Milk
1
Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may
grow up in your salvation,
(Whole Chapter: 1
Peter 2 In context: 1
Peter 2:1-3)
The purpose of Milk is to grow up in your salvation. It is not intended for the spiritually mature, but for newborn babies. It is necessary for them, and should not be skipped.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is
helpful for building others up according
to their needs, that it may benefit those who
listen.
(Whole Chapter: In
context: )
They will not understand the meat, and it may not benefit them until they have drunk the “pure spiritual milk”.
1
Corinthians 3:2
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.
Indeed, you are still not ready.
(Whole Chapter: 1
Corinthians 3 In context: 1
Corinthians 3:1-3)
Hebrews
5:12
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! Anyone who lives on milk,
being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
(Whole Chapter: Hebrews
5 In context: Hebrews
5:12-14)
the teaching about righteousness
What is the the teaching about righteousness? Let’s just continue reading and see how the Bible author explains it.
Hebrews 5
Warning Against Falling Away
11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because
you are slow to learn. 12In 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! 13Anyone who lives on
milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. 14But solid
food is for the mature, who by constant
use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
So we know that it has
to do with discernment: Discernment
about what in particular? Let’s read on.
Hebrews 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,[1]
and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of
hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God
permitting, we will do so.
4It is impossible for those who
have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared
in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God
and the powers of the coming age, 6if
they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because[2]
to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting
him to public disgrace.
7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces
a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But
land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being
cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of
better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. 10God
is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as
you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each
of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope
sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who
through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
After clicking the above link and reading about repentance from acts that lead to death, it becomes clear what the purpose of distinguishing good from evil is. He tells us how not to live, and what will happen if we live that way. He goes on to warn about some examples of those who have/are falling away. The teaching about righteousness is the warning against sinning your way into apostasy. There are 72 passages of scripture on this topic of the conditions of continuing in salvation in the New Testament alone devoted to this topic. This is a huge chunk of the New Testament itself. It is foundational milk, apostolic teaching, and ignored in most Western churches today.
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