MILK-N-MEAT What’s the Diff?

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Simply put, the difference between milk and meat, is that meat is the food of the “full age”, milk is the food that babes that cannot chew. Full age occurs when the believing have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. Babes on the other hand are fed on the digested food of a mother, or rather you take some ones word for your food. Why must we come to “full age”? Spiritually speaking, as Paul said to the Philippians 2:12….. My beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Again in 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch you, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Having your senses exercised is not by works of study as 2 Timothy 2:15 would imply, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. Which, if understood, is a letter written to a Baptized in the Holy Spirit, called by God, confirmed by the Holy Spirit to those who laid hands on him and prophesied over him, pastor, who needed to be reminded to use the written word, line upon line, precept upon precept. As Tim was reminded in the next paragraph of the letter to him, 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Have your senses exercised is in recognizing the truth of what Paul wrote by the Holy Spirit, good or evil.

Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 17Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the law, and makes your boast of God, 18And know his will, and approves the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19And are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21You therefore which teach another, teach you not yourself? You that preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you that abhorres idols, do you commit sacrilege? 23You that make your boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonor you God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,

A FEW EXAMPLES of MILK & MEAT:

MILK: John 3:15That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
MEAT: James 1:22But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Matthew 12:50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

MILK: Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
MEAT: Matthew 4:4….It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

MILK: Romans 10:8……The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture says, Who so ever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
MEAT: Luke 6:46 And why call you me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Matthew 7:21Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The instruction to the Babes becomes, Matthew 6:33 But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The question then becomes, What is the Kingdom of God? This is where one starts showing maturity. To be able to eat strong meat one must trust and believe God, having “Faith” in God’s ability to teach and instruct; Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

Now, realization begins to set in, the MILK and the MEAT all come from the same place and are interwoven into the same words. Milk is the surface of the words, the meat is the understanding balance or judgment given by God. The difference is revealed in the realization in the application of faith in God, trusting him to lead into truth and understanding, that must be done His way. The giving of the Holy Spirit is why Jesus had to leave and it is He, the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. If one doubts this, who is there left to ask? James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. Without faith you are back to square one, MILK ANYONE?

WE MAKE OUR CHOICE, MILK or MEAT? Philippians 3:13…..forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

MEAT: Matthew 22:14…many are called, but few are chosen.
MEAT: Romans 9:21Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
MEAT: Psalm 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
MEAT: Mathew 13:11….., Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
MEAT: Romans 8:9 …… Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
MEAT: Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help you mine unbelief.
MEAT: Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
MEAT: Luke 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
MEAT: 1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

TO WALK IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD ONE MUST BELIEVE, BE PERFECT, BE HOLY! FREE FROM BLINDING AND DEAFENING SIN.

BELIEVE:
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

1 Corinthians 6:19….know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?

Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:….

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

James 2:22 Seeing you how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23And the scripture was fulfilled which say, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

STRONG MEAT/FREE FROM SIN:
1 Thessalonians 2:12 That you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would. 18But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as become saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not you therefore partakers with them. 8For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he says, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. 15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

2Timothy 3:1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Strong meat; facing the Godly truth by the Spirit Truth, is for those that can eat it, those who have a right heart, those who have ears to hear it. Strong meat is for those to who the Kingdom of God has come. Strong meat is the reality of good and evil, right and wrong, truth or fables. Strong meat is knowing judgment awaits the fearful, unbelieving and workers of iniquity. Strong meat is understood through faith by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, in truth. Strong meat is the rod and staff, the loving guidance of faith and severity of unbelief. Strong meat is judging yourself by the Spirit of truth that you will not be judged. Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Or, if you rather, go to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Matthew 25:9

Milk-N-Meat, whats the difference?

What is the difference between a hearer and a doer? What is the difference between faith and fear, belief and unbelief, life in the Spirit and your life? What is the difference between ever learning/studying and never coming to the knowledge of truth and intering in to God's Rest by faith?

L,J,P&HG
Dave