Only Milk or Solid Food?
Babies are only able to digest milk, so they exist on the liquid food, until they mature. Then, they gradually begin to eat very soft foods. Finally, they get some teeth, and they mature enough to partake of solid food without any problem. The same is true for believers. A baby Christian can only handle the milk of the Word of God. However, after they mature by learning and praying, they begin to eat soft foods. Finally, they are able to eat and to benefit from solid food from the Word of God because their senses are able to discern the more difficult things and digest them for use in the lives. (Hebrews 5:13,14) This is a very important truth for believers to grasp.
Our growth, as Christians, is dependent on learning God's Word and allowing the Spirit to lead us in doing what we learn. We add a little bit at a time. This is the milk of the Word. However, the more we live out God's Word, the better we can hear from the Spirit, and the stronger our faith becomes. It is then that we can begin to handle harder truths and to apply them. The goal is to have our spiritual senses so exercised and able to discern good and evil that we can grasp even the most difficult truths from God's Word. Then, we can really be strong and mature in the Lord.
This applies to all believers. It doesn't mean that only new believers are babes in Christ. An older person who has been a believer for many years can still be a spiritual infant. The way we discern this is how much of God's Word they are able to grasp, and how much they live out in their lives. I pray that we all would seek to grow into mature Christians, who partake of the solid food of the Word every day.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 6-8.
Our growth, as Christians, is dependent on learning God's Word and allowing the Spirit to lead us in doing what we learn. We add a little bit at a time. This is the milk of the Word. However, the more we live out God's Word, the better we can hear from the Spirit, and the stronger our faith becomes. It is then that we can begin to handle harder truths and to apply them. The goal is to have our spiritual senses so exercised and able to discern good and evil that we can grasp even the most difficult truths from God's Word. Then, we can really be strong and mature in the Lord.
This applies to all believers. It doesn't mean that only new believers are babes in Christ. An older person who has been a believer for many years can still be a spiritual infant. The way we discern this is how much of God's Word they are able to grasp, and how much they live out in their lives. I pray that we all would seek to grow into mature Christians, who partake of the solid food of the Word every day.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 6-8.