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(The following is an exerpt from “The Importance of Spiritual Growth” by Lowell Sallee.) Knowledge Each individual Christian is to grow spiritually “until we all attain… the knowledge of the Son of God” (Eph. 4.13). Each of us should have a sincere desire for and willingness to study “the faith” to attain “the knowledge of the Son of God” in order to “attain to the unity” in Christ. Let’s notice what the apostle Peter says concerning the desire for spiritual food. “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2.1-2). The apostle addresses those Christians that have been “chosen” (1 Peter 1.1), those who have been “born again” (1.3), “obedient children” (1.14), those who “address as Father” God (1.17), those who are “redeemed” (1.18), and those who “have been born again” by the “abiding word of God” (1.23). These “chosen” and “redeemed” cones may not be “newborn babes,” as In having just been “born again” into the Kingdom of Christ, but rather are being encouraged to be “like newborn babes” who really want their mother’s milk. A hungry baby that is screaming for its mother’s milk is quickly made happy and soon satisfied when fed. Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5.6? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” True happiness comes only to those who have a sincere desire to be fed the word of God. With that continual feeding comes a satisfaction or being filled up that gives strength to grow up to maturity. Oh, that we as God’s children could just have the same kind of desire for spiritual milk that babies have for their mother’s milk—there would indeed be the satisfaction of spiritual growth to maturity in Christ! Paul met a group of people who really desired God’s Word – the Bereans. Luke records: And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded that those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.” (Acts 17.10-12) The Bereans had such a “great eagerness” for the word of God and examined “the Scriptures daily.” Do we desire to be fed God’s word daily? Most of us certainly don’t miss any physical meals! And I believe it’s safe to say none of us go days without eating something. Why would we even consider missing a spiritual meal of God’s divine food? The Bereans desired God’s word, ate it up, and the Scripture says, “many of them therefore believed” (Acts 17.12). Just as babies really desire and need their mother’s milk to grow, Christians really need “the pure milk of the word” (1 Peter 2.2) to grow up “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4.13). Notice further that the apostle Peter says, “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2.2). The thought is that one in connection with desiring the milk does so to the end of growing to, eis, salvation. The preposition eis point “to or in the direction of.” In this case, the pointing is to deliverance or salvation. Babies as living organisms take the milk and by it grow; in a similar manner, those who are regenerated into the heavenly kingdom take the milk of the word in order to grow to salvation. (Hamilton 66-67). In other words, we are to grow up to salvation. Taken from A Man In Christ, Florida College Lectures, 2002, pages 97-99. |