Scripture:
“About this we have much to say (and it is hard to explain) since you have become dull of hearing.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the Oracles of God. You need milk…not solid food…for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the way of righteousness since he is a child. (But) solid food is for the mature; for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:11-14)
Observation:
The writer to the Hebrews is still hammering on the readers. It is like he is saying: “Hello, McFly…get your head on straight and in the game.” Growth in depth is required…
Application:
I wish I didn’t read this and think that it applies to someone else. I REALLY wish that I didn’t have specific people in mind when I read this that it applies to. It is a chore to read this for the person whom it really applies to…
Me.
Let’s see how many points I can check off:
1. Dull of hearing CHECK
2. Don’t know or forget the basic Oracles of God CHECK
3. Need milk CHECK
4. Needing milk over and over again-immature CHECK
5. Unskilled in the way of righteousness CHECK
6. Lazy and needing practice to hone my discernment CHECK
Yep, got most of them in this list and I know mostly I am deficient because of one thing: I neglect training.
There is a lot to learn from the Letter to Hebrews. The writer is addressing Jews who have believed but are having difficulty wrapping their heads and hearts around the truth of the Gospel because they want to do what they used to do as well—not in some sort of rebellious way but because the Hebrew believers didn’t know any better. They tried to put the freedom of the Cross into their previous frame of reference and were failing left and right.
I think that is why they were continuing to need milk-because they couldn’t get past the implication of the Cross and the Atonement of the Son of God being sacrificed for the sins of the world.
I need milk for the same reason: I fall into the trap of forgetting what the Gospel means for my life and my relationship with my Lord….and the church. Note: Christianity cannot be practiced effectively alone. It is designed for and perfected in community.
What do I do now? The Bible says a lot but this passage gives some direction:
1. Get the basic principles of the Gospel down cold.
2. With those basic principles in hand, start doing those things that are effective in developing skills.
3. Those developing skills should be applied to develop specific discernment of the difference of good and evil-as the Gospel defines it (which is way more than what our society defines).
4. And practice; on purpose; with intention; and in cooperation with the Holy Spirit so that the Name is honored in every step of our lives. AMEN.
Prayer:
Father. I hope what I have written above is clear and concise. I mean it to be. You who are eternal please take what I said and use it to Your own purpose. Help me not be prideful but to serve You all my days. AMEN.