Graduate

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:11-14

Christians are often too satisfied with their spiritual grade level. This passage in Hebrews speaks of the person who receives all their spiritual food in the form of milk. They cannot seem to grow up. It’s as if they’re stuck in the 1st grade.

DON’T BE SATISFIED

with being a spiritual 1st grader

for the rest of your life!

So what do you do? Move on to the next level of curriculum. This isn’t public school... no one is going to tell you when to graduate and move up to the next level. The bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is ultimately the One who is in charge of our sanctification. But it seems like this passage tells us that we can stay an infant in our walk simply by choosing to keep feeding on what an infant feeds on. This would be “anyone who lives on milk”.

You may look around and see other Christians who seem to be so “gifted” in their understanding of the bible. But I would argue that most of the time it is those who have made the decision to graduate to that next level in their study of scripture! They have put in countless hours alone with Jesus just sitting at his feet. They have determined that the message they hear on Sundays isn’t enough to nourish their spirit, and so they feast on God’s word every day!

You are probably an expert on some subject. Think about your hobbies. There are things that you have researched, studied, practiced, talked about and dreamed about. You become an expert on whatever it is that gets you excited. You learn without even thinking about it. I heard a great motto the other day. “No bible, no breakfast”. Jesus said,

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)

This is more important than anything you have planned today. It’s even more important that your physical nourishment. Just as the body cannot live without food, the spirit (your new spirit birthed in you when you became a Christian) cannot live without feeding on the Word of God. It’s up to you. Go deeper. Study harder. Graduate.