11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 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! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. 6:1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. Heb. 5:11-6:3
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 1Cor. 3:1-3
Wow. Those are some heavy words. As I read the above passages I can’t help but feel a bit grieved. The author of Hebrews is in the middle of breaking down how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, he is describing Jesus as the Great High Priest, the One greater than Moses and the angels. Then he gets to this transition point, almost as if he was writing and realizes, wait, they wont understand anyways. He rebukes the Hebrews for being slow to learn, ouch. He says that by this time they have should all be teachers, but they are still in need of “elementary” truths. How about if you thought you understood the political system and our government system, and you get a lesson with an expert in the constitution and all he does is put you in a room with the “schoolhouse rock” cartoon and says “this is all you can handle... if you don't understand the basic foundations of how and why our government was set up, you would never fully be able to understand the complexities of what it has become.
It’s sad to say, but I think that a large portion of the church is still slow to learn. As a teacher, I myself need to evaluate my teaching on this principle. Have I laid a foundation that is strong, and am I helping people feed themselves or am I keeping them dependent on me? I feel like there is a call right now to firm our foundations on the “elementary” things. We think we have a grasp on the simple things of the kingdom but I would guess that not many of us would consider baptismS (that’s plural), the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and the eternal judgment elementary or simple truths. The truth is, we make things that are of little value foundational, and things that are supposed to be foundational we write off as unknowable, and too complex to understand. And they are. If you are trying to grasp the resurrection of the dead with human reasoning, the way most of the American church approaches God, then you will never understand it.
1Cor. 1:18-25 Says: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
I would like to challenge you to develop a practice of of eating solid food (scriptural truths), but i feel it necessary to first call you to an honest evaluation of your foundation. Not necessarily your salvation, but your foundation. It is possible for you to accept the saving grace of Jesus and live the rest of your life as anemic and starving infants. I have a 2 year old son and a 5 month old daughter, and one of the huge differences between the two is that Elijah (2) can feed himself. He knows when he is hungry, and will ask for food and feed himself. Abby (5mo) does not have the ability to feed herself, or even communicate what she needs. If we were to not feed her she would just end up crying and miserable, probably how the average christian feels. They might not actually be crying and openly miserable, but they would use words like, “I’m dry, frustrated, bored, I don’t understand scripture, I don’t feel connected, etc.” all of that is code words for... “I am starving and anemic, and I don't know how to feed myself yet.”
The Holy Spirit has deep truths and “secret wisdom” to show us. He really wants to take us deep into the knowledge of God, but we have got to get the basics before He can take us where He wants us to go. Remember, the basics does not necessarily mean the things easiest for us to comprehend with our minds, but the things that are foundational to everything else. So the questions is how do we do this and where do we go from here? Below I list a few things that I have learned that help me. Maybe they will help you too.
- Ask for a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Him better.
- Eph. 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
- James says you have not because you ask not.
- Adjust your Hermeneutical (method of interpreting) process.
- 1Cor. 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
- Typically the golden rule of hermeneutics is to let scripture interpret itself (cross-reference), and that is good, but I have learned to let Holy Spirit be my first step. Ask Him... then cross-reference.
- Approach the scriptures not as if you know what is going on, but rather as if it is the first time reading it. Sometimes our preconceived ideas and world-views can prove to be detrimental in our study of scripture.
- Let the scriptures judge you, not the other way around.
- Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
- We become “mature” by developing the beatitudes in our life.
- See Matt 5:1-12,48
- Develop a discipline of feeding yourself.
- You cannot live on a once or twice a week sermon from your pastor. You where never intended to live that way.
- Set aside focused time daily to commune with God.
- Be diligent in reading and studying scripture.
This is in no way a exhaustive list. Really, it is just intended to point you in the right direction to lean how to feed yourself solid biblical truths. The good news is that we serve a God who desires to reveal Himself to us. He wants us to experience the fullness of who He is. He was so after relationship with you that He sent Jesus to take on the form of a man and be crucified in our place. In John 14:25-26, Jesus said; “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. We have the third person of the Trinity living and active inside of us specifically to teach us and remind us of Jesus. That is why in 1Cor. 2:10 there is a “but”... God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Dig in, and build yourself up.
