Growing Into Spiritual Maturity

Text: Hebrews 5:11–14

Introduction

One of the greatest dangers in the modern church is the assumption that spiritual maturity happens automatically with time.

Many people assume that because they have attended church for years, listened to countless sermons, or identified themselves as Christians for a long time, they must be spiritually mature.

But the Bible makes a clear distinction between spiritual age and spiritual maturity.

A person can spend many years around Christianity and still remain spiritually immature.

Hebrews 5 confronts that reality directly. The writer addresses believers who should have been growing steadily in their understanding of God’s truth.

Instead, they had become spiritually dull and stagnant.

They had received enough instruction that they should have been able to help others, yet they still struggled to understand and apply deeper spiritual truth.

This passage is especially important in a study on discernment because discernment does not develop instantly.

It is not simply natural intelligence, personal suspicion, or human intuition.

Discernment is the spiritual ability to distinguish truth from error by applying the Word of God correctly.

According to Hebrews 5, that ability develops through spiritual maturity.

Immature believers are vulnerable believers.

Just as children can be easily deceived because they lack knowledge and experience, spiritually immature Christians are often vulnerable to false teaching, emotional manipulation, and doctrinal confusion because their spiritual senses remain underdeveloped.

That is a serious concern because we live in a time of aggressive deception, moral confusion, doctrinal compromise, and constant spiritual noise.

Hebrews 5 shows us the danger of spiritual immaturity and the path toward spiritual discernment.

Before we even come to Hebrews 5:11, the writer has been explaining the high priesthood of Jesus Christ.

He has shown that Jesus is our great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, who understands our weaknesses, and who gives believers confidence to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:14–16).

He then begins explaining that Christ did not appoint Himself to this position.

He was called by the Father to be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:4–10).

Unlike the priests of the Old Testament, Jesus is the perfect and eternal High Priest.

He offered no sacrifice for His own sins because He had none. Instead, He offered Himself as the final and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of His people.

The writer had much more to say about Christ’s priesthood, but before he could continue, he had to address the spiritual condition of his readers.

The problem was not that the truth about Christ was unclear.

The problem was that they were no longer prepared to receive it.

They had “become dull of hearing.”

In other words, the writer wanted to lead them into a deeper understanding of Christ, but their lack of spiritual growth had made deeper teaching difficult for them to receive.

Hebrews 5:11–14 NKJV

11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY PRODUCES DULLNESS TOWARD TRUTH - Hebrews 5:11

The writer begins with a direct but necessary rebuke.

He explains that there was much more he wanted to teach them about Christ, but they were not ready to receive it because they had “become dull of hearing.”

The problem was not that God’s truth was unclear.

The problem was that the people had become slow to receive it.

The phrase “dull of hearing” describes a condition of spiritual sluggishness.

These believers were no longer listening to God’s Word with the same attentiveness, eagerness, and willingness to respond.

Their spiritual sensitivity had weakened.

Notice that the writer says they had become dull of hearing.

They had not always been that way.

Over time, something had changed.

Their hunger for truth had gradually faded, and they had become less responsive to what God was teaching them.

That is one of the clearest signs of spiritual immaturity.

When believers lose their appetite for biblical truth, they often become satisfied with shallow teaching.

They no longer want to think carefully, study deeply, or be challenged to grow.

That condition is dangerous because spiritual dullness leaves a believer vulnerable.

When Christians stop growing in truth, they become easier to mislead.

The Christian life never stands still. We are either growing toward maturity or drifting toward weakness, which can lead to deception.

Hebrews 2 warns believers about drifting away from the truth. Spiritual drift rarely happens all at once.

It usually begins through small acts of neglect.

Scripture is opened less often.

Prayer becomes inconsistent.

Careful study disappears.

Worldly priorities begin taking the place of spiritual ones.

Eventually, shallow Christianity begins to feel normal.

Over time, the heart becomes less sensitive to truth.

One of the great tragedies of our generation is that many believers are more disciplined in consuming entertainment than they are in pursuing spiritual growth.

Hours are spent taking in news, social media, entertainment, and worldly opinions, while very little time is devoted to serious engagement with Scripture.

We should not be surprised when that produces spiritual weakness.

Discernment cannot grow in a spiritually malnourished life.

A believer who remains shallow will struggle to recognize spiritual danger because spiritual immaturity weakens spiritual perception.

That is why the writer now turns from the problem of dullness to the need for continual growth.

SPIRITUAL MATURITY REQUIRES CONTINUAL GROWTH - Hebrews 5:12

The writer continues:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God.”

