eating from the kids' menu
"The trouble was that I could not talk to you as spiritual men but only as men of flesh, as infants in Christ." —1 Corinthians 3:1
Far too many Christians are "infants in Christ," men and women "of flesh" (1 Cor 3:1). There is plenty of evidence that convicts: four thousand surgical abortions daily in the USA, and likely even more daily chemical abortions. Christians can't stop abortion, can't get pornography off prime-time TV, can't slow down the flood of drug abuse, and can't even get governments to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Christian soldiers can't dispel the kingdom of darkness. Are these results worthy of the army of Christ, the King of kings?
"Although by this time you should be teaching others, you need to have someone teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God; you need milk, not solid food. Everyone whose food is milk alone is ignorant of the word that sanctifies, for he is a child" (Heb 5:12-13). "I fed you with milk, and did not give you solid food because you were not ready for it. You are not ready for it even now, being still very much in a natural condition" (1 Cor 3:2-3). Repent of any role you may have played in stunting the growth of the Body of Christ.
Abide in God's Word (Jn 8:31). Let it make you capable of digesting God's meat to make you "grow to the full maturity of Christ the Head" (Eph 4:15). If so many of us weren't spiritual infants, we could obey God, rise up, and quickly crush Satan under our feet (Rm 16:20). Ours could be a holy nation in God (1 Pt 2:9).
Prayer: Lord, may I make Your Word my home (Jn 8:31). Make me and many in our nation able to eat the meat of advanced teaching (1 Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12-14). May our nation choose holiness.
Promise: "Happy the nation whose God is the Lord." —Ps 33:12
Praise: Pope St. Gregory had been a monk for fifteen years before being called to the papacy. He proved trustworthy by providing order to the Church in chaotic times.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 19, 2014
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