It’s normal for a two-year old to poop in their diaper, and to stumble and fall while learning to walk...and to throw tantrums and ‘act out’ like little babies. They do that because they are indeed…babies. But can we all agree that if they continue to do this when they are 15 or 16, or older… then something is terribly wrong as we can see serious problems exist?

How many sincere ‘converts’ today in our churches have been falsely led to believe that this is perfectly normal for ‘Christians’ to carry on this way, exhibiting carnal traits like envy and strife and division, you know…like those ‘carnal babes in Christ’ that Paul rebuked in 1 Cor. 3:1-4? Oh, but not to worry…they are still ‘saved’, we remind ourselves. Really now? “Saved” from what? (I’ll come back to that question later). Hopefully, you read yesterday’s post.

Were you aware that Paul points out that people who continue to exhibit those fleshly traits, like strife and envy, to mention just a few, are not only worthy of ‘death’, but they will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 1:29-32). How can we fail to not recognize that God is trying to wake up a sleeping church, stunted in growth, and that time is running out? Go read Romans 13:11-14. How have we missed such clear warnings woven throughout the NT that those who continue to live according to the carnal flesh nature…will ‘die’. (Rom. 8:13) And those who are ‘carnal’ are ‘hostile’ towards God, incapable of submitting to His law and pleasing Him’. (Rom. 8:7-8).

How have passages like Rom. 8:1,4 and Gal. 5:24 escaped our attention telling us that there is indeed ‘condemnation’ to those who walk according to the flesh and not the Spirit, and that those who truly belong to Christ have dealt with, as in put to death’ that carnal nature? Because those who are walking in the Spirit no longer fulfill the lust of the flesh nature (Gal. 5:16) and therefore are no longer ‘under the law’, but grace. (Rom. 5:18; 6:14). But those who continue to walk in the flesh? What do you think is happening and will happen to them, if they don’t repent? (Rom. 8:13)

Can you imagine visiting an isolated community where everyone of all ages, continued to live in diapers, throw tantrums and have fits, while stumbling, crawling, and acting like spoiled toddlers… and everyone just thought this was normal and acceptable behavior.

As I pointed out in yesterday’s post…this idea of growing older in age is no guarantee that one matures into an ‘adult’. The same could be said about our churches today. Just because a person has been a faithful church member for nearly all their life, been a deacon for 15 years, and done many impressive works for God, is no indication that they have ‘matured in Christ’ and are abiding in Him. If they continue to still exhibit ‘deeds of the flesh nature’, something is seriously wrong. (Gal. 5:19-21,24). But if ‘everyone’ is living that way, excusing themselves and each other because ‘Christians are not perfect, just forgiven’, then friends…we have some serious problems. This is not ‘normal Christian’ behavior.

When Paul talked about being a child, but then he ‘grew up, he put away childish things’ (1 Cor. 13:11) those words came on the heels of a deeply convicting message explaining what it looks like to exhibit the love of Christ, which is the true fruit of those who follow Jesus. (1 Cor. 13:1-7; John 13:34-35; 1 John 2:3-5). You cannot read those passages and not come away with the sobering reminder that unless we are perfected in His love, we face a chilling encounter with God in the near future. (Matt. 7:21-23). And for those who seem overly consumed with wanting to be assured with: “But I’m still saved, right?”…do you even know what it is that Jesus came to ‘save’ us from? (John 3:17) You might want to tune in here tomorrow and I will explain further.