Milk or Steak

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

MILK OR STEAK

Heb 5:11-14

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 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! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

NIV

Once again, we need to remember the author is writing this to Jews who had turned to Jesus through faith, and now were looking back toward the law because it was more concrete meaning it had listed rules they could follow. Therefore, the writer of this letter was calling them slow to learn about faith. It is good that we know more than the elementary truths of God’s word. In fact, we desire more than milk, we want to dig into the word as if it were a large juicy filet mignon. We want to sink our teeth into the deep truths of God’s word. This is why we train ourselves to distinguish good from evil. It is good to read the word, but it is better to study the word, researching Greek or Hebrew for a better understanding of what it means. Sometimes when we see only what someone translated and we look only at the English word’s definition, we could miss the deeper truth. We know some believers are very dogmatic about certain translations, thinking it is the only correct one. Without being judgmental, we wonder if they are drinking milk, being somewhat of an infant when it comes to the truths of God. However, they still should know the truth of righteousness as all believers do. This truth of righteousness is that we do not have any whatsoever. We as humans are void of righteousness no matter how spiritual we act or how many good deeds we do. We cannot find any form of righteousness in following any form of rules and regulations, or any of those do’s and don’ts some have set up for themselves wanting to believe it makes them a better Christian. Although it is good to live a pure and holy life, with a desire to live pleasing God, we also know the work or good deed that God requires is to believe in the one He sent. We also know that because we believe, because we live by faith in Jesus, we serve him, as James points out our faith without serving God is a dead or meaningless faith. Our faith does not drive us to rules to live by, but to serve our Lord, doing something to enhance or benefit the kingdom of God. This is the kind of truth that is steak, not milk. If we are not being of service to the kingdom of God, but simply looking at following some set of rules we have established, then maybe we should open that pint of milk. Let’s keep sinking our teeth into that steak.