Baby Christian vs. Mature Christian: Grow Your Christian Faith Series (Part 2)

Text: 1 Peter 2:7, 1 Tim 2: 4

Who is a Baby Christian?

According to 1 Peter 2:7, a baby Christian is a believer who has just been saved or is still being fed by other believers. In other words, this believer, like a child, understands salvation, baptism, and other basic introductory knowledge of God’s kingdom but has not yet developed a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit. 

The truth is, growth and maturity in Christianity are directly proportional to intimacy with the Holy Spirit. The more you grow in intimacy with the Holy Spirit, the more you mature. Many believers rely solely on the teachings they receive from their priests and pastors in church for spiritual growth. While these teachings are important, they are insufficient for true growth. This is why some believers remain in a baby Christian state, even after being saved for five years or more. Ironically, some even take pride in this. 

To grow and leave the baby Christian stage, you need to consistently study the Bible, pray, and fast without being told to do so by your pastor or your church. It is through these activities that the Holy Spirit begins to speak personally to believers. Any believer who has encountered the Holy Spirit during quiet time will find it difficult to denounce Christianity. Baby Christians, however, are often easily swayed. Let’s examine the attributes of baby Christians.

Characteristics of a Baby Christian:

These are a few characteristics of baby Christians. Please note that this is not to condemn but to encourage a deeper relationship with God.

- A believer who jumps from one church to another.

- A believer who performs religious rituals (whether good or bad) without understanding their significance.

- A believer who takes relationships with pastors or prophets more seriously than their relationship with God.

- A believer who does not believe in the rapture or end-time signs.

- A believer who thinks their church or denomination is righteous while condemning everyone else.

- A believer who argues about doctrine or theology.

- A believer who believes other religions are serving the same God as ours.

- A believer who thinks donations or church attendance can earn them righteousness.

- A believer who is quick to blame priests, pastors, or prophets without first hearing from God personally.

- A believer with an untamed tongue.

This list is not exhaustive, but if you recognize any of these traits in yourself, please read our article on how to grow your faith. [Link here.]

Who is a Mature Christian?

A mature Christian is someone who has a serious, personal, and functional relationship with God. He or she has dedicated themselves to consecration. While they are not perfect or immune to mistakes, they have a deeper understanding of God’s plans because of their consecration. Maturity in Christ is not an endpoint but a continuous journey where God consistently reveals His nature and plans to these individuals. Mature Christians often know their gifts and callings within the body of Christ.

Characteristics of a Mature Christian:

- A believer who is compassionate toward baby Christians.

- A believer who knows their calling or assignment in the body of Christ.

- A believer who is committed to consistent prayer and fasting.

- A believer who is humble, correcting others without condemnation, with the goal of bringing people closer to God.

- A believer whose faith is strong due to their personal encounters with God.

- A believer whose actions are guided by Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

- A believer whose tongue is tamed, knowing when and how to respond or engage in conversations.

What is the Goal of every believer? 

To Remain a Baby or to Mature?

Our goal after being saved is to grow into maturity. A according to 1 Timothy 2 vs 3 - 4, God wants every man to first be saved, second be ushered into truth. The word truth will be unraveled in the place of consecration. Remaining a baby Christian forever is a sin because "to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

I urge you to make up your mind to serve God beyond logic. The things of God are spirit and life, but you need to tune in to God’s frequency to tap into them. You need to step away from the zone of philosophy and logic and embrace Christianity with faith. Remember, "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Prayer is the food of the spirit, just as the five classes of food nourish your body. A day without prayer is spiritual malnutrition. That’s why Paul urges us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is no overfeeding in the spirit—pray as much as you can, as long as you have breath.

Other bible verses to study

Ephesians 4:11-15

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 

Hebrews 5:12-14

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 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. 

Luke 8:14-15

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. 

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 

Philippians 3:15

Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.