The Milk Or The Meat

Hebrews 5:11-14, "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye 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. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

These are very hard words. The Hebrew writer realized that his audience was well versed in the Old Law and its customs, but also realized that some of them were babes when discussing the very basics of Christianity.

All too often, we fall into the category of those needing the milk of the Word and are not able to partake of the meat of God's Word, because of this age old dilemma, we are content to "suck the bottle" rather than "chew the meat." Because of this dilemma, we will focus our attention on several subjects that the Hebrew writer says are the "First Principles of the Oracles of God."

Chapter six of the book of Hebrews picks up where chapter five stops and conveys to us what the "First Principles of the Oracles of God" are. The first topic is the FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS (Hebrews 6:1). Oddly enough, the Hebrew writer does not explain each of these topics. At this point, it is up to us, as Christians, to study God's Word to come to a knowledge of the very basics of our faith.

Repentance From Dead Works

Before we can repent, we must first realize what we are repenting from. We are repenting from sin. Sin is being disobedient to the will of God. Why do we have to repent in the first place? Why does God put so much emphasis on repentance? The reason is because God knows that no sin can enter Heaven (the abode where God dwells), therefore, we must repent (be sorry) for the sins that we have committed. If we are not sorry for being disobedient to God, He cannot and will not forgive us of our sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us." (1 John 1:9,10)

Jesus so clearly stated for us, in Matthew 12:25, that every kingdom divided against itself can not stand, therefore, in order for us to enter God's Kingdom (the Church) we must be sorry, or repent of our sins.

This may make us wonder deeply as to the complete and total grossness of sin. How much does God actually hate sin? He hated sin enough to cast Satan and his followers out of Heaven because of it. He hated it enough to destroy the entire world with a flood and save only eight souls. He hated it enough to let the children of Israel wander in the desert for forty years because of their unbelief, or their sin. He hated it enough to cause Israel, His chosen people, to be captured and tortured many times when they fell into the clutches of sin. He hated it enough to send His only begotten Son into the world to die in the hands of sinners, so that we, through His Son, might not be condemned to die because of sin. That, my friend, is how much God hates sin. That is how gross sin is.

True Repentance

As we have stated, God cannot allow sin into His kingdom. To do so, would be to divide His kingdom and violate His Word.

If we repent and become a Christian, can't we still commit some of those "little" sins that we did before, and did so well? No!!! God demands total commitment, no bad apples in God's bunch.

Remember the story of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron? Leviticus 10:1-2, "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." This story is interesting because Nadab and Abihu were priests (those who offered sacrifices to God). This was not enough, they had not only to offer the sacrifices, but to do it correctly. They did not.

Today, the Christians, as a whole, are the priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). You and I as individuals are the priests (Revelation 1:6). As priests, we are to offer sacrifices. These sacrifices are our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Brethren, if we, like Nadab and Abihu offer strange sacrifices, we will be destroyed with fire also.

Once we repent and are obedient to all of the terms of pardon, then we must continue to offer good sacrifices.

Bible Babies

The Hebrew writer says that "repentance from dead works" is one of the "First Principles of the Oracles of God."It may seem strange to us that some of these first century Jewish Christians didn't understand "repentance." but maybe it should come as no surprise to us. How many people do you know that really don't understand repentance? Maybe they have been a Christian for 30, 40 or maybe even 50 years and still commit the same sins as they did before they supposedly repented. Repentance isn't a deep dark secret that takes someone with a doctorate to figure out. The Hebrew writer says it part of the basic fundamentals of Christianity. The reason many people don't know the First Principles of the Oracles of God after they have been a Christian for years is because they are a "Bible Baby" (1 Peter 2:2). They would rather "suck the bottle" than "chew the meat." If you know someone who is a "Bible Baby" and has no desire to learn and grow in God's Word, here is what you should do. When you see them come through the church house door on Sunday morning (I say Sunday morning because they probably won't be there Sunday night or Wednesday night) go up to them and don't bother to shake their hand, instead stick out your pointer finger and place it on their belly and say, "Goochey, goochey, goo,goochey, goochey, goo."

Brethren, it's time to get serious about "Repentance!"