Expert: Dr. Billy Kryger - 10/20/2009

Question
I am a bit confused on the state of new believers. If someone is not experienced/mature in the faith are they considerd unsaved or bad for the church? What difficulties may they face?

Answer
Carly:
    Thank you for your question.
    Just as you would not think that a newborn baby is "bad for the family" because he cannot take care of himself, likewise one should not expect a new believer to be mature in the faith.  The Bible says (1 Peter 2:2) that a new or "baby" Christian ought to be nourished with the "milk of the word".  A new believer will face many obstacles including temptation to return to his former habits and lifestyle.  He must trust in the Lord and other, more mature, believers to guide him in his growth.
    After a person has been a believer for a little while then, yes, he ought to have gone from a spiritual diet of "milk" to "meat".  My 2-year old son doesn't drink from a bottle anymore.  He eats pretty much the same things that the rest of the family eats.  So it is in the Christian life.  As a person gets older in the Lord he ought to grow in the things of the Lord.