Christians need to have a steady diet of God’s word, or they will fail to grow. The Hebrew writer spoke of this problem. “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 everyone that useth milk is unskillful 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” (Heb.
5:12 – 14). Spiritual growth is a must if one plans on spending eternity in heaven.
Christian growth is essential it is a MUST! Peter wrote, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18). The growth of a child of God can be compared to physical growth.
It needs to begin at “birth” and continue for the life of the individual. That birth begins when one is baptized into Christ.
Nicodemus came to Jesus to discuss religion, in His answer to him Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 – 5). Jesus wanted this one to know what he had to do to be pleasing to God. Later Peter would write, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:22, 23).
Just as a baby must receive nourishment so must a babe in Christ receive nourishment.
This comes from feeding upon the word of God. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Feeding upon spiritual food enables one to discern between that which is good and that which is bad.
Christians need to have a steady diet of God’s word, or they will fail to grow. The Hebrew writer spoke of this problem. “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 everyone that useth milk is unskillful 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” (Heb.
5:12 – 14). Spiritual growth is a must if one plans on spending eternity in heaven.
Christian growth is essential it is a MUST! Peter wrote, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18). The growth of a child of God can be compared to physical growth.
It needs to begin at “birth” and continue for the life of the individual. That birth begins when one is baptized into Christ.
Nicodemus came to Jesus to discuss religion, in His answer to him Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 – 5). Jesus wanted this one to know what he had to do to be pleasing to God. Later Peter would write, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:22, 23).
Just as a baby must receive nourishment so must a babe in Christ receive nourishment.
This comes from feeding upon the word of God. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Feeding upon spiritual food enables one to discern between that which is good and that which is bad.
The babe begins to grow, becoming able to partake of more solid food. The new Christian moves beyond the fundamentals of Christianity and can “digest” more of the word. This process causes the Christian to realize more and more responsibility as a child of God.
Some Christians never get beyond the beginning stages of growth. They are as the types of ground of which Jesus spoke. “And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:3-11)? Those who fail to grow are “scorched” by sin and turn back to the world.
Those who fail to continue to grow have allowed the world to distract them from their goal of adulthood as a Christian. It is only those who feast upon the word, allowing it to nourish their souls, who are growing properly. They seek to follow the teachings of God.