During this past year Anthony Baptist has been blessed with a number of new babies. Of special note are a few young couples that celebrated the birth of their first child. Physical birth is certainly a miraculous and exciting event. New spiritual birth is not only more exciting but also gives us life eternal that continues beyond physical death.


When seeing a parent or grandparent holding a baby in their arms, we see a picture of total trust and security. In verse 2 of Psalm 131 the psalmist writes, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: My soul is even as a weaned child.” Instead of being anxious or fearful about things of this world, we can instead have peace that only comes from trusting in God in the same way that a baby has total trust in a parent.


How do we move from a baby to adulthood spiritually? We know that Christ will soon return so we need to grow and be prepared. In the meantime Peter speaks about how believers should grow spiritually in the first 2 chapters of his first epistle. He tells us to grow up: as obedient children we should gravitate toward a life shaped by God’s life, an energetic life filled with holiness. In verses 15-16 of chapter 1 Peter writes, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy ; for I am holy.” Only the Holy Spirit, who brings about our new birth and now lives in us, can make us holy.


We are to give up the empty way of life and, instead, live a life of deep love for one another (v.22). The ultimate goal of the Christian life is to have a passionate love for Jesus who died to make all this possible.


Finally, Peter instructs us in the first 3 verses of chapter 2 to put aside all malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. When we drink deep from God’s Word, we grow from an infant who partakes only of milk to a mature Christian who needs solid food.


In Hebrews 5:15 the writer speaks of spiritual maturity: “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Spiritual maturity comes not merely from hearing God’s Word, but by making it a habit to put it into practice. As Christians may we continually strive to ‘grow up in our salvation’.