A benchmark is a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed. It is a gauge to measure by. It is a measurement from one point of our lives to another. When we determine, we are going to live a healthy lifestyle, we see where we are in our weight, exercise, sleeping habits, etc., and over time we use these as the beginning or benchmark to assess our progress or the lack thereof. When we become Christians our benchmark is our spiritual birthdate. We may be brought up in a Christian home therefore when we receive Christ, we already have some biblical knowledge. Because of that background, our benchmark is different from someone who comes from a family that worships idols or has no religious affiliation. No matter what our benchmark is when we receive Christ, He expects us to grow in knowledge and in actions as a believer. From the moment we are saved from our sins God is standing ready to conform us to the image of His dear Son. In Romans 8:28-29, Paul teaches us that for those who are saved God has determined to conform us to the image of His Son. We are to be holy because in Colossians 1:15 Jesus is the image of the invisible God and God is Holy. In holiness, we find everything about Jesus pure. His love is pure and undefiled, His words and His actions portray the purity of holiness. This is our standard and where we start is our benchmark.
Romans 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
These are high and lofty goals for life, but God never asks us to do something that He will not empower us to do. That would be a cruel God and God is the opposite of cruel. In Hebrews, the writer is revealing to the Hebrews their lack of growth. He tells them in Hebrews 5:11 they are “dull of hearing.” The Greek word for dull is nōthroi tais akoais. It means to be lazy, slow, or sluggish. This reminds me of the slugs that attack my flowers. They are slow therefore they can stay on a plant for a long time, and you don’t notice much damage at first until one day you look, and they have killed the flower. Because they don’t move fast, they are continually destroying my garden. They are sometimes hard to identify and because they move more at night, they can do a lot of damage. While I am sleeping, they are destroying. This is the way it is with Christians who are dull of hearing, they can destroy a church while outwardly they appear to do little to nothing. Many times, it is the “nothing” that people do that destroys the church and the testimony of Christ to a lost world.
Hebrews 5:11 “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”
God’s plan when He saved us was for us to exhibit to a lost world who He is, and how much He wants to save them also. We are supposed to grow from being students to being able to teach others. The Christians the writer was speaking to had been so lazy now they surpassed their original benchmark. They were worse than before. They were like babies that had never progressed from drinking milk to eating meat. This is a very dangerous stage to be in. Think about it, if a baby never develops enough to eat food other than milk, they will eventually wither and die. There will not be nutrients sufficient to sustain life, much less grow to maturity.
Hebrews 5:12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
These Christians had been professing to those around them that they were now followers of Jesus, but they were not progressing in their faith. In verse twelve the first phrase is “For when for the time.” This phrase indicates there had been sufficient time for them to grow and mature to teach others. In verse fourteen they should have been able to discern good from evil, right from wrong, and move from better to best. This was not the case.
Hebrews 5:13-14 “For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
As a Christian, my desire should be to honor my Savior for what He has done for me. However, we live in a world where people want Jesus to escape Hell, but they refuse to allow Him to be the Lord of their lives. Unfortunately for them, you cannot have it both ways. If He is your Savior, He must be your Lord. For Him to be your Lord he must be your boss, your ruler, the one you take your views and commands from. The one you surrender control of your life to.
There is no excuse for us to not grow as Christians. He has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. We have His word to guide us. We have our communication through prayer where we can call upon Him anytime and He will hear and answer if we are in the right standing with Him. We have other believers who will help us to grow and emulate Christ before us. We have more tools to help us understand the Bible than any other generation before us. We have no excuse but our own selfish desires to not grow.
Now it is time for you to look back at the benchmark of your own salvation. What has changed in your life since your salvation? How much more do you know and practice His word? Where have you seen significant changes and are you still changing? Do you have a passion for souls? If so, when was the last time you witnessed to someone? How much do you long to spend time with Jesus in prayer or study? These questions should be ones we each challenge ourselves with on a regular basis. If you do not provide the necessary tools to grow, you will be useless to the kingdom and soon you will fall prey to Satan and his deception. I have seen this happen so many times and it is a horrible thing to witness when someone who experienced the joy, and love of Christ falls away and makes shipwreck of their faith. Do not let it be you! Don’t be lazy, be determined to grow.
I Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:”
