For The Mature Christian

Fast Food collage from Wikipedia, but the link isn’t fast food!!

Remember yesterday’s post?  If not, go ahead a take a look at it.  While checking in on Second Daughter’s progress, I mentioned that I used her migraine in a blog.  We talked about it, and I explained that it was directed more toward mature Christians than the newborns. That the mature Christians should be offering milk to newbies, and she mentioned that in many instances, Christians aren’t getting meat. She and I had a couple of verses in mind. 

I was thinking of:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV)

Here Paul was explaining why he was giving small increments of lessons for new Christians that still had a carnal spirit, just as he would give milk to babies who could not digest meat.

She was thinking of:

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14 KJV)

Here the writer of Hebrews was decrying the fact that mature Christians should be long past the milk stage, able to digest the difficult principles spoke of God.  Instead, they are requiring the full attention of teachers instead of teaching others.

Second Daughter put it down to our society being so used to fast foods that we expect the same in our churches.  Run in on Sunday morning for the worship service and that should hold us for the entire week, right? If not outright milk, at least a milkshake, not meat.

Wrong!

We all know what happens to people that eat only fast food – and weight loss at Subway is NOT what we had in mind.  There are empty calories there, just as keeping John 3 as the only chapter or 1 John 4:8 the only verse would be empty for a Christian.

The mature Christian must be able to handle the hard to understand.

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:15-16 KJV)

If, as a mature Christian, you only receive only milk in services – go seek the meat, at another church, Bible college or in prayerful Bible study as you read through it.

For the new babe in Christ, seek out a teaching mature Christian and learn from them.