2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?
There is one major cause of Christian immaturity and that is worldliness.
Too many are unable to digest the meat of the Word and instead remain on an inadequate diet of milk. Why is this? They have not recognised it is a requirement of their walk with God to live lives that are sufficiently different from the world around them.
So what is worldliness?
Amongst other things, here Paul tells us it is “jealousy and quarrelling”
Do you notice, both of those sins are based in pride and unbelief? Neither allows the work of the Spirit in your life to go beyond human reasoning or carnal desires.
Such a person looks to themselves and their own abilities. They look to others in comparison and superiority / inferiority. They look to the latest ideas and feed their intellect, ready to ‘mind-wrestle’ those around them.
They look to all these things. But not to the Holy Spirit. As a result, there is jealousy and quarrelling, and the power of the Spirit is missing from the worldly person’s life. And sadly, their lives end up resembling everyone elses.
It’s time to put off the worldly, immature ways and become “people who live by the Spirit” (verse 1).
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit. Thank you that I don’t need to compete or strive or prove myself as those in the world, because I know I am accepted 100% as your child. Thank you Lord, I love you, Amen.