CATABOLISM - THE BREAKING DOWN OF COMPLEX SUBSTANCES INTO SIMPLER ONES.
Generally, our bodies use the food we eat to build more complex structures. We eat amino acids and proteins, and our bodies use those to make muscle. We drink milk with calcium, and our bodies use it to make bones. Under certain circumstances, however, some people not only don’t make the more complex substances, but also begin to break down those already made. The best known case of this happening would probably be kidney stones or gall stones. What has happened is the bones (usually because of osteoporosis) are being eaten away and breaking down into calcium which is then deposited in the kidneys or gall bladder resulting in a very painful experience.
You are probably thinking that this has nothing to do with the church, but it does in a couple of ways. We as Christians are Christ’s body. If we are doing what good body parts should, then we are helping to build up the entire body as well as growing as individual body parts. Sadly, there are many cases where we tear down work that others have done and in so doing we break down the body of Christ. Allow me to illustrate: Perhaps a song leader in the congregation I am in is encouraging some of the young men to get up their courage and lead a song, and suppose he gets one of them to lead a song on Wednesday night before we go to class. Now, obviously this young man is not going to do as well as the song leader who is encouraging him, and maybe he doesn’t even do as well as I think I can. I can destroy all of the work and encouragement my brother has been involved in with this young man if I criticize him for his imperfection. I have been breaking down rather than building up.
False doctrines and traditions of men can tear a church down very quickly if they are allowed. Judging based on opinions and not on God’s word will result in catabolism. Division in the church no matter what the cause brings about a catabolistic state. Laziness will cause a reversion back to simpler substances.
An individual who spiritually suffers from catabolism must be taught again and again the foundational principles of the faith. They never grow beyond infancy and if ever they do learn any deeper doctrines they quickly forget. In (Heb 6:1-3) “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. {3} And this will we do, if God permit.” the writer makes it clear that we should be able to leave (not departing from the things we have learned, but rather not continuing to dwell on them) the foundation, the basics, the gospel that converted us and strive for deeper knowledge, and even perfection. He also says, (Heb 5:12) “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” How sad and yet how common in the Lord’s church today, that men and women who have been part of Christ’s body for years must be taught the essentiality of baptism, the significant difference in faith only and a working biblical faith, the existence of Hell, or the authority of scripture. Is it any wonder that churches are suffering from apostasy and division when those who ought to be teaching need to be taught again.
Simplicity is a marvelous thing in its place. The gospel is simple, and yet at the same time it is more complex than we can comprehend. The human body is a simple thing in its components, but the complexity with which those components are pieced together is stunning. In the body of our Lord we cannot please him if we remain always simple and never growing. All of us began as a single simple cell, had we remained at that stage of development, or worse, had we after being born reverted back to that single cell how sad a condition that would be. As Christians be always growing, always deepening your faith, and working toward the simply complex goal of perfection.
Generally, our bodies use the food we eat to build more complex structures. We eat amino acids and proteins, and our bodies use those to make muscle. We drink milk with calcium, and our bodies use it to make bones. Under certain circumstances, however, some people not only don’t make the more complex substances, but also begin to break down those already made. The best known case of this happening would probably be kidney stones or gall stones. What has happened is the bones (usually because of osteoporosis) are being eaten away and breaking down into calcium which is then deposited in the kidneys or gall bladder resulting in a very painful experience.
You are probably thinking that this has nothing to do with the church, but it does in a couple of ways. We as Christians are Christ’s body. If we are doing what good body parts should, then we are helping to build up the entire body as well as growing as individual body parts. Sadly, there are many cases where we tear down work that others have done and in so doing we break down the body of Christ. Allow me to illustrate: Perhaps a song leader in the congregation I am in is encouraging some of the young men to get up their courage and lead a song, and suppose he gets one of them to lead a song on Wednesday night before we go to class. Now, obviously this young man is not going to do as well as the song leader who is encouraging him, and maybe he doesn’t even do as well as I think I can. I can destroy all of the work and encouragement my brother has been involved in with this young man if I criticize him for his imperfection. I have been breaking down rather than building up.
False doctrines and traditions of men can tear a church down very quickly if they are allowed. Judging based on opinions and not on God’s word will result in catabolism. Division in the church no matter what the cause brings about a catabolistic state. Laziness will cause a reversion back to simpler substances.
An individual who spiritually suffers from catabolism must be taught again and again the foundational principles of the faith. They never grow beyond infancy and if ever they do learn any deeper doctrines they quickly forget. In (Heb 6:1-3) “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. {3} And this will we do, if God permit.” the writer makes it clear that we should be able to leave (not departing from the things we have learned, but rather not continuing to dwell on them) the foundation, the basics, the gospel that converted us and strive for deeper knowledge, and even perfection. He also says, (Heb 5:12) “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” How sad and yet how common in the Lord’s church today, that men and women who have been part of Christ’s body for years must be taught the essentiality of baptism, the significant difference in faith only and a working biblical faith, the existence of Hell, or the authority of scripture. Is it any wonder that churches are suffering from apostasy and division when those who ought to be teaching need to be taught again.
Simplicity is a marvelous thing in its place. The gospel is simple, and yet at the same time it is more complex than we can comprehend. The human body is a simple thing in its components, but the complexity with which those components are pieced together is stunning. In the body of our Lord we cannot please him if we remain always simple and never growing. All of us began as a single simple cell, had we remained at that stage of development, or worse, had we after being born reverted back to that single cell how sad a condition that would be. As Christians be always growing, always deepening your faith, and working toward the simply complex goal of perfection.
RSS Feed
