The proper Diet

God has ordained that growth comes through nourishment.

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

I want to draw your attention to the word “sincere”.

In the Greek its “Ada-los” and it means to be unadulterated - literally pure, undiluted, honest.

There are many kinds of Milk out there, and not everyone one of them is nourishing or even good.

Today we will look at 3 kinds of milk:

Sour Milk

Skim Milk

Sincere Milk

1: Sour Milk: False Teaching.

One of the most repeated warnings in the NT is the warning against False Teachers and teachings.

1 John 4:1 KJV 1900

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 KJV 1900

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Matthew 7:15 KJV 1900

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

2 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

I could spend hours just reading all the warnings.

What is False Teaching?

A teaching is false when it contradicts the Truth of the Holy Scriptures.

If the scriptures say (a=b and c+d) and a teachings then says (a+b and c=d): You are looking at a false teaching.

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The motivation behind every false teacher is Greed.

And the tactic behind every false teacher is emotional manipulation of the vulnerable.

Romans 16:18 KJV 1900

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Here is the HUGE problem: If a person consumes false teachings, not only will they never grow, but it can even poison them to spiritual death!

1 Timothy 4:1 KJV 1900

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

- How do we protect ourselves from false teachers?

There is only 1 way:

Acts 17:11 KJV 1900

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Do you know how they train people to identify counterfeit money?

They do not give them a stake of counterfeits to study.

They make them study the actual notes.

So that they can quickly spot if something is different.

2: Skim Milk: One-Sided Preaching.

Skim Milk is not sour, It will not hurt you.

However, all the wonderful, energy filled Healthy fats have been removed.

However you need those fats to grow!

This is indicative of the one-sided preacher who only preachers about the “pleasant” things and avoids anything “unpleasant” at all costs.

The problem is that we need the “unpleasant” to grow.

Hebrews 12:11 KJV 1900

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Ministers of the Word are commanded to preach the whole councle of God:

Acts 20:27 NKJV

27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

- An example: My friends the Bible says plainly that God is love.

1 John 4:16 KJV 1900

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

AND the bible says plainly that God is Holy.

1 Samuel 2:2 KJV 1900

2 There is none holy as the Lord: For there is none beside thee: Neither is there any rock like our God.

To focus on only one of these attributes is to offer only skimmed milk.

A God that is just love and has no holiness is a God who overlooks sin, never punishes the wicked, never defends His people.

Equally

A God that is just holy and has no love is a God who is a tyrant, has no compassion and no desire to save us.

We need to Preach that God is Holy, just and to be feared.

Hebrews 10:31 KJV 1900

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

BUT we also need to Preach that God is loving, caring and compassionate.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

- Why preach a one-sided message?

Cowardice and fear.

Those who only preach about God love are cowards, not wanting to offend men.

Those who only preach about God’s holiness are fearful, wanting to control men.

3: Sincere Milk: The Full Gospel

When the milk is pure, it contains everything we need for growth.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Pure milk will contain all of the above:

Doctrine; reproof; correction and instruction.

Doctrine speaks of the “HOW”. That is, doctrine tells us how God operates.

Trinity; salvation; covenant; attribute.

Reproof speaks literally of rebuke. This is the “unpleasent” side of proper preaching.

However, biblical reproof is not done to harm but to heal.

Reproof is preaching in judgment which is so unpopular.

However, the judgment of reproof is an act of mercy, it allows us to be judged by eachother and our sleves as opposed to being judged by God and punished.

Correction in Greek speaks of improvment.

Correction preaching is what we are doing in our series on Redeeming the time.

And finally instruction, which means training and equipping.

Evangelism; apologetic.

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When the Milk is pure, it contains everything we need for health.

We need to cover all of the above bases.

We must be taught doctrine.

We must be reproved if we are in error.

We must seek constant growth through correction.

We must be trained to share and defend our Faith

A balanced biblical diet will accomplish all this:

Hebrews 4:12 KJV 1900

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.