Why are so many churches dying? Hebrews 5:11- 6:13
The strength of churches depends on the doctrines they hold. A superficial response to experiences on offer will only sustain people for a short while. However when people are deeply convinced who Jesus is and why he is worth serving wholeheartedly, everything changes. This is learned from the example of the leaders, from the teaching they are given but essentially from a determination to grow spiritually.
The writer of the book to the Hebrews has just started to talk about the significance of Melchizedek, the king of Salem who Abraham served and he will return to this subject in chapter 7. At this point he takes a detour as if he is concerned that his readers are not mature enough for what he wants to say. So he addresses:
1. the problem of spiritual infancy
2. the pathway to spiritual maturity
3. the peril of spiritual apostasy
These issues are very relevant to twenty-first century Christians.
1. Spiritual Infancy Hebrews 5:11-14
The writer is quite blunt with his readers:
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 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.” Hebrews 5:11
Spiritual infancy is here associated with a lack of understanding. These elementary truths are basic Biblical truths that Christians must build their lives on. The wise man builds his house upon the rock and Jesus defined what that means:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24
Spiritual infants fail to do this. They are like babies who are being bottle or spoon fed. They don’t feed themselves, they have not learnt to do so. Such babies are dependant on others to keep them going. The aim however of a good parent is to help the infant to mature so that it can feed itself and become strong. Here Jesus expects his people both to hear what he teaches and then obey his wishes.
The writer equates spiritual maturity with an ability and longing to teach others the faith.
The word used in the Greek for ‘slow to learn’ is also used later in the book of Hebrews where it is translated ‘lazy’,
“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12
This same word has been used to describe the numbed limbs of a sick lion that cannot stand as king of the jungle. In contrast God has chosen his people to obey what he teaches and to pass on the message about the Lord Jesus to others.
All teachers know that some students are quicker to learn than others. Then the wise teacher must be patient. However this is not the problem here, the Christians couldn’t care less about being effective for Christ, they are just happy that they have orthodox beliefs and they think that that will save them. Many become professional listeners. They come to church intermittently but too often that is all they do. They have ‘faith’ and that is all that they think matters.
“I’m OK!” they think to themselves.
Yet behind the facade is a spiritual listlessness and God’s truth seems to make little practical impact to distinguish them from their non-Christian colleagues. When they first became Christians they were motivated but now they ‘know that stuff’.
The reality is that those who love Jesus will be stirred by hearing his words and acting on them, just as a fiancee will long to read her fiance’s letters and respond to what he says.
This section in the book of Hebrews is hard hitting:
““We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 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. Any who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:11-14
The writer is warning Christians that what your spiritual diet will influence what you can achieve. Babies cannot teach and they cannot distinguish what is right from what is wrong, what God wants from what he doesn’t want. God wants us all to grow into mature useful Christians and not to remain spiritual infants. This demands that maturing Christians are fed, not just on basic Christian doctrines that make us feel good but on why we have been chosen to be God’s people.
An important emphasis in the book of Hebrews is the necessity of being taught what the Bible teaches. How many churches have ten minute sermons in which the minister shares a few ideas of his own to encourage his listeners. In contrast the writer says,
“ . . . you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.” Hebrews 5:12
The fact is that laziness leads to spiritual apathy. Such people cannot pass on the gospel to others because they don’y really understand it themselves. The Christian life is not meant to be like the audience at a game of football, getting excited at what the players do on the pitch. We are all meant to be the players and that requires training and practice if we are to be any use.
In his commentary John Brown writes,
“By their indolence, the neglect of proper nourishment, they have spoiled their spiritual appetite, they have spoiled the power of digestion and brought themselves to a state of second childhood.”
Babies are fed simple readily digestible milk or predigested foods. What does a wise parent do when her baby is reticent to eat and is picking at their food. What does she do when her youngster only wants to eat corn flakes and toast? What should be done when anorexia is becoming obvious. Urgent treatment is necessary. At first it may be by using games, pretending that the food on the spoon is a car or train entering a tunnel but something has to be done to prevent the child growing up as a weakling or at worse dying.
Being a Christian is certainly not just a passive acceptance of comfortable doctrines. Jesus said,
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness . . .” Matthew 7:33
Getting to grips wit all God teaches us in his word is meant to be the means by which we learn to lead productive Christian lives. Human babies rapidly grow up when given a good diet but even then they need training if they are to be useful citizens. So it is with new Christians. Those responsible for their care must ensure their Biblical diet is broad and that they are seeking to become the righteousness of God and all that that means.
