Practicing for the Varsity Team

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 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! 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 5:11-14).

Among Christians there seem to be many differences on how they view good and evil, including: 1) legalistic rules taught by men and 2) licentious violation of God's rules.

Both of these are wrong. There is another difference: that is the difference between infancy and maturity. There are many Christians who need to be taught elementary truths all over again. Much of my time is spent in this occupation.

However, it is not the amount or depth of teaching that makes a Christian mature. It is he who has his “faculties trained by practice" (RSV) or by "constant use" (NIV) to "distinguish good from evil."

If we spend our time in practice, we will be able to eat with the varsity at the training table of solid food.

Written April 1991.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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