Interesting word I learned about in today's reading of Our Daily Bread. http://odb.org/2016/01/16/desiring-growth/
Axolotl... a tadpole found in Mexico that never grows past the tadpole stage.
It reminded me of a big lesson I have learned:
I grew up trying so very hard to be perfect, knowing full well that I would never obtain the flawless perfection I was striving for. My human'ness' always seemed to get the best of me. All my efforts were in vain, and deep down inside, I knew it.
All this futile effort was because of a single word in the Bible, being taken out of context. In Matthew 5:48 one reads "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (KJV). My upbringing was in a religious practice that really stressed trying to live this verse; literally to try and become like God.
I have learned that there are two major problems with this practice.
A.The word PERFECT used in Matthew 5:48 has an original meaning in the Greek language as "growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity"
This is not the same meaning as our English word for which we interpret as flawless (see http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perfect)
B. Lucifer fell because He wanted to be God. This story is documented in Isaiah 14. Lucifer was created by God as an angel. With specific characteristics and purpose. But God also gave the angels (as well as his creation; man) freedom to choose. This is because God is gracious and doesn't want to force one to follow Him.
Lucifer became prideful and actually boasted that he wanted to be God. Which caused God to have to throw him from heaven, which is why he was the first fallen angel and nearly 1/3 of the heavenly host followed him to damnation (aka demons).
The idea that a person could become perfect is in direct relation to the fall of Lucifer.
All this to say that when a human soul receives Jesus Christ as Savior, we become born again (see John 3). Literally babes in Christ. We need to learn to live God's way. Through bible study and prayer and accountability, we start growing just as an infant does. A baby drinks milk before he can eat, but then he learns to eat. A baby need to be carried until he learns to walk. A baby cries to express himself until he learns to talk, etc...
This is normal. A baby progresses past the infant stage and spends years growing into maturity. If a child never progressed; just like the Mexican axolotl remains in tadpole stage for life, this is not normal.
It is natural for a Christian to grow spiritually. One who remains in the infant stage of their walk with God is not truly fulfilling the ideal life that God has planned for them. They are stunting their own growth by refusing to grow up.
