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.
Milk is the plainest, simplest first truths suited to young converts, while meat is solid, nourishing food in the higher, more difficult and deeply interesting truths suited to those advanced in spiritual knowledge. Paul fed the Corinthians with milk and not with meat because, though given privilege and time to be far advanced and sanctified, they remained babes in Christ living on a low level, carnal as shown by envying, strife and divisions as when one followed Paul and another Apollos, which closed their hearts and left them unable to bear deeper truth. Gospel laborers must therefore fit teaching to spiritual age, giving new believers gentle, simple nourishment in Christ's love line upon line, and reserving strong doctrinal discourses for those who have progressed step by step until they can receive it. Those long grown in the truth must no longer remain carnal babes unable to bear solid food, but humble their hearts, search the Scriptures, feed on the Word and stand in unity and holiness ready for Christ's coming.
Milk, Meat, and Corinth
Milk is the plainest, most simple truths, the first rudiments and ABC of faith and doctrine suited to young converts, given as plain simple lessons that can be taken without irritating offense. Meat is solid, nourishing spiritual food, the higher, more difficult, deeply interesting truths rich in nourishment, the divine mysteries of godliness necessary for the time, suited to those who have made progress in knowledge of divine things. The distinction is between foundational instruction for infants and deeper spiritual knowledge to be taught as believers become able to receive it, with further light given as growth allows.
The Corinthians had been given enough privilege, opportunity, and time to be far advanced in spiritual knowledge, sanctified in soul, body, and spirit and purged from hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, able to understand and practice what they heard and to bear plain reproof. But their growth lagged and their advancement did not match their privileges, leaving them slow to understand and practice what their opportunities should have prepared them for. They lived on a low level, dwelling on surface truth calling for no thought or deep research, and though wise in worldly knowledge they were still babes in Christ who had not been feeding on Christ and therefore were not advanced in spiritual knowledge.
Their carnal condition was shown by envying, jealousy, suspicion, accusation, strife, contention, disunion, and divisions, walking as men governed by human ways rather than by the Spirit. This was seen when one said I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos, withdrawing from some for imagined reasons and binding up with others. Such cherishing of carnal attributes closed their hearts to the full working of the Holy Spirit, weakened and destroyed spiritual discernment, hindered His work in them, and left them unable to bear deeper truth, bringing a dearth of the Spirit and preventing growth in understanding.
Paul longed to speak spiritual things to them but to his sorrow found them in great weakness, in great inability to receive. So he fed them with milk and not with meat because hitherto they were not able to bear it, and their inability persisted so that neither yet now were they able. They were so dwarfed in spiritual growth that they could not even bear to hear the truth about themselves, and a plain Thus saith the Lord offended them so that Paul would be ranked as accuser and faultfinder and inspired testimony could do them no good. Deeper instruction would cut directly across their jealousy and be misapplied and misappropriated to harm young converts, so only simpler lessons could be given.
All do not have the same work: Paul and Apollos are only ministers by whom men believed as the Lord gave to each, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase, laborers together with God building on the one foundation which is Jesus Christ. Paul began the work by sowing the seed, and those who followed him were to build on it and give further light as believers became able to receive it. Worldly knowledge and sharp business traits do not make men mature in knowing Christ, for spiritual understanding grows only through the gospel's light and sanctifying grace transforming the carnal mind to discern spiritual things. To the worldly-wise the preaching of the cross is foolishness, so few such come into the truth, for God has not called many wise after the flesh, mighty, or noble, but has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty.
Teaching Suited to Capacity
Gospel laborers must use discretion and fit teaching to spiritual age, not giving strong meat to those who are as babes but feeding them with the sincere milk of the word. That milk is the pure truth as it is in Jesus, suited to capacity, given without mingling the teacher's own spirit and ideas with it. God's precepts must not be covered up by traditions, suppositions, or self-devising, for a presentation tasting strongly of self disgusts the hearers.
Souls newly come to the faith are babes in Christ who need milk and not strong meat, and conscientious new believers as lambs of the flock need gentle, simple nourishment. They need to be come close to with kindness and sympathy in the love Christ showed, and to receive faithful, Christlike care and guidance. Only those who show the power of Christ's grace in character at home show wisdom in the church and can be entrusted with their care. Church members who remain spiritually immature are like babies who can take only milk, weak because they have not been encouraged to develop spiritual strength and advance in their work.
People who have known the Scriptures only through ministers and members and have received traditions and fables as Bible truth are babes who do not know the first principles and cannot bear all the truth at once in its most striking character. Even though there is a special message for this age with many things to say, the strongest meat must be withheld from them for a time because they are not prepared to receive it now. They must be given the bread of life they are hungering for and not a stone, with great allowance made for them. God's love is to be spoken in words easy to be understood, and Bible truth as it is in Jesus presented line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, in meekness and love so it will have a telling influence on many minds.
Strong doctrinal discourses are meat suited only for those who have progressed step by step in knowledge of the truth. Those without knowledge need simple, melting truth that subdues the heart: Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the sanctification of soul, body, and spirit, and the amazing love of God, spoken in the simplicity and meekness and lowliness of Christ. Deeper reasons of faith such as the Sabbath question and the third angel's message must be unfolded gradually as seekers inquire and as they are able to bear it. Paul began the work by sowing the seed of the first rudiments of faith and doctrine, and those who followed were to build on the foundation already laid and give further light as believers became able to receive it, until spiritual understanding grown through the gospel's light and sanctifying grace transforms the carnal mind to discern spiritual things.