Our attainments as Christians will be heavily influenced both by our Biblical diet and by those we spend time with. If we keep in the company of those who, by their love and good deeds are living to glorify the Lord Jesus we will progress. But if we only hang around with those who are spiritually lazy we will develop similar bad habits. If you close friends are justas immature as you you won’t feel so bad – that is until to start to mix with those who are ‘O and O’ for Christ.(1)
We do need to keep asking ourselves,
1. Are I reading my Bible and praying daily?
2. Are I supporting others at the weekly Bible Study group?
3. Is meeting up with the other Christians on the Lord’s day as my priority?
4. Is the church prayer meeting an important priority for me?
5. Am I regularly inviting others to come and hear God’s word being taught and to meet Christians?
6. Am I recognised as being a wise keen Christian who wants above everything else to glorify my Saviour?
2. Pathway to Spiritual Maturity Hebrews 6:1-3
A Christian who never grows up is a tragedy. A mature Christian is someone who can teach others and lead them to Christ and then maturity in him. Is this my deep longing or isn’t the glory of Christ in his world a real concern? God certainly wants us all to grow up spiritually – we must progress. The writer continues,
“Therefore let us leave the spiritual teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundations . . .” Hebrews 6:1
The writer then lists six foundational Christian doctrines that underly the Christian message. These are:
1. Repentance – the change of mind that causes a person to turn from sin and reliance on religious rituals and commit their lives to living for the Lord Jesus..
2. Faith in God – relying on the salvation that Jesus won for us on the cross.
3. Instruction about baptisms – that our sins have been washed away and that we rose to live a new life.
4. The laying on of hands – the commissioning to be productive for Christ.
5. Resurrection of the dead – the certain future of those who truly belong to Christ.
6. Eternal judgment – The destiny of those who reject God’s saving grace and persist in living without God.
These wonderful foundational truths are not to be moved on from, they are vital to keep being reminded of, just as the foundation of a house is vital for the stability of a building. Churches are at risk of camping on one of two extremes. There are now many churches that fail to emphasise the truths of what God has done for us and in practice teach a modern form of Pelagianism where it is our good works that make us acceptable to God! Such churches are not Christian!
At the opposite pole, just repeating these truths is not enough. Every church does need to be built on these truths but Christians then need to go out into the world to help win and build up the people in Christ. These truths are foundational but not to be ‘the be all and end of’ of a churches meaning. How many churches are satisfied if Christians only to have friends within the church? How many churches have died and are dying because they seem to think that repeatedly reminding the same people of Christian doctrines in their services is enough. If that is all we do suchchurches will become smaller and older and then die. We must build on these truths and not just sit there admiring them!
What should all Christians do in response? The writer has no doubt how we become mature Christians,
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:14
Instead of apathy and laziness, Christians must be diligent. But ‘constant use’ of what?
Scripture
It could mean the constant use of Scripture. In this book we read,
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard so that we do not drift away. . . This salvation which was first announced by the Lord was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” Hebrews 2:1,3
“For the word of God is living and active.” Hebrews 4:12
“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.” Hebrews 13:7
Leaders who inspire their churches are essential. Churches with weak leaders rarely grow and make much impact on their society. Obviously the early church meetings were primarily to teach people the Word of God. Knowledge of Scripture was highly prized by the Jews and by the Christians. Paul, in his final letter, urged Timothy,
“Preach the Word . . .For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2-3
If God speaks to us through his word, to neglect this is tantamount to neglecting God.
Fellowship
The necessity of regularly meeting up with other Christians is emphasised in this book,
“But encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Clearly the meeting is not just to learn from Scripture but to encourage the other Christians. Just being there helps do this but obviously there is much more we can do to help others.
Evangelism
Although not specifically emphasised in this book it was an essential feature of the early church. They were persecuted because they insisted that faith in Jesus was essential for eternal salvation. The churches grew so fast because so many Christians understood that the Great Commission of Christ referred to them.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . .” Matthew 28:19
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Perseverance under persecution
It was because they insisted that there was no other name by which all people can be saved that they were persecuted. Silent Christians seldom suffer for their faith. This was a major problem facing these early Christians and is a repeated theme of this letter. To be saved requires remaining in Christ as salvation is only to be found in him so to give up on Christ means forfeiting eternal life with God.
