The Danger Of Not Going On To Maturity

So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

But when the fulness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:3-5).

Do you remember the story of Peter Pan? He was the little boy who decided that he never wanted to grow up C that he would rather remain a little boy forever.

Many people seem to suffer a Peter Pan Syndrome when it comes to spiritual matters. They don=t mind having a little religion once in a while as long as it is confined to the proper building and held on the proper day of the week. It mustn=t begin too early and must never go beyond a certain time. But anything more than this kind of short religious interlude is in danger of being labeled fanaticism. After all, we can=t live all out lives in the Bible. We have to come back to the real world.

The book of Hebrews is written to a group of people who suffered from the Peter Pan Syndrome.

? They were Jews.

? They had a heritage that was rooted in religion.

? They had grown up going to synagogue every week.

? They had read the Old Testament Scriptures.

? They had offered sacrifices and offerings to the Lord.

And then they became Christians. They heard the message that Jesus had died for sins and had risen again from the dead. They believed that message and joined the local group of believers which followed the teachings of Jesus. But then persecutions began to arise. They began to wonder if they wanted to be Christians after all. After all, they had been happy when they had been under the spiritual infancy of the Law. And so, they decided to go back to the Law. Like the storybook character, they decided not to grow.

THE NEED FOR MATURITY

Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14).

Throughout the fifth chapter of Hebrews, the writer has been showing that Jesus is a priest of a better priesthood than that which came from Aaron.

Aaron

Jesus

Aaron was a High Priest.

Jesus was the Great High Priest.

Aaron was tempted in the same way we are.

Jesus was tempted in the same way we are, yet without sin.

Aaron offered sacrifices.

Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate and final sacrifice.

Aaron was a member of an ancient priesthood.

Jesus is a member of an eternal priesthood.

Now, as we come to verse 11, there is a change. The writer will insert a parenthetical warning. He will pause from what has been his main theme to address an important issue.

1. A Parenthetical Warning: Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing (5:11).

This verse introduces a parenthesis. The writer has introduced the subject of Melchizedek and he is going to amplify his teaching on the subject of this one named Melchizedek. But first he is going to give a warning.

You see, the book of Hebrews is not merely a collection of really neat truths which have been thrown together for the benefit of those who get a fiendish delight in the study of doctrinal trivia.

This book is practical. It is written to change your life. It has truths in it that will enable you to live differently. It is not to be read only on Sunday and then forgotten. Its truths apply to Monday through Saturday and Sunday, too.

What is the nature of the warning which will be given? It will be a warning against remaining in immaturity.

2. The Nature of the Warning: You have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God (5:12).

These Jews had heard the message of the gospel. They had come to Christ. They had joined the ranks of the Christians. They had pledged themselves to Jesus Christ.

But now they are turning away. They are turning back to their former Judaism. They are turning back to their previous religious system and telling themselves that it will be okay because it is still the same God.