Babes in Christ 1 Pet 2: 2 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Babes in Christ may be babes because they have only recently been saved.  Yet, they could be babes because they are carnal.  That is, they live their life in Christ in the flesh instead of in the Spirit.

From the Bible, we learn this about babes:

Babes need milk – 1 Pet 2:2 – the milk of the word.  This is how they grow.  Don’t get them into heavy doctrine [which is where they want to go].  Nourish them in milk.

Babes need basic doctrine – Heb 5:12-13 – the first principles of the oracles of God.  This is accomplished through good preaching, Sunday school and discipleship.  Now a babe who has been saved long enough that he should be a teacher is a malnourished or sick child, indeed.

Teachable babes are better than conceited scholars – Lk 10:21 – so, don’t stress over not having a bunch of mature Christians to train.  Some of these guys who have studied a while are conceited and you can’t teach them.  They think they already know more than you do.

Now, if a babe doesn’t grow after he is saved then he is going to be in trouble because:

Babes are easily deceived by false doctrine – Eph 4:14 – right after salvation is their most vulnerable time.  Someone will be there to pick them off.  So, the doctrine must get them rooted and grounded in the faith.  And you must make them aware of the kinds of doctrines that are being used to throw them off.

Babes are not spiritual – 1 Cor 3:1 – you can’t speak to them as spiritual.  They still can’t handle meat [1 Cor 3:2].  You have to go back and deal with their milk and with their basic doctrine.  They are carnal, which is evidenced by their envying, strife and divisions [1 Cor 3:3].  They are following men instead of the Lord.

Babes have little understanding – 1 Cor 14:20 – they are spiritually immature.  They may be well gifted like the Corinthians were [1 Cor 1:5-7].  But they are still babes.

Conclusion: if you are a babe in Christ, read the word and get under some really good preaching and teaching.  If you should be mature, but you are still a babe, admit it.  You’re carnal.  And then go back and get the basics down.  Learn how to live as a Christian.  If you have a new convert, start him off on milk and basic good doctrine. Don’t choke him with meat, though you may really prefer to teach meat.  If you are dealing with a carnal Christian, remember that you can’t talk to him the same way you would a mature Christian.  You have to go back over the basics.  That’s all he can handle though he will talk like he can handle meat.