WHY SOME FAIL TO GROW Post 2

One of the assumptions behind the complaint of Hebrews 5: 12 is the expectation that normal Christian growth should occur over time: "By this time you ought to be teachers." This statement indicates that it is reasonable to expect a certain measure of growth to take place once we have trusted in Christ. At the same time, it implies that this growth experience is progressive in nature. Spiritual maturity is not attained instantaneously when we experience the new birth. The earliest stage of the believer's spiritual development might be described as a state of normal immaturity.
When an infant comes home from the hospital and begins to cry for its dinner, its parents are not going to make it a peanut butter sandwich or broil it a steak. A hungry infant will be fed on milk or formula because its digestive system is not ready for solid food. When the same child is a little older it will be ready for solid food, but even then its meals will not be as substantial as those it will enjoy later on.
According to the author of Hebrews, those who are in a state of spiritual infancy need "spiritual milk," while those who are spiritually mature require the biblical equivalent to "solid food." ''Anyone who lives on milk," he explains, "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: 13-14). During the stage of spiritual infancy, the new Christian's capacity to understand biblical truth is limited in much the same way that an infant is limited in his or her capacity to digest certain foods. The proper focus during this stage of development is upon the first principles of the Christian faith.
We get an idea of what some of these first principles are from He­brews 6: 1-2. They include teaching about the need to reject sin and turn to God in faith. The writer's list of fundamentals also includes an em­phasis upon the inevitability of resurrection and impending judgment. In addition to these subjects, the writer of Hebrews addresses topics es­pecially suited to the Jewish context of his readers when he mentions teaching about "baptisms and laying on of hands." The term "baptisms" in Hebrews 6:2 probably did not refer to the practice of Christian bap­tism. It is more likely that the author used it to speak of the kind of rit­ual washing that was common in New Testament Judaism.
The practice of laying hands on someone was common both in New Testament Judaism and in Christianity. In Judaism, it was symbolic of consecration or commissioning (Numbers 27:18-19; Deuteronomy 34:9). It was also a symbol of substitution. During the sacrificial ceremony, the Israelite worshiper placed his hand upon the offering to signify that its blood was being offered in his place. (For example, see Leviticus 1: 4; 3:2; 4:4.)
In the New Testament church, the laying on of hands symbolized the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. The apostle Paul urged Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Timothy 1: 6; compare with 1 Timothy 4: 14; Acts 8: 18­19). The early church also placed their hands on those who were being commissioned for special service (Acts 6:6; 13:3). In the case of these He­brew Christians, instruction about the first principles of the faith included teaching that was meant to help them see the difference between the gospel of grace and the works-oriented legalism of their Jewish heritage.