Tag Archives: milk

MILK OR MEAT?

Christian Life, ,

Hebrews 5:12-14 NLT
[12] “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. [13] For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. [14] Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

The writer to the Hebrews aimed this rebuke at believers who still behaved like unbelievers. They acted like babies who suck their nourishment from a bottle because they have no teeth to eat solid food and an immature digestion that can only cope with milk.

The writer contrasts an immature believer with an adult who can eat solid food…a juicy steak or a meal of meat and vegetables…because he has an adult digestive system.

A Christian who overreacts to every offense, who collapses under every adversity, who stresses about every challenge, who sinks into depression over every difficulty, is like a baby drinking milk. He doesn’t have the stomach for solid food.

What’s the problem? Immature believers are still children at heart, not child-like but childish. They have never learned to stand up under pressure. They are selfish, measuring every part of their everyday lives by the way it affects them.

You see, believing in Jesus isn’t just about adopting another religion or living by a different set of rules. It’s about coming under the authority of a new master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Before we were given His nature and began a new life when we received Him as Lord, we were the centre of our lives. We measured everything that happened by the way it affected us, and our emotions drove our actions to respond accordingly.

Before we received Jesus as Lord, we thought we were in charge. However, in the background, there was a powerful spirit influencing our thinking by highlighting self… I, me, myself, and mine! Whatever happens, it’s good or bad according to the way it affects me and…I react accordingly. I get angry, I sulk, I get depressed, I retaliate…all my responses to what touches me, my ego, my selfishness, my self-preservation.

This kind of behaviour is the essence of a child’s way of responding to his experience. He responds with feelings aroused by what happens to him. Sulking, temper tantrums when he is thwarted, fists flying in retaliation when he is affronted, rebellion when he is disciplined, and even suicide when he is bullied… the old nature on steroids! …These are the responses of immaturity driven by emotions, devoid of reason.

Now let’s look at the mature believer. What is his motive and his goal? It’s not about pandering to self for comfort and covenience. It’s about taking control of self for the sake of preserving and promoting love and unity and serving others.

Self-control is part of the fruit the Holy Spirit grows in us as we submit to His leading, teaching, and discipline. Like a young horse being broken in…trained to take a rider who will exercise authority over him…as believers in Jesus, we have relinquished control over our own lives to our Master. When we act as though we are still our own master, we will behave accordingly, taking care of number one at the expense of others.

How can we measure our level of spiritual maturity? Paul gives us standards by which to gauge how far we have come or how much solid food we are able to tolerate.

Here are a few do’s and do not’s…

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
[3] “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV
[1] “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Romans 12:17, 19-21 NIV
[17]”Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone…
[19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. [20] On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” [21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Philippians 2:14-16 NIV
[14] “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

These responses need decisions and choices rather than reactions, led and empowered by the Spirit.

Philippians 3:15-16 NIV
[15] “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

The prescription Paul offers for a strong “digestion” that is able to cope with the “solid food” of life in God’s kingdom requires drastic action against the demands of our selfish nature, nothing less than death to the flesh.

Romans 8:13 NIV
[13] “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

…to live the abundant life Jesus promised, at peace and free of guilt because we have embraced His life in His realm, under His authority, for His glory.

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 8

Bible Study, ,

Hebrews 5:11-14 NIV
[11] “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. [12] In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! [13] Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. [14] But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

How well this writer knew his readers! He must have been familiar enough with them as a group to rebuke them without offending them.

Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT
[1] “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. [2] You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [3] And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

Another reprimand! Another warning!

It seems that his readers were either retreating into Judaism to escape persecution or stuck on the basics of their understanding of the gospel. Our writer finds it necessary to interject another warning, this time about about spiritual immaturity, urging them to move beyond the basics of repentance, faith, ordinances, judgment etc.

“You are still baby Christians, sucking a bottle instead of eating gourmet steak!” What an endictment! It’s fine to be a toddler as long as it is a passing phase of growing up, not a permanent state.

