| “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (1 Corinthians 3:2). |
| How would you like it if, when you sat down to dinner, your mother simply put a baby’s bottle of milk in front of you? Or perhaps served you up a jar or two of baby food? You would be insulted, and would likely say, “I would like some normal food; I’m not a baby anymore!” When we were babies, we drank plenty of milk, and probably ate baby food too, but as we got older and our teeth came in, we began to eat solid food such as meat and vegetables. |
| If people get sick, or perhaps have trouble chewing and digesting their food, they may have to eat baby food for a while, until they feel well again. Baby food is usually already pureed, so that we do not need to chew it. All we have to do is swallow it. |
| The Christians in Corinth were an intelligent group of believers, and they had some nice spiritual gifts too. But in spiritual things they were immature, and the Apostle Paul had to feed them spiritually as if they were babies. They should have been more mature, for Paul had spent a long time among them, and had taught them many things about the Lord Jesus. But they were worldly people and tended to think of money and education as being more important than spiritual maturity. Also, they were fighting among themselves, each one wanting to be more important than the others. Paul wanted to feed them more than “spiritual baby food,” but he knew that they were not ready for it. |
| Sad to say, some Christians have this problem today. They are content with all the simple things of Christianity, but are not mature enough to enjoy things that are deeper and that will lead them on to full growth. A child that lives on baby food all its life will not grow up to be strong and healthy; nor will a Christian who lives on spiritual baby food all the time grow up to be a strong Christian. The Lord wants us to grow up as Christians, and to be able to eat a normal spiritual diet. |
