The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation

The book of Hebrews is arguably the most magnificent theological treatise in the New Testament on the absolute superiority of Jesus Christ. But right as the author prepares to dive into the deep, glorious waters of Christ's eternal priesthood in the order of Melchizedek, he slams on the brakes. He looks at his audience—Jewish Christians facing intense persecution—and delivers a stinging rebuke: I have much more to say about Christ, but I can't, because you have become dull of hearing. This was not a sudden rebellion. It was a slow fade. These believers had stopped feeding on the solid meat of the Word, reverting instead to the pre-digested milk of infancy. They had been saved long enough that they should have been teaching others, yet they needed someone to re-teach them the ABCs of the faith. In this study, Pastor Steve walks us through the sobering symptoms of spiritual immaturity. He challenges us to honestly evaluate our own lives: Are we actively exercising the Word of God to develop discernment, or have we grown sluggish, lazy, and spiritually stunted?

Doctrine Definition: Sanctification is the ongoing, progressive, and cooperative work of the Holy Spirit and the believer, wherein the justified Christian is continuously separated from sin, conforms to the image of Christ, and actively grows from spiritual infancy into mature righteousness through obedience to God's Word.