“But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
There are many potential dangers that await a Christian who isn’t familiar with Biblical teachings. This unfortunate reality may explain why the closing verse of Hebrews chapter five emphasizes the importance of maturity in Christ. Much like a talented athlete or musician who sharpens his or her skills through practice and repetition, we can follow that same path in a spiritual sense by reading the Scriptures and applying their teachings each day. This helps promote growth and maturity as we learn to live out Biblical teachings in the events and circumstances of daily life.
The twin emphasis upon “use” (KJV) and “practice” (AMP) from this passage stresses two important elements:
- Knowledge (or the grasp and understanding of Biblical teachings).
- Application (or the act of putting that knowledge into practice in discerning good from evil).
Taken together, these elements recall a well-known verse from the New Testament book of James: “…be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). This has also led one commentator to make the following observation…
“The writer’s point in these verses is not just that spiritual babies lack information, which they do, but that they lack experience. A person becomes a ‘mature’ Christian, not only by gaining information, though that is foundational, but by using that information to make decisions that are in harmony with God’s will.” (1)
In some respects, we can say that good spiritual discernment is not very different from the various types of discernment we exercise in other areas of life. For instance, an experienced sales professional might easily identify the elements of a “sales pitch” that others fail to recognize. A skilled musician may listen to a recording and discern certain aspects of another artist’s talent that may escape the notice of a casual listener. A law enforcement officer may use elements of his or her training to detect when others are being untruthful in various other environments.
The point is that our skills often provide us with valuable insights that benefit us in other areas of life. The same can be said for spiritual maturity as well. As we grow in spiritual discernment and maturation, we should also grow in our ability to identify and “…reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible, and train [ourselves] for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).
(1) Constable, Thomas. DD, Notes on Hebrews 2022 Edition “1. The readers’ condition 5:11-14” [5:14] https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/hebrews/hebrews.htm