"Long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. "
1 Peter 2:2
MILK vs. MEAT
Read It: Ephesians 4:14-16
At first reading, today's verse and today's text may seem to be in conflict. flict. Paul tells us not to be children anymore, yet Peter tells us to desire the milk of the Word. The two texts aren't contradictory, of course. They're written to people of different spiritual ages. Peter makes it clear he's writing to new Christians, baby disciples. Paul is writing to people in Ephesus who have had time to grow and needed to move on from milk to meat. You see this same thing in the church at Corinth. From the time Paul had established the church to the writing of 1 Corinthians was a span of about five years. Now in five years, a baby is supposed to do some growing. ing. He may not be mature, but a five-year-old can understand a lot of things a newborn can't. A five-year-old who's still on Pablum is a sad thing. So is a five-year-old old Christian who's still playing in the crib. A new Christian is going to have newborn struggles. But if you are five or ten years old in Christ, and you still can't walk, we have a problem. If you are a teenage Christian and all you can get down is milk, there's a problem. Remember our discipleship formula-rate multiplied by time gives us the distance traveled. Want to know one way you can test whether you're traveling at a good rate? Here's the test. Which ministers most to you, the "show and tell" kind of service or the teaching of God's Word? See, many people will say, "We had church today. I know because I shouted. I got happy." That's baby food. There's nothing wrong with it, but spiritual growth occurs not just when you shout, but when you learn more about Jesus and what He wants from you, and you go out committed mitted to obeying Him.
Paul calls it "speaking the truth in love" (v. 15) and says it's essential to spiritual growth. When you can hear and receive the truth of Christ, even when it confronts and convicts you, and adjust your life to it, you know you're covering some ground. Think About It A disciple should be growing in knowledge of the Lord and developing skills in Christian living.
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