual immaturity presents a similar conundrum. Spiritual immaturity means that someone does not understand what God has said in His Word, and/or does not have the character to carry out the obedience that leads to life. The one thing they need to make a wise and godly decision is maturity. Yet maturity is the one thing that they don’t have, thereby perpetuating their immaturity.

At this point, we must point out a crucial difference. The difference is that immaturity is necessary and drinking alcohol is a choice. No one can avoid immaturity, but anyone can avoid alcohol. When it comes to immaturity, no one gets to be born an old man. No one gets to bypass the years of being corrected by God’s Word, rooting out sin, and painful dealings with a cursed world. Since no one gets to opt out of immaturity, Scripture doesn’t condemn it, but gives us help to deal with it. Immaturity is something that has to be addressed because even though you can’t avoid it, you must not stay in it for long (Hebrews 5:12-14; Proverbs 9:6; Ephesians 4:11-14).

So what is the safety net for immaturity? In the physical realm, the safety net is parents. In the spiritual realm, the safety net is elders. Interestingly enough, on several occasions Paul equated his spiritual maturity to that of a father (1 Cor 4:15; Phil 2:22; 1 Thes 2:11). The elders of the church are to care for those in the church in the way a father cares for children. Fathers must feed children with nourishing truth. They must keep them from the malnutrition of watered-down truth. They must keep them from the camouflaged tiger of false teaching. They must protect them from the seductions of worldliness. They must train them for service.

This is why one of the most important things to teach a new believer is the necessity to submit to godly elders in a local church.

1 Peter 5:5 (NASB95) — You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Hebrews 13:17 (NASB95) — Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

This is why I am so grieved when I see people, especially young believers, keep their distance from the church. There are a host of reasons this happens, ranging from some offense taken, to laziness, to being drawn away by a feel-good ministry or cause. What they are doing is removing the safety net. They are taking their life in their hands, which are weak and slick from newness. They are like the 8 year old striking out on their own because they are sick of being under their parent’s oversight. This will not end well.

I realize that calling the immature to recognize their immaturity is “tricky business.” Inherent in the immaturity is difficulty in seeing their present situation accurately. But let’s say this; if you are only years into your spiritual new birth, you are immature. If all you know of the Bible are the headline stories and people, then you are immature. If you are basically a religious version of your co-workers, having the same lifestyle, commitments and goals, you are immature. If any of that even remotely describes you, then rush under the care of the elders and ask them to set you up for discipleship with a godly person. You need your decisions and actions and commitments evaluated by someone who knows the truth and that is not you yet.

Everyone needs to submit to the elders, but never is that more important than early in a person’s walk with Christ. For those who have a degree of maturity, you need to run to the aid of these younglings. Pray for them, exhort them, disciple them, or arrange for their discipleship. Demonstrate your love for them by restoring their spiritual safety net.