"Weaned"

     Have we read, considered, and pondered the Scriptures enough to have opinions about the matters addressed therein?  Thankfully, many issues of God's Word are simple enough that we do not have to spend many hours poring over the text of God's Word.  The most blessed example involves salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ as a matter of God's grace received by faith.  God's gift shines forth in such plain language that a child can understand and respond to the Gospel.  Other matters, however, may not so readily find an easy way into our understanding, assimilation, and application.

    "Whom shall He teach knowledge, and whom shall He make to understand doctrine?  Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts.  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little" (Isaiah 28:9-10).

    The milk that rightly serves babies does not suffice for adults.  God calls us to become so familiar with the "precepts" and "lines" of His Word that we wean ourselves from predigested food by responding to our Father's ongoing work of growth and maturing.  This much involves our devotion to the Bible.  That is, to the degree that we consistently expose ourselves to the Scriptures will be the degree to which the Holy Spirit enables us to fit together the words, sentences, paragraphs, and passages that reveal the spirit and truth of the Lord Jesus.  No one verse explains anything in the Bible.  Consider, for example, the Apostle Paul's plain declaration to Timothy: "there is one God" (I Timothy 2:5).  No truer statement exists in Scripture.  But does this fully declare the complete nature of our Lord?  Hardly.

    "Grace be to you from God our Father" (II Corinthians 1:2)

    "Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, o God, is forever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8).

    "Annanais, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?… Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God" (Acts 5:3; 4).

   The Bible proclaims a triunity to exist in the unity of God.  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all exist as God.  They are one, and yet They are three (the use of the plural  as well as the singular pronoun regarding God is confirmed by Scripture - Genesis 1:26; 3:22).  Thus, Paul's declaration - "there is one God" - is true.  But it is not complete.  This illustrates our need to know the Scriptures well enough regarding important matters of doctrine that we can ourselves drawn proper and truthful conclusions.  And, regarding our original question of this essay, if we have not adequately exposed ourselves to the Bible, can we justifiably hold opinions about its teaching?

    We live in a generation that offers so many ways and means to absorb and to assimilate God's truth.  Just as many distractions, however, vie for our attention.  The choice is ours.  If we consistently read and ponder the Scriptures, its precepts and lines will increasingly fit together in our understanding.  Matthew and Malachi will unite.  John and Joshua will coordinate.  Exodus and Ephesians will blend together.  All will center in the person and work of the Lord Jesus.  We discovered this in the milk fed to us by others who helped to establish our convictions and walk with the Lord.  We will discover it even more as our Father beckons us to the adult spiritual food that requires chewing rather than mere swallowing.  

"Every one that useth milk is unskillful in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even to them who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

(Hebrews 5:13-14)

"He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

(Hebrews 11:6)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

(Romans 8:9)