Strong Meat

“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 every one that useth milk is unskilful 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.” Hebrews 5:12-14

God expects us to grow spiritually. He wants us to continually be learning more about His Word and putting the things that we learn into practice in our lives. As we grow and mature, we are to begin to help others around us in their walk with the Lord. There should be opportunities to share Christ with others who do not yet know Him. There should also be opportunities to encourage and teach those who are new in the faith. The metaphor in the passage above is the contrast between the diets of babies and adults. Newborns require milk in order to receive the nutrients necessary for growth and health. Grownups are able to eat meat. They have the teeth required to chew the meat, and their bodies are developed to the point where they can process it and gain strength from the protein it contains. Spiritual truth presents us with similar spectrums of nourishment and difficulty. One marker of spiritual growth is our skill in understanding and applying the Word of God. How well do we know the Bible? Do we understand how to apply it in our lives? Are we mature enough to deal with “strong meat”?