MILK OR MEAT?

Babies need milk. They would choke on meat. When people come to Christ, they are born again, and need the first principles of God’s Word. That is how they develop.

Growth is normative.  This is discipleship. Believers should mature and move beyond ingesting the milk of the Word to digesting the meat of the Word.

A mark of physical maturity is the capacity to reproduce. Growing the congregation in spiritual maturity yields reproduction also. Those who are taught become teachers themselves.

Another indicator that people are maturing in faith is the skill with which they comprehend and communicate the Scriptures. There is a high level of discernment to sort out truth from error and to practically apply the Word in knowing the good to embrace and the evil to exclude.  The senses are exercised and a vitality in spirituality is evidenced.

Sadly, this congregation of Hebrews had not grown out of spiritual infancy. This is a frustrating matter for a Bible preacher.

Yet, do we shoulder some of the blame?  Have we been so invested in attaining a larger congregation numerically that we have neglected developing a deeper congregation spiritually?  Has there been a resolve on our part to lead the church to set a high standard for membership that demands accountability in discipleship?  Is our own study so shallow that we lack the content and communication skill to serve a hearty meal?

As you prepare to preach will you be able to feed them milk or meat?  Let us prayerfully consider this matter for we will give a strict accounting to God for it at the Judgment Seat of Christ!