Heb 5:12-13 (NIV)
… 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.
For many years, our BSG is relying on materials prepared by Pastor David or someone else for Bible Study. The materials are sometimes so simple and members would rather not answer the questions. Questions like Multiple-Choice-Questions, fill in the blanks, true or false and “choose and match” at time make me wonder I am in an English class meant for Primary 6 preparing for PSLE. As in Hebrews 5:12, such discussion questions are like spiritual milk. When would our members be able to move on to solid food of spiritual intake of the WORD? What is this solid food anyway?
Spiritual milk is when someone is feeding you, like preparing BSG material for the group to discuss. Solid food then is when you Study the Bible yourself without the “milk” prepared for you. This mean, you just read the Bible passage and study the passage without any prepared questions, and preferably without any aids either (use aids only after studying the bible). Use a Bible with a lot of cross references at the bottom of the page and an introduction for each Book of the Bible. If not, then you have to rely only on your Bible knowledge, which you acquire through your bible reading. Generally, those who are consistent in reading the bible should start studying the Bible on their own.
Wait a minute! What’s wrong with just drinking spiritual milk?
There is nothing wrong with spiritual milk. It can help you grow in your faith as 1 Pet 2:2. But relying on spiritual milk only would never make you a teacher. (OK, I am not interested to teach other, I just want to come to church on Sunday and worship God). Also, when your life is disturbed and troubled, you began to question your faith in Christ. Like what? Maybe a 3H problem.… It can be a “heart” problem. Like when a tall, dark and handsome non-Christian man comes along and you fall in love with him. Then you disappear from church. It happens right? And will happen again. Or when you feel jilted by someone. Or when you get into a not so right relationship with an opposite sex and then end up with a game adult plays call “adultery”. We see that happened in BPCES. Then there is the “hand” problem. You get so busy with work and study. Then there is no time for God. There are just too many things to handle and it become a "hand" problem. We see some of them going through this now. Then there is the “head” problem. Financial crisis strike now and many are worried. Their mind and head are just too occupied with the daily life and job security. Some have headache over it - "head" problem. God become second place, or no place.
So what’s next after spiritual milk? Solid food? Not yet, take some spiritual cereal first.
Toddler drinks milk, infant starts with cereal. Infant are always asking questions. Daddy, why this? Daddy, why that? There is no end to questions. Spiritual cereal is like that, asking questions. Who, what, where, when, why and How – 5W and 1H. Why did the writer of Hebrews say they are not ready for solid food? What is Christian maturity? What is solid food? How do I get this solid food? Who are the “dull in understanding”? What is the elementary truth of God’s word? There are many questions to ask, maybe no answer yet. But, it's OK, like an infant.
Infants are also beginning to be selective, they may not like your cereal, so you need to change and modify to suit them. This is their power of observation. Observation forces them to “see” think and decide whether they like the cereal or not. In observation, look for repeated words, comparison and contrast an item, people, and word. Look for key verse, thought, theme, argument, and idea in the passage. Is there any similar things written elsewhere in the Bible? This is what we call cross referencing. Cross References can be: (5E) enlightenment, echo, example, etymology, or elaborate a verse or passage.
OK, I am going into “solid food” so it best to stop for now.
Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; (Jer 15:16 NASB)
… 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.
For many years, our BSG is relying on materials prepared by Pastor David or someone else for Bible Study. The materials are sometimes so simple and members would rather not answer the questions. Questions like Multiple-Choice-Questions, fill in the blanks, true or false and “choose and match” at time make me wonder I am in an English class meant for Primary 6 preparing for PSLE. As in Hebrews 5:12, such discussion questions are like spiritual milk. When would our members be able to move on to solid food of spiritual intake of the WORD? What is this solid food anyway?
Spiritual milk is when someone is feeding you, like preparing BSG material for the group to discuss. Solid food then is when you Study the Bible yourself without the “milk” prepared for you. This mean, you just read the Bible passage and study the passage without any prepared questions, and preferably without any aids either (use aids only after studying the bible). Use a Bible with a lot of cross references at the bottom of the page and an introduction for each Book of the Bible. If not, then you have to rely only on your Bible knowledge, which you acquire through your bible reading. Generally, those who are consistent in reading the bible should start studying the Bible on their own.
Wait a minute! What’s wrong with just drinking spiritual milk?
There is nothing wrong with spiritual milk. It can help you grow in your faith as 1 Pet 2:2. But relying on spiritual milk only would never make you a teacher. (OK, I am not interested to teach other, I just want to come to church on Sunday and worship God). Also, when your life is disturbed and troubled, you began to question your faith in Christ. Like what? Maybe a 3H problem.… It can be a “heart” problem. Like when a tall, dark and handsome non-Christian man comes along and you fall in love with him. Then you disappear from church. It happens right? And will happen again. Or when you feel jilted by someone. Or when you get into a not so right relationship with an opposite sex and then end up with a game adult plays call “adultery”. We see that happened in BPCES. Then there is the “hand” problem. You get so busy with work and study. Then there is no time for God. There are just too many things to handle and it become a "hand" problem. We see some of them going through this now. Then there is the “head” problem. Financial crisis strike now and many are worried. Their mind and head are just too occupied with the daily life and job security. Some have headache over it - "head" problem. God become second place, or no place.
So what’s next after spiritual milk? Solid food? Not yet, take some spiritual cereal first.
Toddler drinks milk, infant starts with cereal. Infant are always asking questions. Daddy, why this? Daddy, why that? There is no end to questions. Spiritual cereal is like that, asking questions. Who, what, where, when, why and How – 5W and 1H. Why did the writer of Hebrews say they are not ready for solid food? What is Christian maturity? What is solid food? How do I get this solid food? Who are the “dull in understanding”? What is the elementary truth of God’s word? There are many questions to ask, maybe no answer yet. But, it's OK, like an infant.
Infants are also beginning to be selective, they may not like your cereal, so you need to change and modify to suit them. This is their power of observation. Observation forces them to “see” think and decide whether they like the cereal or not. In observation, look for repeated words, comparison and contrast an item, people, and word. Look for key verse, thought, theme, argument, and idea in the passage. Is there any similar things written elsewhere in the Bible? This is what we call cross referencing. Cross References can be: (5E) enlightenment, echo, example, etymology, or elaborate a verse or passage.
OK, I am going into “solid food” so it best to stop for now.
Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; (Jer 15:16 NASB)
Mark Lim
23 Oct 2008 9am
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