Spiritual Babes and Scriptural Milk

(Note: Keep a bookmark around 1 Corinthians chapter 3, as we will be going to it and other chapters in 1 Corinthians alongside other scripture.)

Hymn: Nearer My God to Thee (600)

Summary:

• Sincere milk of the word: how does it pertain to spiritual babes?
• What is spiritual milk: some examples.
  • The gospel by which we are saved
  • One foundation: Jesus Christ
  • Word of God is there to teach us
  • Put away evil from among you and be ye holy
• Why is spiritual milk important to us?

Sincere milk of the word

Newly saved Christians are a lot like newborn babes, since we were born again (spiritually):

John 3:7-8 KJV
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 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?
5 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.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Now that the Lord blessed me and my wife with our daughter Amalina (Psalm 128:4, 127:3), we've been learning more about what an actual babe/baby is like (and at present are in the "survival stage" of trying to get enough sleep while feeding and cleaning her).

Around the 3 week mark (thereabout), the babe will start to demand almost constant feeding, which is commonly called "cluster feeding". The Lord has given me an opportunity to really meditate on his word, as I'm now responsible for the night-time duty (bottle-feeding expressed milk, diapers, calming her down). It pushes my patience and sanity to the extreme, but I have hope that it will eventually be over.

Manchild/maidchild desires his mothers milk more than anything. Amalina's almost constant hunger can get very frustrating, however it is a good example of how we're supposed to desire the the word of the Lord:

1 Peter 2:1-3 KJV
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

We grow by reading and studying God's word, just as babies grow by taking their mother's milk.

Psalm 119:9 KJV
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Proverbs 4:20-22 KJV
20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Matthew 4:4 KJV
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

John 6:63 KJV
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 4:10,14 KJV
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
...
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Romans 10:17 KJV
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

What is the spiritual milk in the scriptures?

Paul tells the Corinthians in his first epistle to them that he fed them with milk, not meat, as they had many problems in the flesh (walked after the flesh).

1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
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.

In the epistle to the Galatians he explains what is to walk after the flesh (notice how similar it is to the passages in 1 Corinthians 3)

Galatians 5:13-17 KJV
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Since there were many that walked after the flesh and not after the spirit, they wouldn't be able to receive the deeper scriptures, and instead needed to be fed with the simple, easy to be understood teachings.

Hebrews 5:11-13 KJV
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.

Here's some of the milk that was taught by Paul the apostle.

The gospel by which we are saved

It is the first and most important thing that we ought to know and live by (since by the gospel we are saved). It is the most important part of the scriptures, since it gives us an assurance of salvation in this dispensation (before the body of Christ has been caught up, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 KJV
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Romans 1:16-17 KJV
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Paul summarises the gospel very simply in chapter 15.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 5:6-10 KJV
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Jesus Christ was a more perfect high priest, and fulfilled the law for us, shedding his blood to cleanse us from sin forever.

Hebrews 9:11-16 KJV
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Without the gospel, our faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins.

1 Corinthians 15:12-17 KJV
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Without preaching the gospel, men won't know how to get saved, and thus any other spiritual meat that is taught is irrelevant.

One foundation: Jesus Christ

As often happens today, believers tend to follow a particular man/men (whether in the Bible, or that have been alive in recent history).

1 Corinthians 3:3-5 KJV
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

A couple chapters earlier he said something similar.

1 Corinthians 1:11-13 KJV
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Whereas instead of biting and devouring one another, we're supposed to be one body, having one faith, doctrine, one Lord Jesus Christ etc.

1 Corinthians 1:9-10 KJV
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:1-6 KJV
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

We are a single body of Christ, not particular "denomination" or sect (except of course being the "sect of the Nazarenes", see Acts 24:5).

Romans 12:3-5 KJV
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

And there's one only foundation upon which everything stands.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11 KJV
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

And if we build upon this foundation, then we will have rewards in heaven (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

Word of God is there to teach us

We know that the word of God is given to us for:

• Doctrine
• Reproof
• Correction
• Instruction in righteousness

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

And that we need to rightly divide the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

One of the commandments given in the law is to make it clear to a neighbour/brother (one close to you) that they are in sin.

Leviticus 19:7 KJV
17 ¶ Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Paul also told the Jews that were saved that they are supposed to be teachers of spiritual babes, since they are taught in the law, and know what God considers good and evil.

Romans 2:17-20 KJV
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Paul wrote similarly in Hebrews 5:1-3

Hebrews 5:1-3 KJV
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

(Interesting how in Revelation 1:5-6 talks about us being made "kings and priests unto God"...)

We should be reading, studying, memorising God's word, as it helps us to grow (as a babe grows with mother's milk) and helps to teach others also.

Put away evil from among you and be ye holy

As mentioned previously, the word of God teaches us what is good and what is evil, and to avoid the mistakes of those that came before us.

1 Corinthians 10:6-11 KJV
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

We ought to depart from sin, and especially not fellowship with a brother or sister that wish to continue in their sins.

1 Corinthians 5:1,5-8 KJV
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
...
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

At one point we were estranged from God, and walked after the course of this world, but now we are made a new creature.

Ephesians 2:11-13 KJV
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We are the temple of God, and thus should keep ourselves holy, lest we earn the wages of sin (Romans 6:23).

1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Peter 1:13-16 KJV
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Knowledge puffeth up, wisdom of this world

We know that the wisdom of this world is "foolishness with God". And that by man's understanding we cannot be saved.

1 Corinthians 3:18-21 KJV
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

1 Corinthians 1:17-21 KJV
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

We also know that "knowledge puffeth up". It is easy to get prideful when learning one matter or another (whether biblical or otherwise). This is why Paul focused so much on milk, and often repeated the same ideas throughout the epistles.

1 Corinthians 8:1-2 KJV
1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

Philippians 3:1 KJV
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

That is why we ought to often come back to the milk of scripture, to remind us of the hope that is in us, and to walk as "children of light".

1 Peter 3:15 KJV
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Ephesians 5:8-10 KJV
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Why is spiritual milk important to us?

We ought to study the word for ourselves, and thus grow. Otherwise how would we be able to teach others in the time to come (or spot heresies within the body of Christ?)

Acts 17:10-12 KJV
10 ¶ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Just as parents admonish their children, so did Paul warn us and other Christians through the epistles by repeating simple milk to help us be closer to God

1 Corinthians 4:14-17 KJV
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

This passages in Deuteronomy 6 have been often coming to me while Melaney was with child, to get myself ready to be an example for my children.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 KJV
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

By studying the milk of scripture, we can teach it to others more easily, and be closer to our Lord and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 21:16 KJV
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Ephesians 5:19 KJV
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Hymn: Abba, Father! We Approach Thee (2)