'The milk and solid food of the Word'
Back to 'Christ in You'
When first we are converted to Christ and begin our pilgrimage we need to be nourished continually with the milk (first principles) of the Word of God.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (I Peter 2:2,3)
We can receive the milk of the Word from the anointed ministries of the Body of Christ as the Word is preached and taught, and also from our own reading and meditating in the Scriptures.
There are few things in the Christian discipleship as necessary for the development of the victorious life as daily reading and meditation in the Scriptures. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of God. We escape the corruption that is in the world by laying hold by faith on the words that God has written to us.
We grow in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, judgment, faith, love, and hope as we keep on reading and meditating in the books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Many Christians do not spend enough time each day learning the Scriptures. As a result they remain weak in faith. They do not grow properly in the Lord.
As soon as we begin growing in the Lord we need to start on the solid food (advanced principles) of the Word of God. The evidence that we are growing in the Lord is our increasing ability to distinguish between good and evil, and our increasing strength and willingness to embrace the good and renounce and reject the evil.
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. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine [the elementary instruction] of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Hebrews 5:12-6:1)
A baby cannot eat solid food because its system is not able to digest it. However, when the baby grows into a boy or girl there is a hunger for solid food, provided normal development has taken place. A healthy child has a good appetite. He craves food and will cry if he does not get it. A sick child loses his appetite because his body is occupied with a higher need—the overcoming of disease.
A healthy, growing Christian craves the solid food of the Word of God. As soon as a Christian gets a taste of solid food he will become restless until he finds a place where it is available to him on a regular basis. If solid food is not available anywhere, spiritual immaturity, deformity, and death may follow.