BELIEVERS AND DISCIPLES 2

To be born again is to be a believer.  Believing in the Good  News and receiving Christ as your Lord and Saviour makes you a believer. This is foundational. This is the first step all Christians must take but it is rather unfortunate that this is where many stop. Being born again as it implies is to be a newborn spiritual being. The next necessary step is to nurture the newborn with milk and tender care.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2:2 KJV).
If as a newborn spiritual being, you do not have this desire for the milk of the word, there is not much to be desired about your new birth. You may have heard some other messages but not the Gospel!.

“I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles”
(Romans 1:16 GNB)

“For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 GNB)

Some, having tasted milk continue to live on milk when they ought to have moved to solid food. This is yet an anomaly. How will a mother feel when her 4 year old son is still coming to her for breast milk?
“There is much we have to say about this matter, but it is hard to explain to you, because you are so slow to understand. There has been enough time for you to be teachers — yet you still need someone to teach you the first lessons of God's message. Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk. Anyone who has to drink milk is still a child, without any experience in the matter of right and wrong. Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.

Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God;” (Hebrews 5:11‭-‬14; 6:1 GNB)
Remaining a child has its shortcomings which are mainly-Vulnerability-wise and Responsibility-wise.

Children are easily distracted. Spiritual children are easily swayed by every new wave of teachings.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV).

No one commits precious things into the hands of a child. Jesus cannot commit himself unto believers neither will he commit great matters of the Kingdom unto babes.

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, (John 2:23‭-‬24  KJV)