Sunlight can both help a plant and kill it. A church can do the same for a new Christian. While providing an ideal environment for a new Christian to grow and mature spiritually, if separated Christian living and a genuine relationship with God are not emphasized, it may actually hinder the new Christian’s spiritual growth.

The Christian, like a tender plant, must have well-balanced nourishment. Otherwise, he will suffer from deficiency. In due time, he will experience an inflexible spirit, a gradual drifting into sin, and, worst of all, an attitude of complacency. It is at this point that, as Robert Wenz wrote, he fails to consider the gradual, cumulative effects of his sin.

Wenz related the story of a St. Louis woman who noticed a few bees buzzing around her attic. She took no alarm at the fact, since there were just a few. But the bees multiplied. Soon, the whole attic became a hive, and the ceiling of the second-floor bedroom finally caved in under the awesome weight. The woman escaped serious injury, but she was unable to repair the damage of her accumulated neglect.

Will our lives automatically cave in when we take a step in the wrong direction? Oftentimes, no, they won’t. But staying alert and feeding upon the Word of God prevents this from happening. A well-balanced spiritual diet begins and ends right here!