Milk and Meat: Food For The Soul

Archived on July 17th, 2005

There is a need in this world today for straight-forward teaching of the Word of God. Too many are "pulling punches" because it's not politically correct to teach things that are the truth. This may be good in the sight of man, but in God's eyes it's twisting His truth's to appease the flesh and will only bring death instead of life.
We are told The Word for Today of God that His teaching are as Milk and Meat. The fundamentals are considered Milk, for new christians, babes in Christ. The Meat is for the mature Christian. Let's look at the Word and how these might relate to you in one way or another. Turn to 1st Peter 2:1,2

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
As a new Christian, we must first learn the basics of our new found faith in order to grow. If we have accepted Christ, He has given us a new heart and changed us into a new creature, spiritually. So our actions should also likewise change. In the Greek in verse one above, we must put aside all "badness", and all deception, and hypocrisy and ill will, and all slander. We must lay these things aside and desire to learn of the basics, the milk of the Word of God so that we as new Christians can grow from a babe in Christ, to a Man or Woman of God! Turn to Hebrews Chapter 5, where we will see a more in-depth look at milk and meat.

Heb 5:12 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.
In the verses prior, a little about being a priest unto God is being discussed. Christ was the perfect priest, for he was without spot, but men who were priests had to make the sacrifice for themselves as well, being sinful in nature. So even the mature teacher, falls sometimes and needs to be reminded of the basics. A teacher must be taught the "first principles of the oracles of God" again. These first principles in the Greek is "ho arche stoicheon ho logion theos". It is the very first teachings of God, the fundamental utterings of our Father.

Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful The Word for Today of righteousness: for he is a babe.
All who can only share the fundamentals The Word for Today of God is unskillful in that Word, not knowing the complete teachings. You can teach salvation and baptism all day, but will never mature into the Christian that the Father intended.

Heb 5:14 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.
Solid food is for those who are mature in Christ. For those who by using their perceptions frequently can discern good and evil.

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
We are told here to leave those fundamentals behind, to become adults in Christ, and move into the "perfection" ( Completeness) that was intended by our Father. This is not to say, to completely forget those teachings, but after they are taught, we shouldn't forget them and should go forth into deeper teachings.
We are then told what these principle teachings are, beginning in this verse and carrying into the next.
The first basic mentioned is the "Repentance from dead works". This is basic repentance, turning your back on sin to never do it again. If in your heart you truly have remorse for committing that sin and don't want to do it again, that is the essence of repentance.
Second, we have the teaching of Faith. of course we are taught that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." ( Hebrews 11:1) Faith towards God, is believing in Him and all He has said to us through His Word and the Son.
These are the first two, and therefore the most important, without such there cannot be salvation. For without faith and repentance, we cannot be forgiven.


Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Now we are told a few more; Baptism, laying on of hands or healing, the resurrection and the eternal judgement, either to life or death.
These are fundamentals of Christianity. The principles of God's teachings. If you are in a church that does not move past this, then you are in a church that cannot grow into completeness with God. Always remaining babies who cannot get past drinking milk to really dive into the meat of the Word, which increases faith and lets you grow into maturity as a man or woman who can serve the Father in all the fulness that was intended!
So I encourage you to increase your knowledge of God, study to show yourself approved unto Him. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" - Romans 10:17 As you sit down to eat the meat, your faith increases, and your shield of Faith becomes a wall of spiritual armor to deflect the wiles of the devil. Why? Because the devil, satan has more knowledge of the Word than most Christians do, and he twists it just enough to make it seem right, yet it is wrong, as he did in the garden with Eve. If you increase your knowledge of God through His word, then you will know better when satan is twisting that Word and thereby can with authority, rebuke him in Jesus' name!
Think not of carnal, fleshly things but focus on the spiritual.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 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.
Are you able to bear the meat, able to digest it? The Corinthians were not able at that time that Paul was writing to them here. Focus on the Spiritual and grow.

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
You must be weaned from the Milk before you can truly understand doctrine of Christ and the knowledge of His Word. Learn the fundamentals of Christianity and then grow further by digging into the Living Word of God! It is truly living, as you learn more and more deeper truths. Of UFO's ( There are no unidentified objects with God), of Dinosaurs, of Angels, and the true workings of the World. Know your enemy as well, satan. For by knowing his method of operation you can be better equipped to resist him. Sharpen your Sword for battle and use it! How?

Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse is the only way to go. If I take a verse from this chapter and a verse from another chapter, I could make up my own religion, some people have done just that. No, God intended for His word to be taught in context, in truth, and that those who should understand would. If there is some things you do not understand, put it in the back of your mind for later, and then perhaps in the future you will better understand it. God gives rain in due time. Like manna from heaven.

Love the Lord thy God with all your mind, heart and soul. Love thy neighbor as thyself. This sums up the milk, the basic commandments as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:37-40.

For more on how to study and start eating meat, I encourage you to look at our "How to Study" and other study resources in the Study Hall on this site.
I hope you have enjoyed this message, and that it encourages you to grow in Christ. May Father keep you and lead you into all truth!

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