The writer is reminding his readers that the way to spiritual maturity is to use all the means of grace available and keep on using them. There is a direct correlation between commitment to living actively for Christ and our growth in Christ.
Just as it is possible to be a member of a gym with lots of fitness equipment and yet not regularly use them and so get fit and it is possible to have the smartest and most modern bicycle and not use it, so Christians may be guilty of not using the means of grace that are so important for their spiritual fitness. ‘Constant use’ of these means is key to being a vibrant Christian:
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:14
The ability to touch-type fast or play the piano only comes from constant practice. So the ability to be effective for Christ only comes through hard work. There are no short cuts to spirituality. Perhaps this is the danger of doctrines such as the Toronto blessing that suggested there were short cuts. Time has shown how wrong such doctrines are. We have ‘to train ourselves’ in godliness. Paul emphasised this when he wrote to Timothy as he was leading the young church in Ephesus:
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” 1 Timothy 4:7-8
How many Christians emphasise physical fitness or getting their golf handicap down over training in godliness.
Stuart Briscoe was a Christian teacher who was asked a simple question by one of his church members,
“Excuse me pastor, could you tell me where such and such a verse is in the Bible?”
“No.” came the blunt reply.
“Pardon?”
Stuart then explained his response,
“I could help you , but I wont because you will find it far more helpful if you discover the answer for yourself using a concordance. Then you may be able to help someone else!”
Church leaders have a great responsibility to train others around them to work hard for Christ.
“It was he (Jesus Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastor and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11
Oh that all Christians should recognise the need both to train themselves and to encourage others to train themselves!
It is only by constant reminders and constant use that we will mature into being the sort of people the Lord Jesus can use. At the end of his life, the apostle Paul could look back and realise that where he had got to in his spiritual life was a result of constant learning:
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11
What a great lesson this is, to learn that God is in control of everything that happens to us, that he is God and wants us simply to ‘trust and obey’. Complaining about our lot comes naturally but this is a mark of a lack of godliness. The Victorian preacher C.H Spurgeon once said,
“We, like Paul, need to enrol in the college of contentment.”
Hard Work
Anyone who cares for a garden knows that weeds tend to grow up readily without any bother whereas the plants you want need sowing, planting out and pruning. So it is in the Christian life, we need to keep weeding and at the same time caring for what will be beautiful.
Alan Redpath was yet another Englishman who pastored a church in the United States. He made the following telling comment about what church membership meant to people:
“5% don’t exist,
“10% can’t be found,
“25% never attend,
“50% attend just once on a Sunday, (this is possibly a high figure!)
“75% are no involved in small groups,
“90% have no family devotions,
“95% have never led someone to faith in Jesus Christ.”
What is going on? It is as if the majority are sitting around in nappies waiting for someone to spoon-feed us to the next level of spiritual maturity. But there are no short cuts, the only way to get spiritually fit is to train myself spiritually. We must be committed to the road the Lord Jesus has set us on.
3. Peril of Spiritual Apostacy Hebrews 6:4-6
Those who deliberately turn their backs on the Lord Jesus and the means of grace he has given us are in great peril. The writer of Hebrews continues,
“It is impossible for those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because, to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6
How can we ensure that this dreadful fate doesn’t come upon us or our friends and family? By constantly using the means of grace our Lord has provided for us. There are countless opportunities to learn from him and the best way to learn anything is to teach what we have learnt to others, whether they be Christians or non-Christians. Our writer makes this same point,
“Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it produces a crop useful to those who for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.” Hebrews 6:7-8
Churches are dying because Christians are not imbibing the teaching of God given in his word, we are at risk of not constantly using our gifts for his glory.
A patient of mine was the church warden of a local village church. After the medical consultation was over I asked her how the church was going.
“It is difficult, we are getting smaller and older.”
“Oh dear, tell me, do church members talk about the Lord Jesus with others in the village?”
“Good gracious me , no! We don’t even talk about him amongst ourselves!”
“Doesn’t that mean that the church is likely to die out?”
If every Christian is not using their gifts sacrificially to share the news about the salvation the Lord Jesus has won for us, the churches will inevitably become smaller and smaller. We must pray together that none of this happens, both for the sake of our own destiny and especially for the reputation of our Lord.
BVP
June 2021
A phrase used by the great American evangelist D.L.Moody for people who are ‘Out and Out’ for Christ.
