Milk or Solid Food

 Seeing a baby grow in a healthy way is a progression. At first, the baby can only eat milk or formula. The baby can't digest solid food, at that point. Gradually, as the baby grows, very soft, almost liquid foods are fed to the child. Finally, small portions of solid food are introduced, until finally the child can eat what the rest of the family eats. This can take about a year  to complete this process.

The writer of Hebrews uses this process as an analogy for how we grow as Christians. (Hebrews 5:12) He told the believers that they had been believers so long  that they should have been teaching others. Instead, they needed someone to teach them again the basic things about God's Word. They were still like babies who needed milk but could not eat solid food. That is a serious problem.

We all start off as baby Christians. Yes, our sins are forgiven, and we have the Holy Spirit inside of us to help us learn and grow, but we have to take in the food of God's Word. At first, we start off learning the basic things about God's Word. We read small sections, and we read other books or listen to teachers to help us understand it. We should get stronger and more mature that way, until we can eat solid food.

The mature believer is able to read the Bible on their own, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to bring the meaning to light, he or she is able to understand the more difficult spiritual truths. This is God's goal for us, but some people never make it to that point. They never grow in the Lord and in the understanding of His Word, so they are unable to live the Christian life well and serve the Lord as they should. We must not allow that to happen to us. We must be determined to become mature.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 6-8.