Christian Living
Christian Living
From Milk to Solid Food
The Bible tells us that Christians should progress from taking milk to taking solid food. So why is taking solid food so important? Can a person survive and grow up on milk alone?
Milk is for Babes
When someone is born again as a Christian, he or she becomes a newborn babe. While the "old self" which is carnal dies, the "new self" which is spiritual continues to grow. During this time, the person needs spiritual milk to nurture his new body.
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby. ~ 1 Peter 2:1-2
Milk is nutritious, easy to digest, and the babe can absorb almost everything immediately for its growth. Scriptures like “God is love”, “Jesus died for our sins”, “love your neighbours”, etc. can all be taken literally and immediately without much effort to thoroughly understand.
So Why is Solid Food Necessary?
Solid food, on the other hand, needs to be prepared and digested. Some food has to be cleansed, cooked, and inedible parts taken out, etc. before consumption. Likewise, some Scriptures like “completely wiping out a tribe”, or “stoning sinners to death” need to be understood and chewed upon. Some people take these Bible verses literally and have become murderers even though they have the best intention of serving God.
Nevertheless, solid food is very important to our growth because it is only when we take solid food that we can learn to meditate on the meanings and applications of God’s Word.
For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature. ~ Hebrews 5:13-14
Develop Our Digestive Systems
Unfortunately, many Christians choose to take food already digested by other people. When asked about Christianity, they would quote some preachers or information found on the internet. However, when people ask them about the Scripture source of their statements, they could not provide any answer.
This is very sad because unless we digest the spiritual food ourselves, we cannot strengthen our own digestive systems. Further, the food digested by others may not be usable by us or applicable to our own situations.
Ultimate Purpose of Spiritual Food
Whether it is solid food or milk, the ultimate purpose of spiritual food is for our spiritual growth. And what defines “maturity in the spirit” is having the “ability to discern good from evil” according to the Scriptures.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant practice have trained their senses to discern both good and evil. ~ Hebrews 5:14
So why are mature Christians expected to discern good from evil? The Bible tells us that Man is created in the image of God, to be kings and priests who will exercise God’s will on earth! God can easily give us strength of a lion, eyesight of an eagle, or wings to fly like a bird. However, discernment is something we need to develop ourselves!
God has given free will to all Mankind, but how could Man be trusted to make correct decisions unless they have developed the ability to discern good from evil? Can someone who merely follows the crowd understand and exercise the will of God?
Great Time to Practice
We are now in the End Times when we are constantly bombarded by tons of fake information. However, we also believe this is a great time for Christians to sharpen their senses to discern good and evil without being deceived. With the guidance of our great teacher, the Holy Spirit, mature Christians can be a light to others in this dark world.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day (the Day of the Lord) should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5
THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS, CHILDREN OF GOD;
WITHOUT FAULT IN THE MIDST OF A CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION,
AMONG WHOM YOU SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD.
~ Philippians 2:15
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