Adolescent Christianity

I think there is a difference between Adolescent Christianity and Pagan Christianity that we often fail to realize. Adolescent Christianity is immature, Pagan Christianity is dangerous. Yes, adolescents can be dangerous, but with guidance they’ll grow out of it.

When I think of Adolescent Christianity I think of 1 Corinthians Chapter 14; the Corinthians were acting like children and adolescents in their thinking and experience of spiritual gifts. Paul uses an entirely different tone with them than he does, for example, with the false teachers in the books of Galatians and 2 Corinthians. We often treat adolescent Christians as if they were engaging in pagan practices and were false teachers (false teachers in the Biblical sense, in the sense we see Paul, Peter, and John approach the subject of false teachers). To be sure adolescent practices, if left unchecked, can lead to pagan practices – but that is a danger we all face. A pagan practice need not be overt such as an obsession with experience, a pagan practice may also be an obsession with intellect in order to be accepted in the academy. The world is the world is the world.

Jesus must ever be our story and song, our life and joy, our reason for living. My experience may deceive me, my intellect may seduce me, but Jesus will always be my deliverer from myself and His Word must always be my guide.