Spiritual Runts?
From the 1930’s through the mid1980’s, and perhaps even later, a memorable Charles Atlas magazine ad ran in which a bully kicked sand on the 97-pound weakling. You may remember it. The advertisement directed folks’ attention to a “bodybuilding” plan called Power Isotronics. After participating in the plan, eating right, and after a little time had passed, the former weakling shows up at the beach again and gives the bully a dose of his own medicine. If you are interested, this plan is still available at Amazon for forty-two dollars. This plan is outlined in a paperback book and is designed to enhance your overall health, strength and lifestyle. Per the fly leaf for the book, Charles Atlas has inspired millions of young men around the world to be the best they could be. I wonder how many have bought this book over the years and have not utilized its instruction or principles?
NOW THE POINT – God has provided a Book. It lays out the ONE AND ONLY WAY one can become God’s child, how one is to live life, and how to grow spiritually and be pleasing to Him. Those who access this book of books, the Bible, follow its rightly divided instruction, and abide by the directions God has given, will not suffer “spiritual malnutrition”. Neither will they be spiritual weaklings or “runts”. Was not Timothy told what was necessary for him to be a good minister in 1Timothy 4:6? He was required to “put the brethren in remembrance” of the things the Spirit had Paul write to his young protégé. But how was Timothy able to accomplish this?We clearly see that he had to be “nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine”. But, read on. The very next verse shows that spiritual exercise is also required. And so none would be misled, the Spirit, through Paul informs that bodily exercise that is of little profit in that it only lasts in this life, but “godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”(1Timothy 4:8). A Christian’s primary goal should be to prepare for what is after this life.
Consider the first six verses of James chapter five. The rich of this world, (who base their prosperity on the world’s standard), are warned of the misery that shall come upon them. Keep in mind that this, and all other epistles were written either to Christians or congregations of the Lord’s church. Therefore, these were “children of God” who were informed that their ill-gotten wealth was corrupted, their “gold and silver cankered”, and these things would testify against them. It is evident to me that these folks had allowed themselves to be improperly nourished as is stated in verse five. – “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” They had allowed themselves to become spiritual runts because they had not sought the right “food and exercise”, and had not grown properly spiritually.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE? – Just as in the case of physical health, one must commit themselves to eating right, exercise, adequate rest, and avoidance of stress. The same formula applies to our “inner man”. Ephesians 5:29 reminds us that we don’t hate our own flesh, but rather “nourisheth and cherisheth it”. Is not our inner man (soul) more important than our outer man? The spiritual nourishment that promotes growth is supplied by God’s Word. This is certain from passages like1Peter 3:18, where those brethren (and we) are told to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ”. According to Hebrews 5:14, those who are diligent in their effort to learn and become able to digest the meat of the Word, are those, “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” As for rest, in Hebrews 4:3, the Jews that had been converted were assured, “For we which have believed do enter into rest ”. (The “have believed”, per Mark 16:16 includes being baptized into Christ and remaining faithful). And, what could be less stressful than knowing you are doing as God directs in His Word?
Why do ‘God’s people’ sometimes become spiritual runts? That is a problem that the church has faced since not long after its establishment. As can be seen from Acts 2:41-46, those that gladly received the Word were baptized into Christ, and were ‘spiritually born’. They “continued daily in the apostles doctrine” (that which the Holy Spirit gave them to teach). They “continued daily with one accord in the temple” (were of the same mind – learning and following the same thing). In Acts 17:11, those of Berea were commended, in that they “searched the Scriptures daily” to see if the things being taught were so. In short, much of the early church was spiritually nourished (through the Word), and exercised themselves to godliness (again, through the Word), and were rewarded by having the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” to those who allowed themselves to be chastised (once again, through the Word) - (Hebrews 12:11)
Contrast these above with those brethren, such as the church of Laodicea, who had become lackadaisical (Revelation 3:14-17), and the church in Ephesus who “left their first love” – (Revelation 2:4-5). They like many Christians today, fail to read, study, meditate on, and live the rightly divided Word of God and are become “spiritual runts”. One who is a spiritual runt, has not grown and cannot faithfully serve God. I wonder how many Christians have God’s Book and fail to follow its instruction and principles? No wonder there are spiritual runts. Are You one? Think about it!
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