What distinguishes a mature person from an immature person? A toddler, a young child, has not yet learned to do what is right regardless of feelings. A liitle one acts according to his inborn selfish nature. It takes years of patient training for a person to follow his conscience rather than his appetites. Some, if not many, never learn!

Likewise, in the Christian life, a mature believer is one who is learning to do what is right regardless of the way he feels. Since we are already righteous because of our faith in Jesus, our role in this life is to live righteously in our day-to-day living. If we are not maturing in righteousness, we deny the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in us to work out our salvation in our daily lives.

It’s no use pussyfooting around elementary, as in basic, doctrines without putting them into practice in our lives.

According to our writer, people who are stuck on the basics are in danger of turning away from the very truths that led them to faith in Jesus. Intellectual faith, i.e., faith that is all mind and no heart, can end up in skepticism, agnosticism and eventual atheism.

Going back on the reality of our salvation experience slams the door on God’s grace, cancels the work of Jesus on the cross, and calls in question the truthfulness of Jesus Himself.

Therefore, such warnings are needful and urgent. Perhaps his readers had never considered the consequences of such a backward step. Did it ever occur to them that a choice like that would cut them off forever from an eternal destiny in the presence of God?

This brings me to a sobering thought. Those congregations that practice altar calls for any and every occasion…are they perhaps encouraging God’s people to live yo-yo lives of irresponsible living and “rededication to Jesus” by constantly calling them to “rededicate” their lives to Jesus? This practice fleecing the face of what God has done…raised them from spiritual death and made them new creatures in Christ.

There may be limited place for such occasions but should never be a substitute for faithful obedience to Jesus. The truly mature Christian will plod on, day after day, living out his faith and faithfulness in the way he responds to tests and temptations. The Holy Spirit in him, his teacher and guide, will keep him on track as he listens and submits to Jesus as Lord. Ours is not another religion but a living relationship with Jesus as Lord.

To be continued…

MOLLY AND ME – DIET

Christian Life, ,

Molly is a dachshund. Dachshunds have allergies. Molly has allergies! Molly has ALLERGIES!!

For almost eight years, Molly and I have struggled to diagnose the cause of her allergies. Grass is definitely a cause because her low-slung “chassis” turns red and itchy when she walks in long grass.

Food allergies are a different story. I haven’t always given her food that’s good for her. Bad mother! So, now I have tried to eliminate what might set up violent reactions. Her latest manifestation is a growly wheeze, eminating from somewhere inside her nose-chest area. True to Murphy’s law, she wheezes at home but not at the vetinerary clinic. I’m on my own as far as diagnosis is concerned.

Molly has had numerous courses of cortisone with temporary relief, and a cortisone spray to apply to her itch, but all temporary. I longed for a permanent solution.

I have tried different vet-researched, vet-expert, vet-wise, vet-created kibble, fortified with every essential vitamin and mineral you can think of, bulked up with grains like maize and wheat (that dogs should never eat), but she still kept wheezing.

So, now what! Molly must eat, but what must she eat to fuel her long body without setting it on fire?

In desperation, I kept calling on the name of the Lord. After exhausting all my options, a simple solution
eventually came to mind… honest-to goodness, home-cooked veg and meat. I tried my fussy-eater dog with a layer of veg and meat on her kibble. She hoovered it up like a vacuum cleaner!

So now, Molly eats real food! Not a factory-produced imitation of food that probably tastes like sawdust. Chicken, chicken liver, ground beef, white fish, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, green beans, even raw carrots…all look and taste like the real thing. And the wheeze? Almost gone!

Molly’s problem reminds me of my own Christian life. As a young believer, I feasted on every Christian book I could find. Biographies, autobiographies, theology, “how-to” books, all went into my spiritual digestive system indescriminately, setting up “allergic” reactions in my spirit.

