Many believers desire deeper teaching. Pastors and church leaders often hear questions about prophecy, theology, spiritual gifts, and end-time events. While these topics are important, the Bible teaches that spiritual maturity does not begin with advanced knowledge. It begins with the basics.
The writer of Hebrews addressed this issue in the early church.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”
— Hebrews 5:12
This passage reminds us of an important truth: no one grows strong in faith without first learning the foundational truths of God.
The Problem: Many Believers Skip the Foundations
Hebrews 5:11–14 reveals a concern among early believers. They had been Christians long enough that they should already be teaching others. Instead, they still needed to relearn the elementary truths of God’s Word.
The writer describes two types of spiritual nourishment:
- Milk — basic teachings for spiritual infants
- Solid food — deeper truths for the mature
Just as a baby cannot digest solid food immediately, a believer cannot understand deeper spiritual matters without first learning the foundations of the faith.
When believers skip these foundations, several problems appear:
- Weak understanding of the gospel
- Confusion about repentance and faith
- Instability in spiritual life
- Difficulty discerning truth from error
Spiritual maturity cannot grow on a weak foundation.
God’s Design: Foundations First
The Bible clearly identifies the foundational teachings every believer must understand. Hebrews 6:1–2 lists them:
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”
These six teachings form the spiritual foundation of the Christian life:
- Repentance from dead works
- Faith toward God
- The doctrine of baptisms
- Laying on of hands
- Resurrection of the dead
- Eternal judgment
These are not optional teachings. They are the starting point of spiritual growth.
A strong believer is built on a strong foundation.
Why the Church Must Return to the Basics
In many churches today, believers attend services for years yet still struggle with basic spiritual truths. Some have never been clearly taught the foundations of the faith.
As a result:
- discipleship becomes shallow
- spiritual growth becomes slow
- believers remain spiritually immature
But when churches intentionally teach the foundations, something powerful happens.
Believers become:
- grounded in truth
- confident in their faith
- able to disciple others
This is exactly what the writer of Hebrews expected: believers growing from milk to solid food.
From Milk to Maturity
Milk is not a sign of weakness. It is a necessary stage of growth.
Every mature believer once started with the basics.
The problem arises only when believers remain on milk without progressing toward maturity.
True spiritual growth follows a clear path:
Foundation → Growth → Maturity
When the foundations are strong, believers can move forward to deeper spiritual understanding and Christlike character.
Building a Mature Church
The goal of the church is not simply attendance. It is discipleship and spiritual maturity.
Jesus commanded His followers:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”
— Matthew 28:19–20
Disciples are not formed overnight. They are formed through intentional teaching, faithful discipleship, and strong biblical foundations.
When believers learn the basics well, they grow into mature followers of Christ who can disciple others.
And that is how the church becomes strong.
Start with the Right Foundation
How can we ensure believers learn the foundations well?
This is where structured discipleship becomes essential.
FIRSTEP was designed to help believers clearly understand the foundational principles of the Christian faith based on Hebrews 5:11–6:2. It provides a simple and practical way to guide believers through the basics before moving on to deeper teachings.
Just as a child must first learn to walk before running, believers must first understand the first principles of Christ before advancing to spiritual maturity.
Spiritual maturity does not begin with deep teaching—it begins with understanding the first principles of Christ.
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection…”
— Hebrews 6:1
Before believers can grow into maturity, they must first be grounded in the foundations of the faith.
If you are a pastor, church leader, or believer who desires real spiritual growth, start where the Bible begins—with the basics.
Begin your journey with FIRSTEP (Click here) today and lay a strong foundation for a life of spiritual maturity.