For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  ⁽¹³⁾ For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  ⁽¹⁴⁾ But solid food is for the mature, who, because of practice, have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Heb. 5:12-14 _{New American Standard 1995 NAS95}

Spiritual maturity does not come in one great burst of enthusiasm that conquers all sin and weakness.  Even though we may be determined to change our lives when converted, the impulses and temptations are unlikely to be eliminated.  It is a growth process.  This is the very reason our need to be Focused must be stressed. Spiritual growth only comes with time and practice with the “word of righteousness.” 

The Bible and Focus; Straining Toward the Goal!

⁽¹²⁾ Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  ⁽¹³⁾ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ⁽¹⁴⁾ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  ⁽¹⁵⁾ Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; ⁽¹⁶⁾ however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.  ⁽¹⁷⁾ Brethren, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. Php. 3:12-17 NAS95

From the Philippian passage, we are encouraged (commanded) to embrace three critical areas of focus if we call ourselves Christians. First, “lay hold of Christ.” How? By knowing Christ (e.g., 1^st. Jon.5:13-21). Our focus on Christ provides us a promise, a blessing – “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mat.5:8 NAS95) Through this beautiful beatitude, we are provided the blessing of seeing our beloved Savior and Father if we focus. Second, focus on the Prize by focusing on Humility (e.g., Col.3:12), Forgiveness (e.g., Mat.6:14-15), and Progress (e.g., 1^st. Tim.4:15). Third, Focus on the pattern (e.g., Php.3:17). A large portion of this pattern is to focus on the church through genuine Concern (e.g., 2^nd. Cor.11:28), and gentle Correction (e.g., 2^nd. Tim.3:16).

Additional passages from God’s inspired Word that help understand the need to focus:

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Col.3:2 NAS95)

“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Rom.8:5 NAS95)

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (Jas.4:8a NAS95)

The message is simple when we set our hearts/minds on God, our spiritual life will come into focus! God and God alone must be the focus of our life. Every decision, every action, every thought should come from and be based on that spiritual focus. For example, our marriages will be better when we are both (male/female, according to God’s plan for marriage), focused on drawing nearer to God with every breath we take.

A divided mind yields unsuccessful spiritual focus. We cannot focus on God while focusing on worldly pursuits. For example, we have the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Mat.6:24 NAS95) This is not a prohibition against wealth; it simply means do not place the focus on wealth and prosperity before focusing on God.

There is this from 1^st. John 2:15-17 ⁽¹⁵⁾ “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  ⁽¹⁶⁾ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world.  ⁽¹⁷⁾ The world is passing away, and its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

Focus is not something we can put off until later. James reminds us that life is fleeting. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (Jas.4:14 NAS95) Understanding just how little time we have in this life to prepare for eternity should help us focus on spiritual matters.

The complexity of our lives makes it difficult to focus on God. Each level of complexity we add to our lives makes it more challenging to have and maintain a spiritual focus. The French philosopher and scientist Pascal said, “I have often said that the sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.”

Recall that Jesus said:  Matthew 6:31-33 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  Did you notice that last verse? It is a focus verse! Jesus is warning us from letting our worldly pursuits so overwhelm us that they interfere with our ability to focus on God — to seek first his kingdom. Another sage once said that the first step to mental health is to give up your position as general manager of the universe.  We try to do everything, and we end up doing nothing.

So, what, then, is the key to our spiritual growth and well-being? Spiritual Focus. In chapter six of Hebrews, the writer ties it together (i.e., Heb.5:14) with a “therefore” statement…in other words, because of the lack of spiritual maturity, we need to do something; action is required.  The Hebrew writer then explains how one presses on to maturity.  Having shown the need to grow and the natural action of growth, he next told the readers how to do it. “Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God” (Heb.6:1 NAS95)

So how do we do it? First, stop drinking milk, and start eating solid food. Move on from that elementary learning (i.e., it has to do with reading versus studying)—the fundamental teachings.  I’m not saying that fundamentals are unnecessary; we are all taught fundamentals from the day we enter this world.  It is the foundation that props up our basis of understanding and knowledge. We do not continue in laying the foundation. Ask any architect who will tell you that the foundation of any building is this most important as it is where it will stand.  Likewise, in our Christian walk, the foundation is vitally important, but there comes a point that we need to “build up.”