In my eagerness to love the Lord and walk in the truth, I tried to apply many of the conflicting ideas I ingested from the man-made “kibble” I was eating.

Gradually, as I have grown in age and experience, I have come to realise that, despite the limited value of people’s research and expertise, there is only one spiritual diet that feeds the soul with honest-to-goodness, veg-and-meat nourishment, the word of God. The Bible even describes itself as bread, milk, and solid food.

John 6:33, 35 NLT
[33] “The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”…
[35] Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

1 Peter 2:2 NLT
[2] “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment…”

Hebrews 5:14 NLT
[14] “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

God’s Word is the only spiritual food that provides complete, all-round, spiritual nourishment, with every vitamin and mineral we need to keep us healthy and strong without provoking allergic reactions. Man-made “kibble” may have a limited benefit but it is laced with indigestible human ideas and opinions detrimental to our spiritual well-being.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
[16]”All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. [17] God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

There we have it, the label of ingredients guaranteeing spiritual health in God’s provision!

Matthew 4:4 NLT
[4″But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

A dear old saint of God, known as Bernard of Clairvaux, captured this truth in these immortal words…

  1. Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts,
    Thou fount of life, Thou light of men,
    from the best bliss that earth imparts,
    we turn unfilled to Thee again.
  2. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
    Thou savest those that on Thee call;
    to them that seek Thee, Thou art good,
    to them that find Thee all in all.
  3. We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
    and long to feast upon Thee still;
    we drink of Thee, the Fountain-head,
    and thirst our souls from Thee to fill.
  4. Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
    where’er our changeful lot is cast;
    glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
    blest when our faith can hold Thee fast.
  5. O Jesus, ever with us stay,
    make all our moments calm and bright;
    chase the dark night of sin away;
    shed o’er the world Thy holy light.

(Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #384
Author: Bernard of Clairvaux 1091-1153)

En Route To Zion

Bible Study, , ,

EN ROUTE TO ZION

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Heb. 5: 11-14).

Hmm! I wonder to whom this writer is speaking. Are you looking over your shoulder?

The very fact that these readers were tempted to turn around and go back to “Egypt” was an indication that they were just as immature as those who literally came out of Egypt. Why were the Israelites so eager to return to the place where they had endured so much? They had no understanding and short memories. Like babies, all they were concerned about was themselves. They had forgotten that God had a purpose for them. They were His people, created for His pleasure, not their own.

Their journey from Egypt to Canaan was part of a much bigger picture God was painting on a canvas too big for them to see. All God wanted of them was to trust Him. It was His plan to get them to their own land where they would live under His covering, protection and provision as a witness to the surrounding nations that He alone is God and that He is a good God. If they followed His instructions, they would live in peace, safety and plenty.

Their faith in God had to be tested to be proved genuine and able to stand up to adversity. Just like us, they lived in the real world. Tough times would come but they were to keep their eyes on God and do the right thing always. This was the purpose of the testing. What would they do when adversity hit? Doing the right thing meant following God’s “path”, living the way He taught them to live, no matter what.

God’s word is His torah, His directions for staying on the path that would lead them to “Zion”, the holy mountain in the city of Jerusalem, in which He had placed His name – the place where He had chosen to make His dwelling. Those who were righteous stayed on the path where they were safe from the dangers of the journey.

However, like the ancient people of God, these readers were still infants, drinking the milk of babyhood instead of eating the solid food of maturity. What did he mean? Like so many of God’s people today, they were still “rededicating their lives to the Lord” every time there was an “altar call” because they were constantly “backsliding” and having to “come back to the Lord”. They never got past the elementary things of the faith, to the place where they could get on with doing “good” and bypassing “evil”.

There are some concepts in the writer’s words that need explaining. From the Hebrew perspective, the migration of God’s people from Egypt to Canaan is a picture of life. We are on a migration from this life to the next. In order to navigate the wilderness, they needed landmarks, recognisable points along the way that helped them to stay on course. There are also “landmarks” on our journey through life; people, situations, experiences that prompt us to follow God’s prescribed way, giving us opportunity to do the right thing – to obey God’s teaching which will ensure that we stay on the path instead of wandering off the path and dying in the wilderness.

