Faithful: Overcoming Spiritual "Peter Pan Syndrome"

“And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.”

Hebrews 5:10-13 NLT

3 POSSIBLE REASONS THAT I MAY HAVE

“PETER PAN SYNDROME.”

My ATTITUDE prevents me from maturing spiritually? Yes No

“We have many things to tell you about this. But it is hard to explain because you have stopped trying to understand.”

Hebrews 5:11 ERV

My APTITUDE prevents me from maturing spiritually? Yes No

“You have had enough time that by now you should be teachers.”

Hebrews 5:12a ERV

My ASSISTANCE prevents me from maturing spiritually? Yes No

“…But you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s teaching. You still need the teaching that is like milk. You are not ready for solid food.”

Hebrews 5:12b ERV

AM I PRESENTING SYMPTOMS OS SPIRITUAL

“PETER PAN SYNDROME”?

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

Hebrews 6: 1-3 NLT

A PERSONAL, AT-HOME, “PETER PAN SYNDROME” SELF-TEST:

My knowledge of, and ability to teach about, these

“basic teaching” reveals I am:

1. REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS.

Infant………. Adolescent…………Adult

2. FAITH TOWARD GOD

Infant………. Adolescent…………Adult

3. INSTRUCTION ABOUT WASHINGS (BAPTISMS)

Infant………. Adolescent………. Adult

4. LAYING ON OF HANDS

Infant………. Adolescent…………Adult

5. THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

Infant………. Adolescent…………Adult

6. ETERNAL JUDGEMENT

Infant………. Adolescent…………Adult

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are still in the Christian faith. Test yourselves! Don’t you recognize that you are people in whom Jesus Christ lives? Could it be that you’re failing the test?”

2 Corinthians 13:5 GW

WHAT CAN I DO TO TREAT/HEAL MY SPIRITUAL

“PETER PAN SYNDROME”?

1. I HEAR the Great Physician’s DIAGNOSIS.

“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life…”

Hebrews 5:12-13a TLB

2. I INGEST the Great Physician’s PRESCRIPTION.

* I need someone to TEACH ME all over again. I need milk.

* I need to be CONSISTENT with my time in the Word of God.

3. I ACCENTUATE the consequences of an improper RESPONSE.

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Hebrews 5:14 NIV

“People who have grown up eat proper food. In the same way, people who have been believers for a long time should understand more about God's message. They should have learned about what is good and about what is bad. They should know the difference between these.”

Hebrews 5:14 EASY