Of milk, and meat, and maturity

 

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:2-3 ESV

                To desire milk at the start is good, but only as it is directed to growth. As Peter goes on to say in verses 4-6 all believers are being built up in Christ. To start with milk is good, but to stay with it and never to have real meat is bad see 1 Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:12. It is unnatural that an appetite should not develop in the saint who in being a saint must have tasted to see that the Lord is good.

            First then the appetite must be examined to see if it is healthy. It ought first to desire purity. The saint should accept no substitute for the truth, and delight in nothing deluded with lies.  As a babe might protest if its supper is lacking in the much needed nutrient, so ought the believer to rebel against any poor instruction. This demand of purity ought never to cease, for who wishes to eat tainted meat? The appetite ought also to increase to want more than milk for its satisfaction. Having found the utmost good all that is left is to desire more of it, and to gain strength that more might be digested.  

            Now a healthy appetite might be stunted by poor provision. The teacher who has not had more than milk has nothing but milk to feed the flock. Therefore, the pastor is commanded to study 2 Timothy 2:15, as an essential responsibility of his office. Those who fail at his command doubly fail the saints. By their example they undermine devotion and so growth. By their ministry they represent that there is only milk. Some indeed teach that milk is better than meat. But the good minister serves in preaching and teaching both milk and meat. Moreover, by his example of life, and by his ministry, he promotes such habits of devotion as will mature and improve the saints. If the maturing believer cannot find meat served in his current local let him go out and seek it, trusting God that it can be found: and even more if no pure milk is on offer. Indeed, it can be found, for God is a good Father who does not withhold good from His children. Thus, the complacent are without excuse.

            We must here note that there are some who call themselves ministers, but are not who have never themselves tasted to see that God is good, and have neither milk nor meat to give. These instead offer all sort of carnal and worldly rubbish. They create obstacles to getting the milk and meat joining their efforts to those of the philistines who plug the wells of living waters. Flee from these evil men and women.

            There are many who have not tasted truly of the Lord, these have no appetite to speak of. There are others whose appetite has been doled and these must seek a fresh taste of the goodness of God that there hunger and thirst for righteousness would be renewed and increased. Some by abuse have not got the strength to take meat though they wish it, and some might have meat but do not find it readily given and know not where to find it. Such souls as these need only the right ministry of the church to help them. Remember there is more to maturity than merely knowing facts.

            Finally beloved, do not dwell on what ought to have been accomplished in your lives so far, but forgetting what lies behind press forward to the goal. For the undaunted desire of pure milk, and then of pure meat will be satisfied by God if we faint not.

Prayer

            Our good Father let us never forget Your goodness. Let us grow-up on the pure milk, and the pure meat of Your word. May we taste afresh the ultimate good, and find it better each time we partake. Give us ministers to serve the purest feast in their preaching and teaching, and let the richness of the word fill our fellowship. Grant, we pray Yourself in all fullness, till we are fit for glory, to delight forever in Your awesome presence. It is for the sake of Your glory we ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Songs

If Thou hast drawn a thousand times

Flourishing by Sandra McCracken

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