The words “good” and “evil” are better translated “functional” and “dysfunctional”. When we obey God’s teaching, our lives are functional, creating harmony and order where we are. When we disobey God’s instruction, we become dysfunctional, causing chaos in our homes and in society.

God’s verdict on His newly formed earth with its vegetation and creatures was:

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good (functional). And there was evening, and there was morning – the sixth day (Gen. 1: 31).

Sin entered through Adam’s disobedience, causing the earth and everything in it to become dysfunctional. Jesus came to this earth and paid the debt of sin for all mankind so that we can return (repent) to God’s way and become functional again. When we return to God’s way, following His instructions for living, we stay on course for our destination which is to become like Jesus who is the high point towards which we are journeying.

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire . . . but you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem   . . . to Jesus the mediator of a better covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12: 18, 22, 24).

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

What’s On The Menu?

Bible Study, , , ,

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like new-born babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2: 1-3).

When you see a ‘therefore’, you must ask what it is there for! ‘Therefore’ connects what had gone before with what follows.

In chapter one, Peter put his readers into the middle of the picture. It was all about what God had done for them. They were participants in God’s great salvation. They had experienced new birth through the power of God’s word and the working of the Holy Spirit. They had the hope of resurrection and the assurance of an indestructible inheritance. Even the suffering they had to endure was not meaningless because God was purifying their faith through it.

They were privileged beyond the prophets and angels who saw but could not be a part of this salvation through Jesus. The prophets who lived under the Old Covenant had to depend on their faith in animal blood for forgiveness, not knowing that it was only a picture of the blood of God’s own Lamb. They saw in prophetic vision the glory of the Messiah but they could not share in His life. How privileged Peter’s readers were to be partakers in God’s New Covenant!

The whole point of what God did through Jesus was to free them from the guilt and penalty of their sin so that they could return to the Father. In His great mercy, He provided a perfect lamb to redeem them from their plight as firstborn in Adam. He redeemed them from the slave market of sin to restore His own image in them. Sin brought death. He provided the potential to escape death. He gave them His own nature, free from sin and death because He is perfect.

The old selfish, greedy, ungodly nature had been overridden by a new nature, giving them the potential to be holy. God is holy; He hates sin and cannot sin. He requires that His children resemble Him and no longer their old master, the devil. The Holy Spirit was given to them to overcome sin so that they could live holy lives.

‘Therefore,’ said Peter, ‘get rid of the hidden sins that still lurk inside.’ Notice that he did not harp on the obvious sins that were evident to everyone around; things like murder, adultery, theft, etc. This kind of behaviour should have fallen away long ago. It was the hidden things, the sins of the heart; thoughts, attitudes, intentions and motives that were more difficult to overcome. These are the evidences of an active old nature, according to Jesus.

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person (Mark 7: 21-23).

James also understood that sin is conceived in the heart.

‘. . . Every person is tempted when he is dragged away by his own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1: 14-15).

How could Peter’s readers, including us, overcome the problem of the old nature? His answer was simple. Starve the old nature by fuelling your appetite for the new. Crave Gods’ word like a new-born infant craves milk. How does one do that? We develop our appetite by what we eat. A child who is fed junk food has no appetite for meat and vegetables. The only way to change his eating habits would be to starve him of the unhealthy stuff and force him to eat good food until he loses his appetite for the junk.

Whatever nature we feed will rule our lives. God has given us the potential to live a holy life but it is up to us to activate that potential by nurturing our desires with the right ‘food’.

The problem is that we will eventually become what our desires lead us to become. God has freed us from our sin to become His sons and daughters. It is up to us to become who we are by feeding on His word.

What is on your menu today

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.