Slow to Learn

I don't know how many of you are parents. If you are, I am sure you have the frustration many a parent has with their children. You instruct them in the right way, but as soon as they have opportunity, they do it the wrong way. You tell them not to do something, and they go ahead and do it anyway. It is like they never heard what you said. The author of Hebrews had this problem with some of those in the churches.

Hebrews 5:11-6:3 - "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, ² instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And God permitting, we will do so."

These believer that this author is writing to were not new believers. They new the Word of God. They had been in Christ for some time. Yet, they were slow to learn. Despite their knowledge of the Word and time spent in the church, they were still infants in Christ. They were old believers, but not mature believers. They weren't considered mature because they were not able to distinguish good from evil. They were not applying what they knew. They were not living righteous lives. They were not mature in their attitudes and thoughts. They were still acting like new born Christians.

We need to always be moving forward in our Christian life. We need to be growing in righteousness. We must be careful not to be stuck in a rut. We must be content in Christ, but ever pressing on to greater heights in Christ.