How's Your Diet? » Reasons for Hope* Jesus

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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From the book of Hebrews we read,

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14 – NASB)

So, the Scriptures, our food (Matthew 4:4), are compared to “milk” and “solid food” (the KJV uses the words “strong meat”). I think it right to cut the pieces straight here . . . “milk” is for “babes” and “solid food” is for “the mature.”

The author of Hebrews is taking his readers to task, verbally chastising them,

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Hebrews 5:12 – NASB)

He lets them know that they “ought to be teachers,” they “ought” to be “mature” when it comes to “the oracles of God.” But they were instead in “need” that “someone teach” them “the elementary principles of the oracles of God.” These professing believers were “needing milk” when they “ought” to be feeding on “solid food.”

This same condition faced the professing believers in Corinth,

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able.” (I Corinthians 3:1-2 – NASB)

Paul was dealing with “babes” also, not “able” to give them “solid food.” They lacked maturity in “the oracles of God,” in the Word of God, in the Scriptures. Their diet required “milk” because,

” . . . you are still fleshly” (I Corinthians 3:3 – NASB)

The diet of a disciple of Christ has to be large portions of the Word. The intent is that he or she become “mature” and “able” to . . .

Walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)
Walk in a manner worthy of the calling by which he/she has been called (Ephesians 4:1)
Be transformed in his/her thinking (Romans 12:2)
Be able to destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God (II Corinthians 10:5)
Be able to stand strong (Ephesians 6:11)
Be able to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3)
Be able to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ (Ephesians 4:15)

Let’s make this a challenging devotion and ask ourselves, “How’s your diet?” Are you needing “milk” or are you feeding on “solid food?” Are you “mature” in “the oracles of God,” advanced in “the elementary principles?” Or are you a professing disciple who needs to have someone “teach you” these things “again?”

The reason so many cults and movements and false teachers exist today, that so many have been able to continue, is that they have been successful in drawing away disciples to their false teaching. I have been witness to many in the church who have been seduced by those who adulterate the Word of God. Why has this happened and why does it continue to happen? Because the church is so full of “babes” who know not “the oracles of God, “who because of” lack of “practice” do not “have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

Many, in our day, think that Bible study is like chewing on round steak, a slow and arduous task. “The word of righteousness” and the intense study of it has been laid aside for other things that please the “senses.” It has created an anemic church, a church suffering from anorexia, a church that instead of being “mature” and thus, thriving off of “solid food,” craves “milk.”

How’s your diet?

Have a good day . . . and may God challenge you through His Word to get busy becoming a person who is no longer in need of milk but is thriving on solid food.