live4lifechange: ."I Want Meat".

This blog is primarily about me. But today, not as much me but my response. Recently my hand was forced on the issue of milk and meat. Someone who I have interacted with for a number of years listened to my message Sunday and responded with "I want meat."

Here's the problem: Yes, you are educated, yes, you grew up with Christianity, but, no... You are not ready for meat.

Handing you a new piece of Truth when you have yet to interact with the last one is like laying before a baby a nice NY Strip when they are having trouble processing formula.

I Corinthians 3:1-4 "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?"

Paul's measuring stick for whether a person was needing milk or meat is not how many years I have been attending church, or how many years I have spent in Christian education... In the context of this passage Paul uses behavior... "envy, strife, and divisions among you." Paul never refers to my level of education, but how I act. In the broader context of the passage, Paul address more specifics on how my actions will be tried by fire, etc., etc.

Hebrews 5:12-14 "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Here the issue of maturity comes up again. However, once again, as I look into the context of this passage, it is not education that is the measure of maturity. It is life. The writer of Hebrews says that based on the education level of his audience, they should be teaching this Truth, but here they are having to be taught again... Why? Because those who need "meat" are the ones who "have their senses exercised." In other words, the ones who are practicing things like teaching (v. 12). The writer makes it clear-maturity is defined by actions, not understanding.

Even as the context continues in chapter 6, verses 10-12 say, " For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Again, reiterating the reality that it is not what I know, it is what I do.

So What? Why do I bring this all up?

The church is gaging on simple Truth while begging for the best cut of meat...