Having spent almost sixty-seven years on this planet and saved in 1975 I have a bit of experience in some areas. I have been in some aspect of ministry almost from the start. I have had opportunities to live in several states and serve in various churches and ministries. What I have noticed, as have others, that there is a dearth of biblical literacy and maturity. It is amazing what some people believe that they have either no Scriptural reference to support it or they have so twisted a verse or passage that it is astounding and disturbing.
We live in an age of information and there are thousands of resources for bible study. That is a good thing and a bad thing. Great that people can study the Word like no other time in history. I have to wonder how some of the great preachers of the past would have enhanced their sermons and ministries had they had such easy access to things it would have taken them months or years to amass in a matter of minutes today.
The bad thing is that every heretic and crazy person also has the ability to post their poison on the net or publish their books. There is so much out there that requires discernment to keep a Christian from becoming confused or a fan of a heretic.
We need to get back to some basics. Jesus tried to teach people from what they knew, earthly things, so that He could progress them to Heavenly things. Yet, He was not getting through to many of them. They wanted to see miracles and learn about Heaven and the future, but they were not grasping the earthly. Jesus said
John_3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Indeed, if you cannot understand 2+2 or 6-4 you are not going to pass an Algebra or Trigonometry class. He used the Law, which they knew. He used agriculture, fishing, construction and other examples and it went over their heads. When He tried to teach them about His substitutionary atonement for their sins they did not get the analogy and thought He was teaching some sort of cannibalism causing them to leave. No miracles and solid doctrine does wean out many seekers because they are seeking the wrong thing.
OK, you can say that some of the populace were not as well versed in the Law as the religious leaders, but that is why Jesus spoke to them in things they knew. Still, not even the scholarly Pharisees and Sadducees grasped the simple because they had made everything so complex redefining parts of the Law and denying other parts they could not believe it was as simple as Jesus was teaching.
That was before His resurrection and Pentecost so after that things were better, right? No!
1Cor_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.
Corinthians fed with milk? Come on these people had all the gifts of the Spirit. How can you say they were still being breastfed babies spiritually speaking? Look at both epistles thoroughly. Most of what Paul is writing to them is rebuke. They were highly gifted brats.
They questioned Paul’s apostleship because his speech was not eloquent and he did not look as good as some of those lads coming up from Jerusalem that were trying to mix law and grace. They wanted certifications of his apostleship. How were they saved if not by his Gospel and he did the signs of an apostle. They overemphasized the least of the gifts so much that Paul wished they would all get it to take the pride factor away. They did not confront sin in the congregation. They had a couple committing a sin that even the pagan Gentiles refrained from and they refrained from very little. They had to have instruction over how a woman should dress and wear their hair. They turned the Lord’s Supper into just another drunken orgy dedicated to Christ instead of Zeus or Bacchus. Some pigged out and left the hungry stay hungry. They were aligning more with men than Christ. They had factions claiming they were of Apollos or Paul and even arrogantly that they were of Christ unlike the rest of the people. They were an absolute mess and yet operated in the gifts. Milk was all they could handle. Sounds like many American churches.
Well, they were Gentiles and it would be a learning curve for them so cut them some slack. Paul didn’t. Well, the Jewish Christians were more mature, right? After all, they had the Law and everything happened in Jerusalem. The Council had James as the leader so they had it all together at least. Ah, no.
Hebrews 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
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.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
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.
These were not Gentiles or new converts. They were Jewish Christians who were saved long enough that they should have been teachers. Yet, Paul had to carry them back to Christianity 101 or square 1. They were milk drinkers and it was like a 50 year old still drinking from the bottle. They should have had a college degree in spiritual things but they had to go back to the ABCs. They should have been and probably were embarrassed by Paul’s assessment of them.
They were unskillful in the Word. Did they read it? Probably. Did they know how to rightly divide it or interpret it and apply it to their lives? Obviously not. They may have been able to win Bible drills like a 6 year old, but they were unable to use it anymore than a 6 year old running a wrecking crane and they were just as dangerous.
Like I said there is so much folklore, cultural appropriation and just downright heresy espoused throughout the Body of Christ that it is amazing. People leave churches over nothing because they are too immature to handle conflicts and resolve them. They will find the same problem they had at the old church in the new church and move on again. They are unskillful in the Word. They are immature.
If you are doing strong meat you can tell what is evil and what is not rather than living in “gray” areas or finding someone who will justify your sin of anger, envy, lust or gossip. You know abortion is wrong and many other issues that “Christians” are apathetic about or support in the voting booth. You know there is only one race and you do not hate anyone over shades of brown. You know that the church you attend does not belong to you or the pastor. If it is a true church it belongs to Christ and His agenda is paramount. Your opinions based on your agenda are not valid. You forgive as Christ has forgiven you. You are not running all over the place seeking a sign or a prophecy like those on Mars Hill that wanted to hear some new thing. You are a full grown Christian cutting steak not sucking a bottle.
1Cor 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Indeed, it is a time for meat! It is a time for maturity. There are enough children who should be adults in the world. Put your teething rings and bottles away and step up to the carnivore buffet. The world needs meat eating grown Children of God.
Maybe meat chokes you because you are not saved, just religious. Time to fix that because even your milk will sour if you die without Christ. Come today and be saved! Maranatha!!!
