The Danger of Rejection

Few Christians would admit that they ever reject God after Salvation. Yet today’s passage shows not only that such rejection is possible but is possibly the most likely of the dangers present in the church today. Look with me at Hebrews 5:11-14 as we consider the Danger of Rejection.

Hebrews 5:11–14 ESV

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Notice he says we have much to say but its hard to explain because you are dull of hearing or slow to learn. I propose that this is due to a resistance on the part of the hearer. This is not speaking of someone who is incapable of learning as shown by the fact that verse 12 says they should be teachers but rather this is people who refuse to learn. These are the unruly children we see in schools today. The arrogant youth who think they should be paid there parents wages without either the knowledge or experience to earn it. Yet here he speaks of Christians who have failed to grow in their walk with Christ. I suggest his primary target are those who have set in church for years and yet are no closer to being able to disciple others than when they began. This apathy on the part of the Christian then hampers the growth of the church and the ministry of Christ. I propose as well that such apathy is a rejection of all that Christ teaches and embodies and is dangerously close to rejection of the authority and thereby the salvation of Christ himself. Let us then consider 2 dangers of such rejection and the prevention and medication for such rejection.

Stunted Spiritual Growth

Hebrews 5:12–13 ESV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

Again these believers should be teachers yet they need milk - they are babes in Christ.

They are unable even to accept the Solid food of the word. But are having to be bottle fed.

They are called children

These are people who are unready to hear the deep truths of the word unable to comprehend the depths of theological discussions on the Trinity, or why evil happens to good people, and in so doing they restrict their ablity to grow in Christ.

They know less of God and less of his word and thereby are less able to resist temptations as shown by their lack of skill in righteousness. They also are unsure of how to share their faith because they have not grown in their own faith enough to enjoy the meat of the word.

Which one of you would be okay with leaving Rayah alone to care for Noble. Most of us would say that we should not leave Ellie or Journey alone with a baby much less one who is still a baby herself. We dont leave a child to care for a baby because they dont understand enough or know enough to succeed at the task. They will fail from lack of knowledge.

Yet if left alone a child will often doesnt learn the proper things to care for themselves. They gorge on sweets they play instead of study they take unnecessary risks causing self harm. We therefore seek to teach a child and guide them to grow rightly and we expect them to listen and obey.

what happens to a rebellious child

sometimes children refuse to listen

End up in jail drugs gangs alcholics homeless

These results are a consequence of the childs failure to listen and obey their parents

In the same way we face consequences for failing to listen to God

God is trying to teach us about himself ouselves the world and how to live in it and it is up to us to decide to listen and obey so that we might become his faithful disciples rather than rebellious children.

Unskilled in Righteousness

Hebrews 5:13 ESV

for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

You ever wonder why you struggle to do what is right or why you so often do the wrong thing that you swore the day before you would never do again?

There are two issues presented here in verse 13 as to why we struggle so

1st we are unskilled in the word of righteousness

we do not know the bible and what God expects of us therefore we sin in ignorance

2nd

with our limited knowledge of the word also comes a limited knowledge of the provision and care of God and thereby the ability to resist temptation

The Way to Maturity

Hebrews 5:14 ESV

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

In order to eat solid food babies first have to grow big enough to learn to eat mush then soft foods and then they can start to eat meats and crunchy things that require chewing.

At each point along the way we have to ensure they have mastered the current step without difficulty before progressing to the next one. Now we may not always think of it like that but this is why we wait to until certain ages to feed children certain foods, forgoing any complications such as allergies and defects.

Spiritually we have to mature the same. in order to understand the weightier and heaver matters we must first gain spiritual maturity.

What then does spiritual maturity look like?

The writer describes it as one who has discernment able to distinguish good from evil.

Now many of us can answer questions on right and wrong after all lying is wrong adultery, theft, idolatry these are all wrong but then comes the issue of justifiable sin.

Is it okay for a poor man with a dying son to steal medicine so that the child might live.

Some would say yes yet the bible clearly says theft is a sin and therefore wrong. Yes it is wrong that we are more concerned about profits than life and yet a worker is worthy of his wages. So what is right?

These are the kinds of issues that the mature are presented.

Or how do you decide who is telling the truth.

Consider Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28

1 Kings 3:16–28 ESV

Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king. Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’ ” And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

Solomon showed great wisdom and discernment.

So how do we gain such discernment and wisdom

First ask God for it.

Second it is trained by constant practice.

Solomon always had people coming and asking him for advice

Therefore he got lots of practice.

David became a good soldier because he practiced the art of war

Paul was a good speaker and writer because he practiced those skills

Moses was a good leader because he had 40 years of practice

You want to be good at discerning Good and Evil to grow to maturity.

You better start practicing.

Discipline yourself to study his word.

To pray regularly

To speak to others about your faith

To disciple others

To be obedient to his commands

To live as servants of Christ