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Newborn babes in Christ.
They're such a joy to behold. I
love them. Just as with newborn children, we realize their
defenselessness, their helplessness. Parents realize only so much can
be done for an infant. This holds true for newborns in Christ. For
newborn Christians, we can counsel them to read the Bible daily,
sufficiently beginning to get His Word down. This way they can know the
right and the wrong way. We can encourage them to seek education in His
Word, seek Christian entertainment to uplift in Christ and challenge,
to pray to Him and praise Him.
One thing we can't do. We can't do it for them. If a person doesn't
personally endeavor, he'll eventually wither and be in risk of dying.
1 Wherefore laying aside
all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all evil speaking, 2 As newborn babes, desire the
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have
tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1 Peter 2:1-3
New Christians, who are "newborn babes", should desire the "sincere
milk of the word". The food for babies is milk. The food for Christians
is the Word of God, our Bible. When a baby is hungry he lets you know
in no uncertain terms that he wants to be fed. He demands it! A baby
that must be fed with the parent saying, "now you have to eat" is a
sickly baby indeed. If a baby doesn't let you know he's hungry, just
laying there until you happen to bring food, is a cause of great
concern. If the situation isn't remedied soon, there will be impending
death.
What about babes in Christ? If they don't cry for more food, if they
don't seek food, this warns of impending death. Something must be done
soon!
I've seen newborns begin reading their Bibles substantially. They
wanted to know what's right, and get to know their Father. After a
couple of weeks they were reading substantially less and then, a little
later, about half that. These symptoms are very serious. If our
commitment is only propelled by emotional excitement, we're in grave
danger. That excitement will eventually wane. It's like the romance of
a man and woman. Romance isn't all the relationship is based on. If it
is, it will soon be over.
24 And let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good
works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as
ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24, 25
We find this encouragement to assemble with the
other Christians. We're
not to stop. This is sandwiched between verse 23 through verses 26-31,
with warnings of staying faithful to Christ, and not walking away from
Him. This indicates assembling together and receiving exhortation in
the Word and ways of God are vital to keep from falling. This shows how
desperately important it is for us to be zealous to learn His ways and
live after Him. The outcome looks bleak otherwise.
The early church was
filled with Christians who were steadfast in the
teachings of Jesus. Acts 2:40-47 tells how they continued daily seeking
to learn of God and encouraging one another. This fervency isn't
abnormal. It's normal! When once a week hearing about God seems to be
enough, and we don't pursue that too actively, demanding like the baby
his mother's milk, deadly sickness is present. The ease of the world
seems to be the greatest carrier of this disease.
The way of ease is what many Americans have lived. A life of diligence
is quite a change. As I've said, the emotional propellant will lessen,
and unless we're committed to His discipleship, we'll turn down a
dangerous road no one can pull us out of. We must pursue our own
spiritual health.
The excuse of, "You don't know how hard it is being around
non-Christians at work" and "the demons are so oppressive" doesn't
stack up.
Jesus promised:
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6
If you diligently want Him, nothing will keep you from being
victorious. Nothing! He has overcome all. I've seen people who say,
"Yeah, yeah!" to this, looking a little excited, but as soon as they're
gone, they get back in the old rut they came in on, with no difference
at all. James warned us:
22But be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is
like
unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24For he beholdeth
himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of
man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James
1:22-25
I beg of you, seek God's diligence for your own soul. He loves you and
will give you the desire, the commitment, and the strength to pursue
Him if only you will fervently and honestly want Him!
Let any apathy warn of a need to call on Him for help to be fervent for
Him. He can place in you the necessary change, if it's not there. Just
be honest with God and be willing. Let's hear the healthy scream of the
baby lungs demanding to be fed. With God, midnight feedings aren't a
problem!
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 Free to Copy under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND3.0 License by Darrell Farkas
All quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible
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