THE MILK OF THE WORD
by Ronnie Mutina
In this morning’s Bible study, I found a scripture, which I heard a man preaching on yesterday. The scripture is found in 1 Peter 2:1 – 2. "WHEREFORE laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the WORD, that ye may grow thereby." Peter is one of most Christians’ favorite people in the Bible. After all, he was quick to speak before he thought. He stood up for what he thought was right didn’t he? Catholics claim that Peter was the first Pope, but fact is; he was a true Baptist. Let’s examine him for one moment.
1. He was an everyday man, a man’s man; He loved to fish so much, it was his job.
2. He had standards to live by.
3. He had his opinion on everything.
4. Today, many people considered him the outspoken voice of the disciples.
5. We learn that he had to be completely broken for God to use him.
Broken: what a word. Let’s look at some Bible scriptures that will help us see what I am talking about. In the book of Matthew, chapter 26, Jesus had just partaken of the last supper with the disciples. In verse 30 – 32, in the Mount of Olives, Jesus told them that they were going to be offended that night because of HIM. HE also told them where HE would meet them after HE arose again. (32) Now, let’s see Peter’s answer, before he thought. Peter answered and said unto HIM, "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." Peter said unto HIM, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." Vs. 32 – 35. We later read down in the chapter where Peter didn’t only deny Jesus before sunrise, he cursed about it too. Now isn’t that a Baptist? Actually, it is most people today who have been saved. That hurts don’t it? Truth always hurts. In the Book of John, chapter 21, we find that Jesus surely did meet them on the shores of Galilee for a fish fry. We see that doubting Thomas joined Peter and the rest of the disciples, but the focus was upon Peter. Peter, more than likely, hid behind the rest of the disciples when Jesus pursued HIS main purpose for this dinner. HE was going to prepare Peter for a mighty ministry. How? By breaking him down and showing him that he was nothing without God. There is no question, in my mind, that the reason Jesus asked Peter three questions, was to show Peter where he was standing concerning Christ. Jesus asked Peter twice, "Peter do you love me?" This was an Agape love, by Greek meaning. Peter answered the first two times, "Ye Lord, you know I love (Phileo, meaning like) you." Peter was getting angry again. Jesus asked the third time, "Peter, do you Phileo me?" DO YOU LIKE ME? This grieved Peter.
We know that Peter allowed the Lord to use him greatly in his ministry, but we can learn a lot from the passages I have written down. We first must be broken by God to be used of HIM and to bring honor and glory to HIM. How does HE break us? By a painful, to us, ways of removing PRIDE.
Peter tells us, in 1 Peter, we should desire or want to hear, study, etc, "sincere milk of the WORD, that we may grow thereby." In chapter 1, Peter has finished off by telling us that the gospel is preached unto us.
In chapter 2:1, we are told to lay aside all malice, which means wickedness, guile, which means deceit, and hypocrisies, which means deceit or pretending and envies, which means jealousy, and all evil speakings, which means defamation or backbiting. So, how do we do that which Peter has laid out in these scriptures? It comes through salvation. When a man is saved, Paul tells us, in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – 18, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." We have become new. All our old practices need to stop, and they will through Jesus Christ, provided that we want them too. Jesus can fix our ‘want too,’ if we allow HIM to do it. How can we get a step upon it, you might ask? "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the WORD, that ye may grow thereby:" Before Peter wrote this, Jesus told the disciples, in Matthew 18:3, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." In today’s language, it is simple. "If you don’t repent of you sins and receive Christ as your savior, and become as inquisitive as a child in learning, you won’t make it to heaven." A 3 – 12 year old child will ask 50 million questions. Sometimes they ask the same question over and over again until they get the same answer several times. They want to learn. We as children of God, Peter said, must desire, or want to start growing up into an adult Christian. The way you grow; go to church, study your Bible, go to work, study your Bible, go to Bed, study your Bible…Get the point? Study, study and when you get tired of studying, study some more. There are questions we all have, and arguments that people will make about the Bible, but the only way to start growing is by the spiritual course of healthy Bible food. It starts off with the sincere milk of the Word and as you graduate into it, you will eventually get to the meat of the word.
