“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” (1Corinthians 3:1)
Who are the babes in Christ? They are the newly born again. They are not knowledgeable in the things of Jesus because they have not read the Bible or have not read it completely. They have little understanding of spiritual things nor how it was that they have become new. They are the weak in faith. They haven’t learned to speak in faith. Their flesh dominates their actions because they have yet to learn obedience and so they walk in the principles of the world. It can also be said of the person who has been born again for a long time but has not grown in the Lord because they lack the Word of God in their spirit, lack prayer and communion with the Lord and/or lack obedience.
But they are as much a new creation as any born-again child of God, just as forgiven as the most mature in Christ and washed by the blood of Jesus. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Colossians 1:13-14) And although they have little understanding, the Holy Spirit is yet working in them. And those who are more mature are to carefully teach them. Paul in his letter to Titus writes two whole chapters on teaching the less mature.
Those who first come to Christ and are babes in Christ may be young or elderly. Age is no deterrent or determination in being born again. Paul writes: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11) Age, experience, social position or educational level has no bearing on when one comes to the Lord and is born again. We all come as babes. The older one is when one comes to Christ, the more of the world one has to discard. Paul writes the following to Titus: “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women, likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;” (Titus 2:1-3)
Mature women in Christ are to teach the younger women. “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:4-5) And men mature in Christ are to teach the young men. “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” (Titus 2:6-8) One cannot teach one thing and do another thing. It’s hypocrisy which will soon be exposed and condemned.
It is God’s grace, undeserved favor through the working of the Holy Spirit in us that teaches each one of us, babes in Christ and also mature ones in Christ. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)
Paul continues in chapter three of Titus to give him instructions on what to teach the babes in Christ. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.” (Titus 3:1-2) The Bible tells us that all sin is common to man. (1 Corinthians 13:10) We were all practicing sin, but now we walk in righteousness. But we cannot take credit for any righteous living now that we are in Christ. As we teach the babes, not only should be keep this in mind, but also teach that we approach any correction through our love for them and desire to see them mature in Christ because it’s the work of the Holy Spirit in us. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)
There are some mature ones that are still seeking to suckle the milk at the hand of the preachers. But it’s time to not only get off the milk, but to teach the babes in Christ righteous living in example and in the Word of God. Paul’s words exhort us to be teachers. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
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