THE VAST NURSERY

In the "ward" called Christianity, there is a vast nursery of babes, which encompasses most of the domain. They are fed milk sporadically but it is of little nourishment. So the newborns come in, and they grow…ever so anemic.

Day Care is but one day a week. The rest of the time they are left to their own devices. Some mature to kindergarten. Few graduate beyond the elementary. The scholar is an unrecognizable mutant. This is the vast nursery of today's Christians. There are few attendants and even fewer doctors. The babes are sometimes left to lie in their own ineffectuality.

There are some whose expanding muscles ache for more protein. There are some whose growing molars scream for the exercise of solid food to masticate. I grieved, in my hunger, that there was no one I found who was assigned to care for us. And so we learn to look elsewhere; to feed ourselves. I am a babe who has been blessed with an occasional morsel of meat because I cried for it, I searched for it, I crawled to it, and fed myself. I found in this ward, not the milk of a mother…but the meat of our Father. I have desired the sincere milk. I have craved the sweet honey. But I have need of the spiritual meat and of that spiritual drink which is the Living Water.

"but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." John. 4:14

As the Hebrews were delivered out of Egypt, so have we been delivered out from bondage of sin, by the merciful Grace of God in Christ. And they were brought out of the wilderness, but they never received the “meat”.
"…all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." 1 Cor. 1-5

That was all, as it were, a “shadow”. They did not grasp the reality in it... the MEAT of it. They had an excellent "pastor" in Moses. But they murmured that he could be "offensive" sometimes, so they would often listen to one who would "tickle their ears". If we are offended by a righteous word, there must be reason to be offended.
"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Prov.9:8
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Prov. 27:6
"He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise." Prov. 15:31
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Prov. 12:1

At every opportunity, I thank my God for Jesus Christ. And I thank Jesus Christ for His most excellent sacrifice which He not only offered by His own death, but by His living as well. He lived to do God’s will. A living sacrifice as we are begged of Paul to do:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Rom.12:1.

We are not called upon to sacrifice for our sins, but to live for our God.

But brethren, I must say that in today’s world (which is a Sodom and a Gomorrah), it is near impossible to be effective for God on mere milk. We (Christianity as a whole) have been compromised by self-appointed leaders. We are not shepherded as sheep, but we are kept as veal. I do not criticize every pastor. I believe there are those who faithfully edify and protect and nurture the saints. There are several brothers who come to mind... Les Feldick, John Swint, Walter Cowell, Rennes Bowers. I believe this, or my search would necessarily end with the hopelessness of my unbelief.

But rather, I speak of the more vocal persons, those in the forefront of media, the “politicians” of our faith, the religious celebrities who are accepted in their venues because they do not offend. They are accepted by the world and have their voice in it. But their words are about social behaviors, political maneuverings, moral posturing, pious attitudes, religious ceremony, and hypocritical criticism. They are a mockery. And yet, mainstream Christianity follows their lead down this broad boulevard…too weak to challenge, too complacent to correct, too undernourished to dispute, too blind to turnabout.

We should be careful of who we are following and which road we are on. We have become "ineffectual" especially with regard to the in-workings of our own lives. Paul says …
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life… " Phillipians 2:12-15

Our life is spiritual, and our service is spiritual. In this sphere we are brought to know God, to repent, to believe, to love, to give, to mature…to be made like Jesus…to be established in God. We are called upon, exhorted, beseeched, commanded to be (become) perfect. Of course this does not mean sinless perfection. But it does mean and imply that we are to grow (mature) into our full potential. I will not go now into that unique study (sanctification) except to strongly encourage you to study it out fully for yourselves. Verse 15 of the above (2nd chapter of Phillipians) will give a “hint” as to what we should be, and how we should act. Do we shine as lights in the world? We don’t even have to be a very bright light. The world is so dark that even a dim light could serve as a beacon. If we do not shine forth, we absorb their darkness. We have become inoffensive in our conversation and example. Are we afraid?
"The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe." Prov. 29:25

Fear of Man. This can take many forms. Sometimes it involves an actual fear of what others can do to us (Prov. 29:25; Luke 12:4-5), but it is most commonly seen as an excessive concern about what others think about us. This spirit can make us reluctant to confront serious sin. The constant desire for approval and acceptance can keep us from speaking out on moral issues. It can also make us do things we really know are not right, eventually leading to guilt and resentment. Furthermore, if we fear what others may think of us, we may also be reluctant to admit our wrong-doings.
"The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Heb. 13:6

If not man…do we fear God? If we do, then we do not understand His Word. Why do we not understand it? Because we don’t prayerfully study it?
"And Moses said to the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not." Ex. 20:20
His "fear" meaning not fright, but reverential worship.

[We must not fear with amazement—with that fear which has torment, which only works upon the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage, betrays us to satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect in our walking. Thus stand in awe, and sin not, Ps. 4:4." ~Matthew Henry]

Neither should we be complacent in our salvation …because it IS dangerous to be so. “Complacent” means self-satisfied without being aware of danger. We must not say, “We are saved; we are comfortable with that, and it is enough”. The meat of the Word suggests that we be more than dumb, helpless sheep. Not obtaining that more wholesome nourishment will keep us babes …and vulnerable. Jesus said:

"...I have food to eat of which you do not know. Therefore the disciples said to one another, Has anyone brought Him anything to eat? Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:32-34

If anyone is on such infantile ground, be careful. Firstly and most importantly, be sure of your salvation. Be careful of error. If you can't identify error, or if you don't think there is any error, then you are not studying the Word of God. I do not say reading...I say STUDYING. We all need, first of all, the surety of the Holy Spirit teaching us, along with (my suggestion) a good, accurate, and non-compromising Bible, as well as a concordance, a good commentary (or a couple), and a Bible dictionary.
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb. 5:12-14

Notice a definition of "full age". That is a most important verse. In that verse, God truly is encouraging us to grow up, be strong, be wise, be perfect.
"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal…" 1 Cor. 3:1-3
Notice the contrast Paul makes there between "spiritual" and "carnal. He says, "I cannot talk to you as spiritual people." Because you are carnal!

And even now…there are those who are unable to receive it (solid food), because, God forbid, we could still be carnal? We must go and learn what this means… "to walk in the Spirit…to mortify the deeds of the body…walk in newness of life". Let us slice off a goodly portion of Filet Mignon and savor it.
"And Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me: there shalt thou stand on the rock…" Ex. 33:21

Let the redeemed of Christ say so!

Peace and Grace to you.