Hebrews 5:13-14 Grow Up

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14

Everyone expects a little child to eventually grow out of just drinking milk for food. If the child does not start to eat regular food everyone would be very concerned with his health.

Here the author talks about anyone living on milk is not acquainted with righteousness. What is this “milk”? It is the very basics of the gospel message: that Jesus came to the earth, that He died on the cross, that He rose from the dead, that He forgives sins, and that He will return some day. This is very good, but there is more to righteousness than this.

One who is eating the solid food of God’s Word is learning the details of what it means to live a righteous and holy life. He learns what God loves and what God hates. He learns what God wants him to do and what not to do. The only way to learn all of this information is by getting into the Bible on a daily basis and studying every part of it.

The person who studies the Bible in this way will learn what God loves and hates; desires and despises; and wants him to do or not to do. This is where he learns how to distinguish good from evil. It is a deeper understanding of righteousness. It is not easy to do this. It takes constant discipline to stay in God’s Word and apply it correctly in his life. The person who does not eat the solid meat of God’s Word is still an infant, not knowing good and evil yet.

I pray that today God will give you a desire to learn His Word more; that God would reveal to you His heart and desires; that God would help you to learn to distinguish good from evil; that God would help you to be disciplined in acting upon His Word; and that God would help you to take in solid food and become more mature.