Even Jesus (as a man) had to be Spirit taught (i.e. "Grow Spiritually as a man under the will of the Father")...
Phil 2:
Heb 5:
What we see here is our Lord and Savior "Learning" to humble Himself and become obedient by the things which He suffered, even unto death! It was by these things He (as a man) was made Perfect: WAS OF FULL AGE, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, FULLY CAPABLE OF ALWAYS DOING THE FATHER'S WILL!
(now I'm not implying by this that any of us obey Him perfectly in every way. I am only demonstrating the necessity of us having to grow up...
What is applicable to Jesus (as a Spirit-filled man) is also applicable to us as well.
Again using another example of growth...
Mark 4:
So- when is a Christian most likely to fall away from the faith?
"At the earlier stages of their growth and development (Before they are mature enough to bear ripened fruit)!"
And why are these "earlier stages" more dangerous than the later ones?
"Because they have yet to sit down and fully weigh the costs of discipleship! They haven't as yet been brought (or allowed to be brought) to see the end of themselves and their whole wide world."
This applies to anyone and everyone who have yet to take "ALL OF" the Scriptures seriously.
That is why teachings as OSAS to new Christians is a dangerous thing, primarily because it ignores (throws out) all the Scriptures which clearly do warn about one falling away. If anyone was incapable of falling away then these Scriptures must be lying and we have no use for them so throw them out. (Yet isn't that exactly how OSAS treat them?)
I have always said that teachings as OSAS, Pre trib and others bring with them "dangerous mind sets" to Christians because they make the person (who is being controlled by such thinking) to feel they are in no immediate danger, when in fact, danger; in the form or words, teachings, traps and death is all around them!
(Anyone ever read Pilgrim's Progress?
It gives a pretty good layout of what happened in the life of John Bunyan, and the dangers all around him before he crossed "Yonder Gate" and went through The Door into the Promised Land.)
It is the Lord Himself who Tests all of us with trials and tribulations and even things like big money making opportunities, etc. in order to see if we'll pass the test and "Stay the Course" or if we'll fold and die along the way, steered away because of little faith and/or some lust or other.
Paul speaks from his earlier experiences with the Lord in Romans 7, stating how he wanted to with everything that was in Him obey the Holy Law, yet... "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."
He failed miserably! (and he was meant to by God!)
This was a BIG breakthrough for Paul, as well as for those of us who went through similar ordeals and struggles within of a similar nature.
This is a BIG step in our growth, because by seeing and admitting our own wretchedness (or moral/spiritual depravity) we are made to turn FULLY to Christ as being the answer to everything!
Once a person is made (by God, IF we'll let Him) to FULLY realize that in them (in their their flesh) dwells no good thing, is the only time they can knowingly and truthfully cry out: "O wretched man that I am", turn to Christ and say: "YOU'RE IT"... In me I have nothing and in myself I am nothing... nothing but sin and death which are working in me! SAVE ME LORD, FILL ME AS ONLY YOU CAN, TO THE UTTERMOST OF MY BEING!
So when we, like Paul, have arrived at this juncture, and we each can truthfully say, "I have been crucified with Christ!"... and demonstrate along with Paul our "inward death with Christ" through an outward Spirit-filled life as well... Rom.6:6; Gal.2:20.
Then we'll have helped God EMPTY OURSELVES of this Old Life in order to receive the Spirit of Christ in POWER and a Brand New Life capable of overcoming sin, death, the world and Satan...
1 Cor 13:11... "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, ut when I became a man, I put away childish things."
It's the same for spiritual things as well!
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
"...Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,..." Eph 4:13-14)
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
It wasn't until that time that he came to realized that in him (that is, "in his flesh") was no good (Godly) thing!!!
By this "lesson" Paul learned that he in his flesh did not have the holy power absolutely necessary to live righteously and overcome sin and death! In fact it was his very flesh (the body of this death); spot-lighted by the Holy Law, that caused him to see himself for what he was...
..."O wretched man that I am!"
...And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(One cannot love what one no longer has!)