Monday's Message: Meat or Milk?

Meat or Milk?  I Corinthians 3:1-3

An interesting analogy is used in this passage, comparing the Word of God to meat and milk.  Paul explains his illustration by reminding them that they were either brand new to the Christian faith or perhaps they were undeveloped in their faith.  He describes their behavior as carnal, meaning it was based on human desire rather than spiritual understanding.  As a result of their lack of spiritual maturity he could not feed them “meat” just as a parent would never offer a sirloin steak to an infant.  I believe we can all recognize how that would do more harm than good; so it is in the lives of believers, we must be provided with the proper spiritual diet according to our maturity level.  However, we should always have the desire to develop spiritually.

Paul had a great deal of information that would have been highly beneficial to all of the believers in the Church at Corinth, but he was limited in what he could teach them as a result of their carnality.  His hope was that through giving them “milk” from the Word they would continue to grow and reach the point where they would be able to process the “meat” of the Word.  Paul was not making this decision for them, but rather, he was making it clear to them, that until they ceased to do that which pleased their flesh and displeased God, they would not be able to fully understand or accept the teachings of Christ. Their lifestyle and sins were being used to blind them and halt their spiritual maturity.

Three specific areas of detrimental carnality are mentioned in this passage:  Envying - Feeling uneasiness at the supposed prosperity and happiness of another.  Strife - Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war. Division - That which divides or separates; that which keeps apart; partition.

I find one “root sin” that produces each of these three “fruit sins”, and that root sin is pride!  Why do we envy others? Why do we entertain strife and division in our lives?  Because we consider our need, desires, and preferences before anyone or anything else, and that is pride.  A mature Christian is one who has learned to put himself last in every situation.  We live in a world today that is opposed to absolutes; because, we live in a world full of proud people who do not want to be told what to do or how to live by anyone, and that is pride.

My friend, if we are ever going to become more like Christ we are going to have to humble ourselves, and allow the truth of His Word to teach us how to live.  We must surrender to Him and His will for our lives.  He loves us and has only the best in mind for each of us, but we rob ourselves of having those things because we want to live our way not His.