Are You Still Drinking Milk?

The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation  
Spencer R. Fusselman, D.Min

The Book of Hebrews is an absolute masterpiece of high theology. For four chapters, the anonymous author has been building a soaring, magnificent argument proving the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. He has proven that Jesus is better than the prophets, better than the angels, and better than Moses. Now, he is preparing to dive into the deepest, richest theological waters yet: the eternal high priesthood of Christ in the order of Melchizedek.

But suddenly, in Hebrews 5:11, the author slams on the brakes. He looks at his audience, and delivers a stinging, heartbroken rebuke, "Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing." He essentially tells them: I have a feast of solid meat prepared for you, but I can't serve it. I have to go back to the nursery and get the bottles, because you are still acting like infants. As Pastor Steve unpacked this challenging text, he highlighted the sobering symptoms of spiritual immaturity. This was not a sudden rebellion by the Hebrew Christians; it was a slow fade. And it is a fade that threatens every single one of us today.

Symptom 1: You Are Dull of Hearing
The Greek word for "dull" here translates to sluggish, lazy, or slothful. It describes an inability to act promptly when action is required. Spiritual sluggishness doesn't happen overnight. As Pastor Steve illustrated, if you stop putting wood on a roaring fire, it doesn't instantly freeze; it slowly cools down until nothing is left but cold embers. When we stop fiercely engaging with the Word of God, our spiritual hearing goes dull. We can sit in church, nod our heads at the sermon, and walk out completely unchanged.
We hear the truth, but we are too spiritually lazy to act on it.

Symptom 2: You Cannot Teach Others
The author delivers a second blow in verse 12: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God."
Time equals growth in the natural world, and it should in the spiritual world as well. If you have been a Christian for ten or twenty years, you should not be subsisting entirely on the "milk" of the Gospel. Milk represents the foundational, beautiful ABCs of the faith—that God loves us, that Jesus died for our sins, and that He rose again. Every believer must start there, and we never outgrow our need for the cross.

But if that is the only theology you know, you are spiritually stunted. The "meat" of the Word involves the deep, robust doctrines of sanctification, the ongoing intercession of Christ in heaven, and the ability to rightly divide the Word of truth.

John MacArthur emphasizes this severity: "A baby that never grows is a tragedy. A Christian who never matures is a spiritual disaster. If you have been saved for years but cannot articulate the deep truths of Scripture or disciple a younger believer, you are living in perpetual infancy."

The Doctrine of Sanctification
This text brings us face-to-face with the Doctrine of Sanctification. While our justification (being saved from the penalty of sin) is entirely the finished work of Christ, our sanctification (growing in holiness) requires our vigorous, active cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 5:14 states that solid food belongs to those who "by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Notice the action words: use and exercised. Sanctification is not passive. You do not accidentally become a mature Christian. You must ruthlessly exercise your spiritual senses. You must take the Word of God and actively apply it to your finances, your marriage, your media consumption, and your secret thoughts.

Warren Wiersbe captured the danger of failing to do this: "A person who is dull of hearing is unable to listen to the Word, receive it, and act upon it." When we fail to exercise discernment, we remain babies. And babies, as Pastor Steve humorously but accurately noted, will put absolutely anything in their mouths. A spiritually immature Christian is an easy target for false doctrine, cultural lies, and the deceitfulness of sin.

Suffering and Obedience
Perhaps the most challenging insight in this passage is how maturity is actually forged. In verse 8, speaking of Jesus' humanity, it says: "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."

Jesus did not need to learn how to stop sinning; He was flawless. He learned the experience of obedience in the brutal crucible of human suffering.
Spiritual babies whine when life gets hard. They throw temper tantrums and ask, "Why me, Lord?" But a mature believer looks at the fire of suffering and asks, "What are you teaching me, Lord?" They understand that God uses affliction to burn away the flesh and teach us absolute dependence on Him.

Are you growing, or are you just growing older? Do not settle for the shallow end of the faith. Pick up the Word of God, exercise your discernment, endure the suffering, and press on to maturity.

Evaluate Your Spiritual Diet:  Are you relying entirely on a 30-minute Sunday sermon for your spiritual nourishment? Commit this week to spending 15 minutes a day reading the Bible for yourself, chewing on the "solid food" of Scripture rather than just consuming pre-digested devotions.

Find Someone to Teach: You don't need a seminary degree to disciple someone. Look for a younger believer, your own children, or a struggling friend, and intentionally share one profound truth God has taught you from His Word this week.

Change "Why" to "What": The next time you face a frustrating circumstance or a painful trial, catch yourself before you complain. Change your prayer from "Why is this happening?" to "What do You want me to learn through this, Lord?"

Exercise Your Discernment: Practice using the Word of God as a filter today. Before you watch a show, make a purchase, or engage in a debate, ask yourself: Does this align with the holiness of Christ, or is it the subtle evil of the world?

Respond Promptly to Conviction: Do not let the Holy Spirit's conviction grow cold. If God is prompting you to apologize to someone, stop a specific sin, or take a step of faith, do not be "dull of hearing." Act on it within the next 24 hours.