When I was an inarticulate babbler, I spoke as an inarticulate babbler, I framed the mind as an inarticulate babbler, I reasoned as an inarticulate babbler. When I became a man, I rendered ineffective the things of the inarticulate babbler. 1 Corinthians 13:11
Nepios (νήπιος), is a word that describes a stage in a child’s life when they lack the ability to speak in an understandable and intelligent way. This concept is then taken further to those who have grown up, but still act as though they are a child because they have not learned how to discern right from wrong. This is not restricted to how a household or business is managed, but also to the person’s own lifestyle. We have many people today that are coming out of schools and colleges of higher learning that lack the basic abilities to discern right from wrong; what is good from what is bad. They have not learned critical thinking skills; therefore, they accept ideas that go against truth and reality, against logics, against what is rational, and always lead to destruction, while ignoring facts and modifying history to justify their childish behavior.
This same lack of discernment plagues the Church, even though those in Christ have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. Yet, so many reject God and follow after the next teaching of men that is always based upon trickery and deceit to manipulate the follower through ignorance. We mature through the exercising of our senses to discern right from wrong, while seeking truth through our relationship with the Holy Spirit as we learn to identify and pursue His desires. As we mature, we put away the childish ways of thinking and develop a proper attitude based upon truth.
Concerning maturity among the saints, Paul in his letter to the Hebrews addresses an issue with their need for someone to again teach them of the basic principles of the oracles of God.
And for though you ought to be teachers because of the time, again you have need of someone to teach you the basics of the beginning of the word of the God and you have come to need having milk and not solid food – Hebrews 5:12.
This lack of maturity comes from being carnal. One who is focused on the desires from the flesh, even in a religious manner, will not grow spiritually and can only be fed milk, 1 Corinthians 3:2. Although milk has its purpose, it is not to be the primary substance we use for life as we grow. As ones who have tasted the milk of the Word we should be laying aside that which is wrong, along with deceit, hypocrisy, bad speaking, and envy, 1 Peter 2:2. This allows us to go on to maturity so that we are able to handle the deep things of the Word of God. One who only partakes of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness because he is an inarticulate babbler, Hebrews 5:13. However, solid food is for those who are of full age. The ones who have by exercise trained their senses to discern what is proper from what is wrong, Hebrews 5:14.
All Christians should come to a point in their life where they can teach the basics of the Christian life. These beginnings of the Word of God involve a proper salvation message, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, along with how to have victory over our three enemies; the sin nature, Satan, and the world system. And we should all be able to express the freedom we have in Christ from the elementary principles of the world system which are taste not, touch not, the observation of days and seasons and years, which are according to the teachings of men and have no value in controlling the indulgences from the flesh, Colossians 2:20-23. Therefore, let us move on from the elementary principles of the Christ into maturity, not laying again a foundation of dead works, but rather living out from faith, Hebrews 6:1