The problem was not that these believers still needed to learn.

Every Christian should continue learning throughout life. No believer reaches a point where he has mastered all of Scripture or no longer needs instruction.

The problem was that these believers had stopped progressing.

Enough time had passed that they should have been able to explain the faith, encourage younger believers, and help others grow.

Instead, they needed someone to teach them the same foundational truths all over again.

Their spiritual growth had stalled.

This teaches us that time in and of itself does not produce maturity.

A person can sit in church for many years without growing very much.

Hearing sermons, attending Bible studies, and becoming familiar with Christian language do not automatically make someone spiritually mature.

Spiritual maturity requires nourishment, discipline, obedience, and a consistent response to God’s truth.

The writer compares these believers to infants who still needed milk rather than solid food.

Milk is necessary for a baby.

There is nothing wrong with milk at the beginning of life.

But remaining an infant permanently is unhealthy.

The same is true spiritually.

There are foundational truths every new believer must learn. We must understand the gospel, repentance, faith, salvation, and the basic doctrines of Scripture.

Those truths are essential, and we never leave them behind.

But God intends for us to build upon that foundation and continue growing into deeper understanding and greater maturity.

One of the problems in many churches today is that believers are sometimes kept in a constant state of spiritual infancy.

Teaching remains shallow.

Doctrinal depth is avoided.

Difficult passages are ignored. People are rarely challenged to think carefully, study deeply, and grow toward maturity.

But Scripture repeatedly calls believers to grow.

Second Peter 3:18 says:

2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Paul teaches in Ephesians 4 that God gave pastors and teachers to the church so believers would be equipped and brought to maturity, about to perform every good work.

The goal is that they would no longer be spiritual children, “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”

Ephesians 4:14 NKJV

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

Notice again the connection between maturity and discernment.

Spiritual children/babes are unstable.

Mature believers become grounded.

Immature believers are easily influenced by personalities, emotionalism, popular trends, and persuasive voices.

Mature believers learn to evaluate everything through the truth of Scripture.

That is why doctrine matters so deeply.

Growth happens through truth.

A healthy Christian life requires continual nourishment from the Word of God.

Just as physical maturity cannot happen without food, spiritual maturity cannot happen without a steady intake of Scripture.

Many believers want spiritual strength while neglecting spiritual nourishment.

They want stability during trials, wisdom for difficult decisions, and protection from false teaching.

Yet they rarely read the Bible, meditate upon its truth, or apply it consistently.

We cannot expect spiritual strength while neglecting spiritual food.

Maturity requires intentional growth.

Spiritual growth requires study, prayer, meditation, obedience, humility, and continual submission to the Word of God.

Jesus gives us a helpful picture of this in John 15. He says that He is the vine and that His people are the branches.

A branch does not produce life on its own. It cannot bear fruit by depending upon its own strength. It must remain connected to the vine.

As long as the branch abides in the vine, it receives the nourishment it needs. Life flows through it, fruit develops, and growth continues. But once the branch is separated from the vine, it begins to wither because it has been cut off from the source of life.

The same is true spiritually.

We cannot expect strength, wisdom, or discernment while living at a distance from Christ. We must abide in Him through His Word, prayer, obedience, and daily dependence upon His grace.

Trials, false teaching, emotional pressure, and persuasive voices reveal whether we have been abiding in Christ or simply depending upon ourselves.

We cannot wait until spiritual pressure comes to begin seeking nourishment. Stability is formed beforehand as we remain connected to Christ and allow His Word to shape our minds and lives.

A branch bears fruit not by striving independently, but by abiding faithfully.

In the same way, spiritual maturity grows as we remain in Christ, receive His truth, and walk in obedience to Him.

God does not call His children however to remain spiritual infants. He calls us to grow and mature.

IMMATURE BELIEVERS STRUGGLE TO DISCERN RIGHT FROM WRONG - Hebrews 5:13

The writer explains that the person who remains dependent upon milk is

“unskilled in the word of righteousness.”

That phrase is incredibly important.

He is describing believers who have heard truth but have not learned how to handle it properly.

They may know certain verses, understand some basic doctrines, and be familiar with Christian language, but they have not developed the skill necessary to understand God’s Word carefully and apply it correctly.

There is a difference between knowing what the Bible says and knowing how to use what the Bible says.

There is also a difference between owning a tool and knowing how to use it properly.

Imagine someone trying to drive a nail into a board with a wrench.

A wrench is a useful tool, but it was not designed to function as a hammer. The person may eventually force the nail into the wood, but the process will be awkward and may damage both the nail and the tool.

