babes – Ministry of Grace Church

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

Truth to Learn

Some Christians don’t grow in their relationship with Christ.

Behind the Words

The word “could” is translated from a form of dunamis, meaning “to be able” or “to have power or authority.”

“Speak” is from laleō, which refers to the use of words in speech or writing. It is a reference to the ability to communicate rather than the quality of it.

“Spiritual” is translated from pneumatikos. It describes those who exist in the spiritual realm, as opposed to the physical realm. It refers to those who communicate with the God of creation. Therefore, pneumatikos describes those who have a spiritual relationship with God.

Sarkinos is the Greek word translated “carnal.” It is based on the word sarx, which refers to the flesh of a living creature. Thus, sarkinos refers to those who live in the realm of the flesh as opposed to those who live in the realm of the spirit.

The word “babes” is from the Greek nēpios, which is made up of nē, meaning “not” and a form of epō, meaning “to speak.” Hence, nēpios literally means “non-speaking.” It is equivalent to the Latin infans (an infant). So, we see that nēpios refers to someone who is like an infant who hasn’t yet learned to speak.

Meaning Explained

In the previous chapter, the Apostle Paul compared the “natural man” to “the spiritual man.” The natural man is one who does not have God’s Spirit (a non-Christian). As a result, he (or she) lives under the influence of the sin nature, rather than the influence of the Spirit of God.

In today’s verse Paul introduces a third type of person, “the carnal man.” This person is barely distinguishable from the natural man because both the natural man and the carnal man are controlled by the flesh (human nature). A carnal Christian is in a most unhappy condition. He or she has been given the Holy Spirit of God as a guide, but does not communicate with the Spirit or, at best, ignores what the Spirit says.

A carnal Christian is further described by Paul as an infant in Christ. Let me point out that there is nothing wrong with being an infant in Christ – if you have recently been “born again.” Every Christian starts out as an infant in Christ. Here Paul is referring to Christians who haven’t grown in their Christian life. For whatever reason, they have decided to remain a baby and not grow in their relationship with God.

Unfortunately, we see this kind of Christians all around us. These “Sunday morning Christians” come to church wearing their Sunday-morning-go-to-church clothes, they sing the songs, they sit patiently (sometimes) while the preacher gives his message, then they walk out and live like the devil the rest of the week. Christianity is easy for them. They don’t have to put any work into it and they typically don’t suffer from spiritual attacks. Our enemy doesn’t have to attack them because they are infants who don’t pose any threats.

Application

Christianity may seem easy to the carnal Christian, but he or she is missing out on the rich blessings of a close personal relationship with the God of creation. Where are you today, my friend? Are you still a baby Christian, or are you growing?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 2:20

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.

Truth to Learn

We have the truth and we are to freely give it away.

Behind the Words

The word translated “instructor” is the Greek word paideutēs, which is the verb form of paidagogos, from which we get our English word “pedagogue” meaning “an instructor.”

“Foolish” is translated from the Greek word aphronos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and a form of phrēn, which metaphorically refers to “the mind” or “intellect.” Hence, aphronos means “someone without intelligence.”

The word translated “babes” is the Greek word nēpios, which literally means, “someone without words” or “someone who can’t speak.” In Biblical Greek it refers to “a baby.”

“Form” is a translation of morphōsis, which means “an appearance or an impression.” Today, when we see a computer simulation of an image changing gradually into another we say that one image has been “morphed” into the other. The appearance of the first has been changed into the appearance of the other.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing the arrogance of the Jewish Christians who believed themselves to be justified in that arrogance since they were Jews, descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; since they had the Law, the Holy Scriptures; and since they could know the will of God and could distinguish the good from the bad through the instruction they had from the Law. Because of all these things, they believed themselves to be spiritual guides to the blind Gentiles, and they believed themselves to have the light of the truth for the world.

In today’s verse Paul is saying that the Jewish Christians in Rome also believed themselves to be instructors and teachers of the unintelligent and the immature. Several verses back Paul said that the Jewish Christians in Rome were arrogant, and he implied that he was going to deal with that pride. Paul is now setting them up for a rude awakening. You see, any devout Jew or Jewish Christian would be nodding in agreement with Paul in these verses because they knew what Paul has been saying is the truth.

Paul now starts to turn the tables on them. In the last part of today’s verse he says that they “have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law.” It would be clear to Paul’s readers that he was not saying that they possessed knowledge and truth from the Law but that they simply appeared to have them, while in reality they didn’t have them at all.

In the next verse Paul will begin to do a little toe stompin’ as he points out the problem with this Jewish arrogance.

Application

As we have said before, there is no place for arrogance among Christians. We are servants of His Majesty, the King of Kings. Our responsibility is to humbly proclaim His truth to the world. He has entrusted His truth to us, and we are not to hoard it but to freely give it away.

How much of His truth have you given away lately?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: babes

1 Corinthians 3:1 – Eternal Babies

Truth to Learn

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

Application

Romans 2:20 – Giving Truth Away