Baby Christians Try To Live On Milk

Yesterday I wrote about Christ's suffering for all mankind, a very difficult topic. It is easy to say. Even little children can say, "Jesus died on the cross," but to grasp the implications and even begin to understand the meaning—that is another thing. So the Hebrews letter writer says,

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. - Hebrews 5:11-14 ESV

In fact, the writer goes into much detail in the next chapters, trying to explain. So let me try to explain the difference between the basic principles of the oracles of God—what he calls milk—and solid food. 
Lets start with milk. We'll be coming back to this again and again in the future.

Paul writes to the Corinthians about milk:

I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? - 1Cor 3:2-4 ESV 

I've served congregations dealing with these issues. People line up behind one pastor and start mocking the other for what they consider his failures or weaknesses. The same thing happens between members of church staffs or church committees. Criticism, accusations, lies, complaints. Some examples.

"She made a pass at my husband."  

"He's been stealing from church funds for his own purposes."  

"We worked so hard at this project and she gets all the credit."

And on and on. Soon come notes and emails flying back and forth or phone calls, secret gatherings and special secret meetings! And then an all-out war of jealousy and strife.  This is what Paul means when he says, ". . . are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?"

Do you see the connection between what Paul is saying and the Hebrews writer? What are the basic principles of the oracles of God? Again, the baby or the baby-Christian can say, "Christ died for me," but what follows? What follows is what the Apostle John points to in his letter. Strife, jealousy, hate—this is of the devil. This is not how the new born child of God acts. The child of God rejoices in the fact that Christ died for sinners—and he seeks to follow in that path. He / she forgives as we all are forgiven in Christ. John writes,

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. - 1John 3:9-16 ESV

 Are you there yet? Look at your own heart. Do you still harbor jealousy, mockery, anger? Are you spreading stories, busily telling tales? Stop this instant. Stop and take a long, careful look at your own heart. How dare you pray our Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our debts," and then not follow up on your promise to forgive others their debts? You are still living on milk. And if you don't know how to deal with your feelings of hate and anger, here is another bit of counsel for you. Jealousy and strife are evidence of sickness in the body of Christ, of immaturity and childishness. If you are struggling with these issues it may well be time for you to visit with your pastor or elder.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. - James 5:14-16 ESV

We'll go on to pursue maturity as we work our way deeper into this great letter to the Hebrews.

 

What Shall We Say About Vampires?

76, 900,000! That's how many sites popped up as soon as I did a Google search on moon vampire! Wild! And weird. Girls can go to YouTube and see a demonstration on how to do makeup to look like
new moon vampire Jane. Everyone is invited to play Play Full Moon Vampire a Free Game at Fupa Games. Vampires ruled the night at the MTV Movie Awards. And on and on and on. 

What's this all about? Why the popularity and fascination with vampires and the moon?  Vampires are evil and evil fascinates. And these poor vampires need normal people. Even though they have their own doubts about killing and drinking blood, they still need us. They are lonely.

The exciting thing, especially for youth, is that they challenge established ways of thinking, organized religion, racial and class prejudices. They seem so wise and above the adults with their narrow ways. Vampires are beyond all that. They have no restrictions about monogamy or sexuality. Anything goes. They are the dark and powerful beings of the night.

What's more, vampires defy death; they are eternal and forever young. And so they attract youth who want to believe they too will or can, somehow, live forever.

Wikipedia says this of vampires,

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person/being. Although vampiric entities have been recorded in many cultures, and may go back to "prehistoric times", the term vampire was not popularized until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe,[8]although local variants were also known by different names, such as vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi inRomania. This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually being staked and people being accused of vampirism. . . 

With the arrival of Christianity in Greece, and other parts of Europe, the vampire "began to take on decidedly Christian characteristics." As various regions of the continent converted to Christianity, the vampire was viewed as "a dead person who retained a semblance of life and could leave its grave-much in the same way that Jesus had risen after his death and burial and appeared before his followers." In the Middle Ages, the Christian Church reinterpreted vampires from their previous folk existence into minions of Satan, and used an allegory to communicate a doctrine to Christians: "Just as a vampire takes a sinner's very spirit into itself by drinking his blood, so also can a righteous Christian by drinking Christ's blood take the divine spirit into himself." The interpretation of vampires under the Christian Church established connotations that are still associated in the vampire genre today.[9]For example, the "ability of the cross to hurt and ward off vampires is distinctly due to its Christian association.

What does all this have to do with the Christian family that looks to the Bible for guidance and counsel? For the youth, grounded and secure in God's love and in the love of their parents, interest in such fantasy fiction as the Twilight series of books and movies may be harmless. They are able to sort out fantasy from reality. However, all preteens and teens are dealing with issues of identity, meaning, self-esteem and purpose in their lives. And they do not all come from healthy, spiritually mature families. Such kids are at great risk for developing unhealthy interests in the occult. Listen to what the Apostles say about Satan's use of such things and about the importance of filling our minds with God's word:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1Pe 5:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. -
Phl 4:8-9 ESV

Parents are well advised to take an active interest in their children's attraction to vampires and all the literature and movies related to the same. Read the books. Learn about them and the movies. Discuss what you learn with your kids and help them to see the problems and dangers. Above all, let them know that you care about them and want them to grow and develop in God pleasing ways.

More about this in my next post.

Oh, Grow Up!

"Oh grow up!" she said. "You're such a child!"
"I am not," he shouted back. "Besides, what do you know—with all your bragging and selfishness?"

Ever had this conversation? Ever heard it going on in your family? I'm confident it goes on everywhere. Children and childish ways are OK for children, but when you get older you have to stop acting and thinking as a child. At least that's the claim, depending on what we're talking about.

To show you how ancient this way of talking is permit me a few Biblical quotes:

• "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways" (1 Corinthians 13:11).

• "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it" (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

• "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child" (Hebrews 5:12-13).

These Biblical writers are talking about spiritual matters, our new birth by the Holy Spirit and our growth in the Word of God. They do not address children as not belonging to the family of God. They do not suggest that they are without faith in Christ. They are not suggesting that the Holy Spirit does not dwell in them. But they are children, not in terms of years lived, but in their relationship to the heavenly Father and in their willingness and ability to obey His commands and guidance, as well as their ability to resist temptations from their old human nature, the fallen world and the demonic forces that rule the world.

What are some examples of acting as a spiritual child? What does it mean to speak, think and act like such a child? 

Paul says that quarreling about whose pastor or teacher is best is childish (study the context of the passage quoted). Anytime you start bragging about your teacher and putting another down you are being childish.

The writer to the Hebrews chides his readers because they are not interested in learning about how carefully and how long the Lord God planned their rescue and redemption in Christ. They are, he says, "unskilled in the word of righteousness." He worries that if they do not move on in their spiritual growth they will ultimately lose their faith altogether. From his perspective such folks are in danger of mocking Jesus and their need for what He alone brings them, the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. And once that happens there is no turning back (Hebrews 6:1-8). 

All I can say therefore is that it is dangerous to remain a spiritual child and to try to survive on milk. There are big, strong, dangerous spiritual enemies around who love to run off with children. We all need to hear God's Spirit pleading with us. Please. It's time to be weaned. It's time to start eating solid food. It's time to grow up.