The problem is not that the wrench is bad.

The problem is that it is being used incorrectly.

The same thing can happen with Scripture. A person may know Bible verses and still use them in the wrong way. He may quote a passage without understanding its context. He may take words written for one purpose and force them to support an idea the passage never intended to teach.

Possessing Scripture is not the same as being skilled in Scripture.

Spiritual maturity means learning to handle God’s Word correctly. It means understanding what a passage says, what it means, how it fits within the rest of Scripture, and how it should be applied.

Paul speaks of this in 2 Timothy 2:15:

2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

That is the picture of a mature believer.

Mature believers does not handle Scripture carelessly or force it to support what he already wants to believe.

He studies humbly, considers the context, and seeks to understand what God has actually said.

The phrase “rightly dividing the word of truth” speaks of accuracy.

It means handling Scripture correctly and faithfully.

The immature believer, however, remains vulnerable because he is still unskilled.

He may hear someone quote several verses and assume the teaching must be biblical.

He may hear a confident speaker and assume confidence proves truth.

He may experience something emotionally powerful and conclude that it must have come from God.

But a message can quote Scripture and still misuse it.

A teacher can sound confident and still be wrong.

An experience can feel spiritual and still contradict God’s Word.

That is why mature believers learn to evaluate their experiences through Scripture rather than interpreting Scripture through their experiences.

Emotions are not wrong. God created us with emotions, and His truth should move us deeply.

But emotions are not the final authority because emotions constantly change.

The immature believer says, “This felt spiritual, so it must be from God.”

The mature believer asks, “Does this agree with Scripture?”

Immature believers accept teaching without examination.

Mature believers test everything by God’s Word.

Immature believers chase what is new and exciting.

Mature believers pursue what is true and faithful.

This does not make mature believers cold, suspicious, or cynical. True maturity produces stability, humility, wisdom, and a deeper love for God.

Mature believers test teaching not because they enjoy finding fault, but because they love the truth and want to honor Christ..

The writer concludes by saying that solid food belongs to the mature, “those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

DISCERNMENT DEVELOPS THROUGH SPIRITUAL EXERCISE - Hebrews 5:14

This verse shows us that discernment develops through practice.

The phrase “by reason of use” speaks of habit, application, and continued growth.

Discernment does not appear instantly.

It develops as believers repeatedly study God’s Word, obey what it teaches, test what they hear, and walk faithfully with Christ.

The word “exercised” comes from the language of athletic training.

Just as an athlete becomes stronger through disciplined practice, believers become more discerning as their minds are trained by Scripture.

An athlete does not become strong by thinking about exercise. He must train his body through repeated use and resistance.

In the same way, spiritual discernment is developed as believers practice obedience in real life.

They apply Scripture to decisions.

They compare teachings with God’s Word.

They receive correction.

They learn through trials.

They grow through experience lived under the authority of Scripture.

The more deeply believers know the truth, the more clearly they recognize error.

A trained musician can hear a wrong note almost immediately because his/her ear has been shaped by repeated exposure to the correct sound.

In the same way, mature believers recognize doctrinal distortion because their minds have been shaped by biblical truth.

Discernment is not suspicion. It is trained spiritual perception. It is not the habit of assuming everything is wrong. It is the ability to recognize what is right because the mind has become familiar with God’s truth.

That is why shallow Christianity cannot prepare believers for spiritually dangerous times.

The church needs mature Christians who can think biblically, recognize deception, remain steady under pressure, and help guide others toward the truth.

Our generation does not simply need more information.

It needs spiritual maturity.

Conclusion

Discernment is not the product of suspicion, personality, or intellectual pride. It is the fruit of spiritual maturity.

Immature believers remain vulnerable because their spiritual senses are underdeveloped.

Mature believers become stable and grounded as their minds are shaped by God’s truth.

That is what the church needs in this age of deception: believers who know Scripture, think carefully, walk humbly, and remain anchored in truth.

We are living in an age of spiritual confusion, and shallow Christianity will not withstand the pressure of deception.

God calls His people to grow—in truth, wisdom, holiness, discernment, and Christlikeness.

So the question is not simply, “How long have I been a Christian?” The question is, “Am I growing?”

Am I more grounded in Scripture than I once was?

Am I becoming more obedient?

Am I better able to recognize truth and error?

Am I becoming more like Christ?

God has given us His Word.

He has given us His Spirit.

He has placed us within His church.

He has provided everything necessary for us to grow.

Let us refuse to remain spiritual infants. Let us grow up into Christ. Let us become believers who are firmly anchored in truth.