OceanSide church of Christ

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EATING GOD’S WORD

Victor M. Eskew

 

            God often uses physical things to help us understand spiritual concepts.  One of the ideas God has revealed involves being nourished by the Word of God.  Paul told the church at Corinth that he had fed them with milk, and not with meat because they were not able to bear it (1 Cor. 3:2).  In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter exhorts his readers with these words:  “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 

            To appreciate this teaching fully, we must realize that we have a spiritual man dwelling within us.  Paul mentions the inward man in 2 Corinthians 4:16.  “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”  This inward man needs to be taken care of just as the outward man must be cared for.  Part of the care involves a healthy diet of God’s divine Word.  In the remainder of this article, we will be looking at some interesting aspects involved in the eating of God’s Word. 

            First, eating is essential to growth.  Listen again to 1 Peter 2:2.  “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”  When a person becomes a Christian, he is born into the family of God as a babe in Christ (John 3:3, 5; 1 Pet. 1:23).  He needs nourishment in order to grow.  That nourishment is found in God’s Word.  Within God’s Word there is both milk and meat.  Milk is for babes and meat belongs to those who are more mature.  “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:  for he is a babe.  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 4:13-14).  In the physical realm, babies quickly move from milk to table food (meat).  Sadly, the growth process is not always as quick when it comes to the spiritual man.  There are some Christians who are years beyond their spiritual birth, but they are still in need of milk.  This was the precise problem found in the church at Corinth mentioned earlier.  “And I, brethren,” Paul writes, “Could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat:  for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (1 Cor. 3:1-2).

            Second, the flavor of the food in God’s Word is two-fold.  Much of what the Bible has to say is sweet.  In Psalm 19:7-11, the sweet singer of Israel gives a lengthy description of God’s Word.  In verse 10, he gives this description:  “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:  sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”  Honey is a very sweet product of the bee.  We find some who cook with honey as a sweetener.  Others sweeten their drinks with honey.  The inspired scribe says God’s Word is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.  Many of God’s teachings are very pleasant to the taste.  Having eaten of them, we continue to long for more and more of the “sweet stuff.”

            The other flavor found in God’s Word is bitter.  Some things God sets forth in His Word are not very tasty to man.  Man might have to chew quickly and swallow hard to digest the bitter elements of the truth.  In Revelation 10, John is told to “Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel…” (v. 8).  When John requested the book, the angel spoke these words unto him:  “Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, and but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey” (v. 9).  John’s message was not all positive.  Some of the things that he had to say would not be well received.  This is true of several parts of God’s Word.  We read them.  We accept them.  But, their taste is bitter to our taste.

            Third, God’s Word will never make us obese.  We can eat as much of God’s Word as we want and we will never have to worry about our weight.  Think about that!  God’s Word offers us an “all-you-can-eat” buffet that will never enlarge the waistline.  You can just eat and eat and eat to your heart’s content.  Numerous Christians, however, eat God’s Word like they are on a diet.  They take a little pinch here and a little pinch there.  They may eat and then go three or four days, or longer, before they will eat again. 

            Fourth, Gods’ Word will never spoil.  Sometimes we fix a meal and put the leftovers in the refrigerator.  When we go back to get another portion in a day or two, we might find that some of it has gone bad.  God’s Word will never go bad.  We can put it away for a while, return to eat it, and it is still just as fresh as when we originally tasted it.  Peter describes the enduring nature of God’s Word with this simple statement:  “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever…” (1 Pet. 1:25).

            Fifth, God’s Word is essential to one’s spiritual health and spiritual life.  Within the Lord’s church there are many who are weak spiritually.  They barely attend worship services much less actively participate in other aspects of church work.  These individuals are usually those who have a very low spiritual IQ.  They do not partake of God’s Word on a regular basis.  In fact, their occasional attendance of the worship services is often the only nourishment many of them ever receive.  In addition to those in poor health, almost every congregation has those who are dying spiritually.  They are no longer involved in the cause of Christ at all.  Many of these individuals failed to eat God’s Word in the proper amount.  They were too busy paying attention to carnal things.  Sadly, their spiritual man died.

            God’s Word is the perfect food for the spiritual man.  It is healthy.  It is filling.  It is nourishing.  It contains all the vitamins and nutrients the spiritual man needs to grow and be strong.  As long as a person partakes of it on a regular basis, he will maintain his spiritual health.  Jesus pronounces a blessing on all those who partake of this spiritual food.  He proclaims:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6).