July 5, 2022 LIKE MERE MEN
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealously and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
Jude 3: Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Some passages of scripture challenge us, even correct us when needed-this is one of those passages. Paul was writing to believers who were not growing in the faith, but had remained as ‘babes in Christ;’ Paul had to give them milk to drink, not solid food. I wonder about many of us believers today; are we getting a diet of milk, or solid food when it comes to our spiritual health. The believers Paul was addressing were still fleshly; fleshly refers to that part of us that is in opposition to the Spirit of God-that part of us that wants to live according to our own dictates and preferences. Living according to the flesh always produces bad fruit such as jealously, strife, dissentions, unrest-and the list goes on. The point of these passages is to encourage us to contend for the faith; strong healthy faith does not happen automatically-we must contend for it. 1 Timothy 6:12 admonishes us to “Fight the good fight of faith,” and in the verse above in Jude, we are told to “contend earnestly for the faith.” If not alert, we become spiritually lazy and become as ‘babes in Christ.’ I do not have a clear and concise definition of how we are to contend for the faith and how we are to fight the good fight of faith, but we can identify some aspects of doing so. Ephesians 4:23 instructs us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind; we are to continually be setting our mind on the ways of the Lord-to make choices that lead to spiritual growth. Certainly we are to routinely read the word of God and to be increasing in our knowledge of Him. There are times when the pull of our flesh is strong, encouraging us to go our way instead of His way; in such times we must deny the flesh and make the choice to ‘yield our members as instruments of righteousness’ and walk in His way and do the things that are pleasing to Him. Also, we find strength and encouragement when we spend time with other believers as we experience the Lord together and as we encourage one another. Much could be said about contending for the faith, but I trust that we are being reminded to continue to grow in our faith and be able to receive the meat of God’s word. Let us not live like mere men and women, but live in the power and the love of God, growing in the faith which was ‘once for all delivered to the saints.’
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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