Arrested Development To Maturity
“Leave your Childish ways and you will live. Walk in the way that leads to understanding”.
– Proverbs 9:6
According to www.Collinsdictionary.com; “arrested development is when physical or psychological development is not complete”. In addition, www.Freedictionary.com indicates that “arrested development is an abnormal state in which development has stopped prematurely”.
Now, let’s go to the Bible. In the New Testament, Paul was trying to make the church aware of the “carnal mind”, which (when putting the above definitions together) is when spiritual development is not complete or has stopped prematurely. Paul even indicates that “we are supposed to be teachers” but we still need milk (basic spiritual truths) and we are not prepared for meat (deep spiritual truths).
Hebrews 5:12 (KJV)
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.
Hebrews 5:13 (KJV)
For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
1 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)
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.
For example, according to Andrew Murray in the book “The Spiritual Life”: “A kid that doesn’t grow, it’s because of a disease and that disease is the carnal mind, which is also considered protected infancy”.
Andrew Murray also explains that “a baby cannot help himself and has to be helped by others. They also cannot help anyone else”.
This is the carnal mind! When the church does not get their own food from the Lord and needs to be spiritually fed by others. This is the current state of the church, which prevents a supernatural walk with freedom in Christ. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).
Furthermore, a baby is injured when his or her teeth are not prepared to bite and swallow meat; but still eats it. Same in the spiritual life; if I were to speak spiritual truths but you would understand it with a carnal mind, then it would be an injury to you.
We, as the church, have to confess our carnality and open our eyes to realize that a spiritual life in Christ is possible. Just like the virtuous woman. “She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar” (Proverbs 31:14). “Afar” means “above” (The heavens; the spiritual life). And “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens” (Proverbs 31:15).
Therefore, if we walk in the Spiritual Life in Christ, we are no longer children because we will be able to give meat to our household. We will pass from an arrested development to full maturity. The question is: Are we willing to become mature Sons and Daughters of our Lord Jesus Christ? If Yes, then “walk in the way that leads to understanding” (Proverbs 9:6).
