Accountability

Have you ever stopped and thought about how many of the things we do in life are governed by our age? We can’t start school until we reach a certain age. Our independence comes in stages, based on our age. Many parents set age milestones for when a child can go certain places and do certain things. The state says that we can’t get our driver’s license until we reach a certain age. The right to vote is tied to our age. These chronological milestones continue until we are able to claim the “senior citizen” discounts because we have reached the right age. When we are young, we want to appear older and when we are old, we want to appear younger.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 

Hebrews 5:11-14

This passage tells us that, in God’s plan for humanity, age does not equate with maturity. In the previous verses he has been describing the calling of Jesus to be the High Priest for all who accept Him as Lord and Savior. It was important for God’s chosen people to understand the fact that there was no longer a need for a human intercessor between God and man because Jesus was now seated at the right hand of God as our representative in the Most Holy Place. As this passage begins, the writer says that there is much more to this lesson that the people need to learn, but they are not ready. They continue to require the training in the basics of the Christian walk because they have not matured as Christ-followers.

For most of us, it is easy to understand the example used here. We have seen the physical maturation of a newborn. Early on, babies cannot tolerate anything other than milk because their digestive systems have not progressed to the point of handling solid food. They have to be trained by progressing from liquid to semi solid to solid food as their systems are able to handle it. At first, they may resist the taste and texture of the new diet, but, in time they will learn to appreciate the change. New Christians must go through the same type of process. At first, they must be fed, but as they mature, they learn to dig deeper into the Word and allow the Spirit to teach them. As this babe in Christ matures, the student becomes a teacher.

There are no physical limitations to how long it takes for a believer to go from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word. You don’t have to reach a certain age before God can begin to take you into the solid food that is the Scripture. Spiritual maturity is a function of our obedience. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given everything we need to live the life that God desires. The Holy Spirit will teach us the difference between right and wrong. As we grow, we find that things we did as babes in Christ need to be eliminated from our lives. This is a sign of spiritual growth.

The last verse of this passage contains the key indicator to our maturity. The writer tells us that those who are growing in Christ have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong. We are able to feel the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives – but that is not enough. Maturity is the ability to act on the knowledge that God has given us. The Bible tells us that even the demons know who Jesus is, but they are doomed because they do not act on that knowledge. With maturity comes accountability. We will be held accountable for the way we deal with the knowledge God gives us.

We serve an awesome God!!!!!

Be not wise in your own eyes;
   fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:7