3 stages of spiritual growth Childhood stage
Sermon by Ps Rony 2016/04/24
The 1st stage of spiritual growth is the babyhood phase. The characteristics of a baby are as follows:
- Innocence
- Ignorance
- Helplessness
- The Craving For Close Attention And Care
- Being Irritable And Unpredictable
This week, we are dealing with the 2nd stage of spiritual growth i.e. childhood. We will be examining the characteristics of a child and draw spiritual lessons from them.
5 characteristics of a child
1. Easily distracted by anything new
Nothing holds a child's attention for very long. It is not uncommon for a child to be inundated by a toy. He will soon by meddling with other items other than his toys, like electrical items, hand phones, etc.
The same way a natural parent should react, though we may be misunderstood, we still want to protect our child from distractions.
We got to teach the new converts to be truthful. We must be brace enough to tell him not to be attracted by something new, which is biblically wrong. Or the teachings that we do not have to repent. New Christians who had not heard about this will get excited.
We got to train them to be focused. Buy them few good meaningful toys and not full room of toys. Play and discover with them so they can stay focused. Train them to attend church regularly. Teach them to take simple notes that they can refer to.
2. Curious and inquisitive
It is a stage of discovery. He is curious about everything. He wants to see and touch everything.
Like in the Garden of Eden, God instructed Adam and Eve not to touch the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. They had never known any evil things. They were innocent. There are certain things we rather not know. Like high on drugs.
Like we don't have to repent when we do wrong. Stay in the narrow way. But the problem is we only talk about entering the narrow way, we want to stay in the narrow way. God is so gracious and unconditional.
When we know our spiritual child is exposed to toxic teaching, we should guide them and be spiritually true not politically true. We cannot allow them to experiment and experience with something wrong. Just like we don't have to experiment by putting our hand in a frying pan to experience the pain. We run far away from
Something wrong.
3. He is gullible and impressionable
It is a dangerous combination for disaster. How dangerous it is when we gain souls and not look after it. We should teach our children that there is no Santa Claus, just a romantic idea of giving gifts. This is not true and a child believes readily.
On the natural there are some adults who never grow up. Like Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley had never grown up except for musically grown up. They were in trouble.
If we have been handling the genuine words from bible, any words that comes to us which is not in accordance with bible, we will know it straightaway.
There is a habit of trying to hear new things. The gospel is old gospel. There is nothing new but a good old fashion. Like John 3:16. The unshakable truth.
Being impressionable is good. Child is receptive. When we fill our child with scriptures as his moral compass when they are young. It is easily teachable and motivational.
4. He speaks his mind
He does not have a filter. His words are not processed. He does not lie and he does not hide.
We got to correct the child and tell him what he says is wrong. The bible says these are foolish talk.
1 Corinthians 13:11
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
5. Doesn't understand responsibility and commitment
It doesn't come naturally with us. It has to be inculcated else it becomes inhabitable. Many grow up to become undependable.
Peter denied Jesus 3 times although he said to Jesus that he would follow him faithfully. He is without discipline and commitment.
The people who matter don't mind the discipline
And sacrifice
The people who mind don't matter.
It is true in a family, Organization, any community, especially in the body of Christ
There are many passages in the bible that hurts. We should never avoid the passages that people avoid.
Ephesians
Paul wanted them to grow. From henceforth be no more children. He is asking those babies to grow up in Christ. Paul is talking about us growing in faith, put away all differences.
Sermon Note by : Sister Veron
