FOOD

I fed you with MILK and not with SOLID FOOD; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able – 1 Corinthians 3:2

The Word of God is the FOOD for your spirit. To attain spiritual maturity, the babe in Christ must feed on God’s Word daily to grow by it. Just as natural growth is not possible without natural food, spiritual growth is not possible without the Word of God. The Word is our sustaining source of power, life and vitality. We live by the Word. As we grow, we can graduate from “milk” to then begin to feed upon the “meat” of the Word and better exercise the spirit of discernment (Heb. 5:14).

Milk is a powerful symbol in diverse cultures; and it is deeply connected with life itself, being sourced from the mother to the suckling. Milk represents abundance, fertility, and the fluid of life. It is the first human diet. It is also used figuratively as flowing in the “promised land” of Canaan (Exo.3:8; Num.14:8). Paul used the word “milk” as a spiritual analogy: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able” (1Cor.3:1-2). Here, the word “milk” (in Greek, ‘gala’) means the basic, elemental teachings of true Christianity first learned by new believers. That’s why Peter used the same metaphor when he wrote to encourage scattered new believers: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet.2:2).

In the 1 Corinthians 3 texts, Paul contrasted milk with meat, where “meat” stands for the more solid, complete, and deeper spiritual doctrines of the Gospel. He said that he taught them the milk of the Scriptures and not the meat, because they were still carnal, evidencing spiritual immaturity. They were therefore not ready to receive “spiritual meat” (vv.2-3). Some in Corinth had not only aligned themselves to certain teachers (Paul, Apollos, Peter), they were also causing schism, disputes, and divisions in the church by arguing which of these preachers was the most spiritual. Paul felt that trying to teach the church the deeper truths of God would be a waste of time so long as they continued to indulge in petty debates over who was 'the greatest!'

The same contrast between milk and meat (solid food) appears in the letter addressed to the Hebrews: “of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Heb.5:11-12). The Greek words translated as "solid food" are stereos trophe, which mean “a strong or stedfast nourishment.” It was stated a few verses later, some of the teachings considered as "milk" or are the "beginning principles of the oracles of God”, namely: repentance, faith in God, the meaning and purpose of baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Heb. 6:1 - 2). Whereas, “meat” and “solid food” refer to more advanced Christian teachings.

Whether with milk or meat, to feed on God’s Word simply means to hear it and meditate on it until it becomes a part of you, such that it decides your speech, thought life and action. The art of meditation in the Word of God is the art of feeding the recreated human spirit with the divine life and energy of God. Listening to and meditating on God’s Word is eating for the believer. When you engage in biblical meditation, you are at the dining table of God’s Word. This is what it means to feed the spirit man. Acting on the Word of God is exercising your spiritual muscles for spiritual development (Jam.1:22). Beloved, growing up spiritually is possible through fellowship with the Word and the Spirit of God in prayer.