Stephen Arters - The Danger of Immature Faith - August 24, 2008

The author of Hebrews doesn't mince words when it comes to the dangers of immaturity or falling away from Christ. And though we may find his message uncomfortable, let God's word challenge you to mature and endure.

Time for some comments and discussion

Submitted by arters on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 13:55.

This passage has been hotly debated for centuries, and while I am not encouraging a hot debate, I would like to interact with questions you may have about the way I presented the passage. Also for some additional reading, here are some blog entries from one of my TEDS professors:

Lectures at Trinity

The consequences in the warning passages

The exhoratations in the warning passages

The sin in the warning passages

The audience in the warning passages

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

the Danger of immature Faith

Submitted by Birger on Sun, 09/14/2008 - 23:44.

Some Thoughts on the sermon
The Danger of Immature Faith. August 24. By Pastor Arters.
 
It was a joy to be back home visiting my church family at Dix Hills. It felt as if we never left..
 
On my way in to the sanctuary, I meet a member that was departing from the first service, His comments to me was,” Today’s sermon was especially good”, And after hearing you preach, I agree wholeheartedly with him.
 
Now for some comments .
nteresting title, I wonder if the danger applies only to the immature? Even Paul voiced concerns that he be found in Christ. (Philippians 3: 8-10) It appeared to me that you made excuses for Teaching that scripture in Hebrews, as if you were concerned of offending someone. Whom ?
I love the saying: The making of a saint is the task of a lifetime.
 
I really appreciated the links you posted here by Scot McKnight. It was like a “breeze of fresh air in a stale room”. His “post Calvinist” comments are needed in our churches. There are other comments in these pages of Scot McKnight worth reading.

Spiritual Maturity is not about Age

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 09/17/2008 - 19:06.

It was great to see you as well.

I think that there are really two challenges that are present in the verse, a first is the call to maturity, and the second is to avoid apostasy. I don't think you will have to worry about the second if you are working on the first. One of the qualities of immaturity is the inability to distinguish right from wrong, the helpful from the harmful. It is that person, REGARDLESS OF AGE OR TIME BEING A CHRISTIAN, who is susceptible to turning from the faith. Though a few who have a mature Christian perspective will have a crisis of faith and reject Christ, it is more likely those that Jesus mentions in Matthew 13:20-22:

    20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Paul's words in 8-10 are sandwiched by much more confident language 1:20, 3:16, 3:20-21. So i think he is not so much concerned about apostasy for himself as he is being viewed by others to having confidence in the flesh...in his works.

Lastly, as to the "excuse", I wasn't apologizing for teaching the passage (since in the series, I don't need to apologize for passages that come next) nor for my take on it, but rather setting up for people that they might be offended by what it says. As the scriptures sometimes leave us feeling uncomfortable, I was preparing people to hear what the text was saying. In addition, there are four popular readings of the passage, and for those who disagreed, I was really inviting interaction...of which I hope to get more.

Spiritual Maturity is not about Age

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/18/2008 - 21:43.

I agree,That is not what I meant by that saying.

simply that we are to live in a living relationship
with our Saviour,until he calls us home.

thus,"The making of a Saint,is a task of a lifetime"
If we let Him do His work as He desires,in our lives,
there is always more to learn. (IMHO)