Do Not Be Children In Your Thinking Series

1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.”

Those who are saved are children “of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26) because God has “predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:5).

We need to keep growing in Spiritual maturity. Today we will learn about an important choice we all have to make

A. YOU MIGHT BE A SPIRITUAL BABY IF . . .

1. You Find Yourself Often Fighting with Other Christians

Babies will fight about anything and everything. Left to themselves, young siblings will slap, pull hair, kick, poke, punch, argue and scream. They haven't really learned that they aren't enemies, so they live as though there were.

2. You Enjoy Being the Center of Attention

A baby delights in being the center of attention. If someone else is receiving attention, then a baby will do or say something to put himself in the spotlight.

Many Christians are like this. Rather than wait for their turn (I Pet. 5:6), spiritual babies will speak up, or step out, or act up, or show out in an effort to draw attention to themselves.

3. You Are Shallow in Your Knowledge of the Scriptures

Babies have very little knowledge and understanding, so they will drink poison, eat insects, play in the streets, and even jump into water far over their heads. They have a great lack of knowledge and understanding, so they must rely on others to teach them.

The Bible says in I Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." Just as a baby needs to grow from his mother's milk, a Christian baby needs to grow from the word of God. If you are rather shallow in your knowledge of the Scriptures, then you are just as shallow about applying the Scriptures to your own life. You can't possibly be obeying the Bible if you aren't faithfully reading it. This makes you a spiritual baby. God wants you to GROW UP to be a good soldier for Christ.

4. You Are Easily Offended

Babies are very sensitive, and their feelings are easily hurt. When things don't go their way, they will whine, cry, pout, sulk, and even throw tantrums. They haven't learned to endure affliction, so they only know to be offended when trouble comes. Are YOU such a person?

5. You Are Never Satisfied

A baby never ceases to whimper and cry for things. He's hungry, so you feed him. Then he's tired, so you give him a nap. He then wakes up with a wet diaper. You change the diaper, then he wants to play. You refuse to play, so he cries. Then he's hot. Then he's cold. Then he bumps his head. A baby is just never satisfied.

Many of God's people are like this. They whimper about everything. The preacher preaches too long. He didn't shake your hand today. He didn't smile at you. Sally's dress is nicer than your dress. George's wife is prettier than your wife. Doesn't old Fred know that he's sitting in your pew? By the way, who authorized that new wallpaper? No one consulted your opinion.

6. You Have Trouble Staying Clean

A baby simply cannot stay clean. You can give him a bath and powder him real nice, but, if you aren't careful, he'll be in a mess before you can drain the bath water. He will play in the flower pot. He will play in the toilet. He will play in the cat litter. Then he will spill the apple juice all over himself. A baby will not stay clean.

Are you like this? Do you walk a straight and clean path for the Lord Jesus Christ, or do you find yourself playing with sin?

7. You Become Jealous Over the Success of Others

A baby only cares about himself. He is totally self-centered, so he always wants what others have. No matter how many toys he has, he will throw a fit if he cannot have another child's toy. If another child is receiving special attention, then a baby will become jealous and fight to have the attention all for himself.

Spiritual babies are the same. They become jealous when other Christians receive a special blessings. They can't rejoice with those that rejoice because they are too busy being jealous!

1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.”

B. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW TO MESS UP A GOOD THING

Moses was seeking to lead the people to the Promised Land and it was a touch time for some of the people of God. Sacrifices were called for, healing was needed, and out of nowhere here comes Korah. Korah and his followers became a source of strong dissension for the rest of the 2 million Hebrew people.