Obstacles to Deeper Understanding in Christian Spiritual Growth
A significant obstacle to deeper understanding in Christian spiritual growth is spiritual immaturity, which can prevent believers from grasping more profound truths [3, 4]. The Apostle Paul, for instance, noted that he could not speak to the Corinthian Christians about "deeper truths of life in Christ" because of their lack of spiritual maturity, likening them to infants who could only consume "milk" rather than "solid food" [3]. Matthew Henry further elaborates on this, stating that even those "renewed to a spiritual life may yet in many things be defective," indicating that sanctification is often only partial, leaving room for growth in both grace and knowledge [4].
Another impediment is a darkened understanding or intelligence, which can alienate individuals from the "life of God" [5]. This darkening implies a departure from an original state of light and life, suggesting a revolt from primitive revelation [5]. Such a state hinders the perception of spiritual realities. Furthermore, relying solely on human reasonings for spiritual matters can lead to perplexity and instability [6]. John Chrysostom observed that when individuals commit spiritual things to their own reasonings, they may find themselves in darkness, unstable, and prone to falling away from faith, even when confronted with profound teachings [6].
The inability to understand the "deep things of God" is also linked to one's spiritual condition. Adam Clarke, commenting on Revelation 14:3, suggests that only "genuine Christians" who worship God acceptably through the Mediator can comprehend these deeper truths. Others, he argues, cannot understand the exultation of true believers because they lack communion with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit [2]. While the Scriptures are generally accessible for understanding salvation, as Clarke notes regarding the Ethiopian eunuch, a guide or teacher can be beneficial for comprehending specific dispensations or complex passages, though this does not imply that the Scriptures are inherently incomprehensible without an "authorized interpreter" [1].
Sources
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 8:31: How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 14:3: They sung - a new song - See on Rev 5:9 (note). No man could learn that song - As none but genuine Christians can worship God acceptably, because they approach him through the only Mediator, so none can understand the deep things of God but such; nor can others know the cause why true believers exult so much in God through Christ, because they know not the communion which such hold with the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost.”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:2: 3:2 Because of the Corinthian Christians’ lack of spiritual maturity, Paul was unable to speak about the deeper truths of life in Christ, the solid food (see 2:6-7) that is reserved for mature Christians. Instead, he had to restrict himself to milk, the basic teachings of the Good News (cp. Heb 5:12-14; 6:1-3; 1 Pet 2:2).”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 3:1: Here, I. Paul blames the Corinthians for their weakness and nonproficiency. Those who are sanctified are so only in part: there is still room for growth and increase both in grace and knowledge, Pe2 3:18. Those who through divine grace are renewed to a spiritual life may yet in many things be defective. The apostle tells them he could not speak to them as unto spiritual men, but as unto carnal men, as to babes in Christ, Co1 3:1. They were so far from forming their maxims and measures upon the ground of divine revelation, and entering into the spirit of the ”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 4:18: More literally, "Being darkened in their understanding," that is, their intelligence, or perceptions (compare Eph 5:8; Act 26:18; Th1 5:4-5). alienated--This and "darkened," imply that before the fall they (in the person of their first father) had been partakers of life and light: and that they had revolted from the primitive revelation (compare Eph 2:12). life of God--that life whereby God lives in His own people: as He was the life and light in Adam before the irruption of death and darkness into human nature; and as He is the life in the rege”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: in perplexity, having come as to a man, and hearing more than man’s words, and such as no one ever yet had heard; and for a while he rouses himself at the sublimity of the sayings, but yet is in darkness, and unstable, borne about in every direction, and continually falling away from the faith. And therefore he perseveres in proving the impossibility, so as to provoke Him to clearer teaching. “Can a man,” he saith, “enter into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Seest thou how when one commits spiritual things to his own reasonings, he speaks ridiculou”