How clearly does the Bible illustrate the distinction between milk and meat in the context of learning and living?
The Bible clarifies milk and meat based on the following scriptures,
MILK:
1Cor.3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [2] I have fed you with MILK, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear [process, understand] it, neither yet now are ye able. [3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife [conflict, friction, disputes], and divisions, [all 3 pertain to the natural realm and the emotions] are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Heb.5:13 For every one that useth MILK is unskilful [ignorant, incompetent, untrained] in the word of righteousness [grace doctrine] : for he is a babe [who’s mind, or understanding, is on visible things].
MEAT:
Heb.5:14 But strong MEAT belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use [habit, practice, understanding] have their senses [spiritual discernment, perceiving truth] exercised to discern both good and evil [sound doctrine / unsound doctrine, see: Eph.4:14; Heb.13:9].
There is a lot you can extract from these verses to distinguish the two. I’ll point them out as follows,
Babes in Christ that feed on milk are carnal Christians. Their faith is on natural, physical things, as they respond to life from their 5-senses, from emotions and from a carnal mindset. They are up and down in life, like a rollercoaster. They are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. They have not grown up in spiritual things and as a result, they are not stable in faith and in doctrine. As the verses above continue, they have carnal tendencies, envying, disputing, and dividing into groups that believe the same things because they have no knowledge of sound doctrine. As Hebrews says, they are unskilled in the doctrine they confess to because spiritual things are less important to them than their position (status), performance, and pride, which is set upon the visible, physical realm.
On the other hand, the mature believer in Christ is the exact opposite of a babe in Christ. They have grown past the lusts of this flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. The physical, visible world is of no more consequence to them. Their faith is set upon the spiritual realm and is stable and grounded in the grace doctrine and on the ages to come. They are humble and because of the working of the grace doctrine in their hearts, having a renewed mind, they labour in this world under an ever-increasing innate love that allows Christ to be magnified in their lives. They are stable in their faith and are not moved by trials, suffering, or hardships, that often times come their way because of their faith and lifestyle as Christ is being formed in them.
Comments
Post a Comment