Hebrews 5:11-6:2 Going from Milk to Solid Food
Hebrews 5:11-6:3
11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.
Background
Christ, the high priest empathizes with our weaknesses and helps us accomplish our calling. However, walking in step with the high priest requires believers leave the elementary principles of the word and go deep into the word of righteousness. Today’s passage teaches us the importance of weaning ourselves off milk and pressing into the solid food of the word. In doing so, we will mature in wisdom, in the full stature of Christ and grow in the favor of God and men.
Observation
You have become dull of hearing.
In the previous article, we see Christ saved and perfected because He obeyed God even unto death. However, the author admits such things about Christ are hard teachings because the readers have become dull of hearing. In other words, they could no longer resonate with the things that matter to God. The author observes the readers’ fixation on milk preferring to remain in the comfort zone of elementary principles: you have come to need milk and not solid food. As a result, they could not grow up to the full stature of Christ and increase in the favor of God and men.
But solid food is for the mature…
The readers’ continual dependence on milk has caused them to remain as infants in their spirit. The infant is unfamiliar with the word of righteousness, which pertains to the mindset of Christ and His mission in the world. They lack the passion of Christ to save the lost nor the willingness to take up the cross. Their prayers are soulish and self-serving. The word “righteousness” is associated with the characteristics and maturity of Christ as opposed to an infant. The author accentuates the need for believers to progress towards maturity, to develop sound discernment of good and evil. “But solid food is for the mature” emphasizes the indispensability of solid food in the maturing process.
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity… The author challenges the readers to press on towards maturity by leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ. These elementary teachings concerns the following:
– Repentance from dead works and of faith towards God. This answers the question: how can one be saved? Dead works refers to the practice of the covenantal rituals (water baptism, circumcision and holy communion etc.) without repentance. Only through faith towards God which is the regeneration of the heart by the Spirit can one obtain salvation. The church must not think a mere affiliation with religion, an accurate understanding of doctrine or the practice of covenantal rituals can save them. Only a regeneration of the heart to live unto God by faith can save him.
– Instruction about washings and laying on of hands. This answers questions surrounding assurance of salvation which is the basic doctrine of water baptism and the receiving of blessings through the laying on of hands.
– Resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. This refers to the events in the end times where true believers will be resurrected to eternal life and evildoers will be eternally condemned.
Truth
What a person eats determines his age. Milk and solid food are two categories of teachings in the word. Both have their place and importance in the believer’s spiritual diet. Milk teaches the infant to depend on God to provide; it assures the infant of God’s unchanging mercies and his standing before Him. Solid food teaches the maturing believer to see things from God’s perspectives and to make decisions based on God’s wisdom and discernment; it also teaches the believer how to persevere in challenging times and encourages him to take on projects much greater than his natural abilities. Milk is focused on acquiring divine blessings and provisions, whereas solid food is focused on acquiring wisdom and perseverance in order to accomplish one’s calling. Put in a nutshell, milk is what an infant consumes and solid food belongs to adults. However, it does not mean that an adult must abstain from milk. By virtue of the fact that a diet of milk is not adequate for a full functioning adult, he has to turn to solid food as his main staple.
A believer has to wean himself off dependence on milk as soon as possible. The author emphatically says to all his readers, “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity.” A diet of milk concerns mainly about promises of healing, prosperity, and God’s enduring love and forgiveness for sinners. If a believer prefers the comfort zone of an infant, the following could happen:
– He will lose the taste or interest for the more rewarding truths of God’s word. On the contrary, these truths stir up within him a discomforting sense of self-condemnation and insecurity. He runs away instead of confronting the darkness within.
– He continues to focus on fulfilling his own life agenda as opposed to accomplishing God’s calling through sacrificial living.
– Because of his diet of milk, he could not gather enough strength to overcome his weaknesses and bondages. Hence, supposedly armed with God’s promises, he resorts to waiting on God indefinitely to turn his circumstances around. Trusting God to turn around his circumstances is much easier than turning himself around.
– Enjoying material blessings and taking life easy becomes the foundation of his Christian life. He is no longer intentional in seeking out God’s call and fulfilling it whatever the cost.
– He becomes adverse to emotions of guilt and seeks a way of escape. (On the contrary, a mature believer responds to guilt positively by changing his values system and mindset according to the truth.)
Solid food on the other hand, causes the believer to grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all people. The believer who feeds on solid food will become more like God in the way he works and thinks. He impacts the world and turns people towards God through righteous exploits, and nothing is impossible for him.
Application
- Reading the solid food of the word involves studying the books of the Bible in a systematic fashion. The ultimate goal of study is to transform our mindset and desires according to Christ. The fact that you are reading this article is proof that you have been a systematic and conscientious consumer of solid food. As you continue the quest to acquire Christ’s mindset and passion for God’s kingdom, you will grow in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and men.
- As you consume solid food on a daily basis, it helps to be aware of the three areas of growth: wisdom of Christ (mind), passion of Christ (heart), and authority of Christ to rule (bodily discipline). Practice spiritual discipline in being constantly aware of the thoughts of the Spirit, in possessing His passion for the poor, and the confidence to overcome life’s challenges.
Dear Lord, as I read your word, fill me with assurances of your provision in my life. At the same time, help me understand your thoughts and be filled with your compassion for the poor. Strengthen me to do the things that are beyond my natural capabilities. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.