Dear America: Chapter 3 (vs. 1-8)

Sadly, very few of you truly understand this wisdom. Not because you are unbelievers, but because you are infants spiritually. The last time I was with you, you were brand new believers, and this was to be expected. Like a newborn baby receives only milk, I fed you the same spiritually. I taught simple messages, knowing you would just choke, or be confused, by anything else. What saddens me is that I'm still forced to feed you only milk. Brothers and sisters, most of you have been believers for four years. Does a baby diet only on milk after so long? Of course not!

I do not doubt you would argue with me on this issue. After all, I did spend the opening sentence of my letter praising you for your many gifts. So how could you be infants spiritually? You don't need to look far to answer that question.

Look at how jealous you all are of each other's gifts. Look at the bitterness between your churches. Look at all your division. You have divided yourselves so many times from each other, it's a wonder anyone could ever guess you were all under the same God.

Is it not obvious that you are spiritually immature, behaving no differently than anyone else in your country?

I can't help but keep thinking of the letter I received about each of you being followers of your preachers before Christ Jesus Himself! Followers of Stanley? Followers of Piper? You are obviously spiritually immature. There is no question.

Who is Keller or Driscoll that you should be followers of them. There are simply the ones who pointed you to Christ.

It's like a garden. I planted the seeds and Piper watered them. Should either of us get the credit for growing the plant? I'm not a scientist. I don't have the faintest idea how God makes the plants grow. Don't praise your preachers. Don't praise me for simply showing you something God has done for you. We are not responsible for your spiritual awareness or growth. We simply do the task God has called us to, and every single result is because of Him.