Spending time preaching to established churches and hovering over them does not strengthen members but makes them weak and helpless, kept on milk and not meat. Hovering keeps believers as consumers and not producers, when ministers are called to leave the ninety and nine and hunt for the lost sheep. Milk is the ABC in divine things for spiritual babies and meat is true gospel food for grown believers. Those who do not work at home, in their neighborhood, and in the church remain babies, always needing to be fed milk and never able to partake of meat, so the experience of young converts never grows beyond the beginning.
Call to Leave Carnality
The first, second, and third chapters of 1 Corinthians carry full instruction of the greatest importance for all who have entered the Lord's army, for God's people to understand and practice at this time. The whole third chapter with the first and second must be read in every church and received for the soul's sake, thought over at home with personal application and read with much prayer. Feeding the mind from Christ and His Word, abiding in Christ, and understanding Scripture belong to that reading, since Christian work is individual and no one should find fault with another's work. The weakness that leaves believers unable to bear stronger food comes from envy and strife cherished among members, with division making them carnal and walking as men, as when one says I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos, withdrawing from some for imagined reasons and binding up with others, while ministers are only servants by whom belief comes, one planting and another watering but God giving the increase. Such surface living on truths calling for no deep research shows babes in Christ who have not been feeding on Christ and therefore are not advanced in spiritual knowledge.
The verse is a reproof to ministers of the gospel and to all churches wherever located, calling ministers and members to humble their hearts before God, seek the truth, and search the Scriptures. Unless hearts are humbled, names will not be placed in the book of life. God will help those who apply these chapters to confess Christ, separate from all hindrances, know the will of God and walk in that pathway, come out of darkness into His marvelous light, and become free and all light in the Lord. Many who think they are prepared for the Lord's coming are not.
Faith and practice need to be energized by the Holy Spirit through study and prayer over Paul's words. No ruling power should compel obedience to dictates of the finite mind, and men must cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Turning minds to lean on human wisdom places a veil between God and man so that He who is invisible is not seen.
Those long grown up in the truth must no longer remain carnal babes who have not labored to come into right relation to truth and close connection with God, but must stand where they can discern what they need and lay hold on it. Feeding on the heavenly manna of the Word and eating the bread of life here gives a right to the tree of life. Earthly, temporal things outside eternal interest must not absorb time and attention so that essential preparation is lost. They must seek Christ daily so He reveals Himself day by day, standing ready with trimmed lamps and the oil of grace, preparing to be translated.
Linking up with the one man under whose labors the light of present truth was received and refusing harmony with brethren proves not being sanctified through the truth. Standing as independent atoms for want of meekness, humility, and wholehearted kindness stands on dangerous ground, needs reconversion as soon as possible, and otherwise makes claimed conversion a stumbling block to sinners. Paul did not give such divided believers up as irreclaimable but educated them to bring them to a better understanding of the spirit that should control believers. God's truth sanctifies the receiver to be a channel and representative of His grace to the world, to angels, and to men, prepared and aided by one Agency from one great Source in love and unity, each strengthening the other. Taking heed to personal conduct in presenting sanctifying truth to souls ready to die, and making straight paths lest the lame be turned out of the way, belongs to that sanctified unity.
Remaining carnal babes unable to bear solid food is seen in discord that prevents growth in understanding, for envy, strife, and divisions showed the Corinthians remained carnal like babes in Christ though they had been given basic teaching of the faith. Tobacco use that defiles and clouds spiritual discernment is unchristian and belongs to that same inability to bear mature instruction. A married man who lets another woman receive affection belonging to his wife and indulges dangerous sentimentalism and spiritualistic affection shows continued carnal immaturity and inability to receive deeper truth. Such affection calls for repentance and conversion, guarding mind and heart from impurity, centering affections on proper objects by Christ, and being as true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word, and deed. The verse calls for minds to be spiritual, not carnal.
Milk is the plainest, simplest first truths suited to young converts, while meat is solid, nourishing food in the higher, more difficult and deeply interesting truths suited to those advanced in spiritual knowledge. Paul fed the Corinthians with milk and not with meat because, though given privilege and time to be far advanced and sanctified, they remained babes in Christ living on a low level, carnal as shown by envying, strife and divisions as when one followed Paul and another Apollos, which closed their hearts and left them unable to bear deeper truth. Gospel laborers must therefore fit teaching to spiritual age, giving new believers gentle, simple nourishment in Christ's love line upon line, and reserving strong doctrinal discourses for those who have progressed step by step until they can receive it. Those long grown in the truth must no longer remain carnal babes unable to bear solid food, but humble their hearts, search the Scriptures, feed on the Word and stand in unity and holiness ready for Christ's coming.
Milk, Meat, and Corinth
Milk is the plainest, most simple truths, the first rudiments and ABC of faith and doctrine suited to young converts, given as plain simple lessons that can be taken without irritating offense. Meat is solid, nourishing spiritual food, the higher, more difficult, deeply interesting truths rich in nourishment, the divine mysteries of godliness necessary for the time, suited to those who have made progress in knowledge of divine things. The distinction is between foundational instruction for infants and deeper spiritual knowledge to be taught as believers become able to receive it, with further light given as growth allows.
The Corinthians had been given enough privilege, opportunity, and time to be far advanced in spiritual knowledge, sanctified in soul, body, and spirit and purged from hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, able to understand and practice what they heard and to bear plain reproof. But their growth lagged and their advancement did not match their privileges, leaving them slow to understand and practice what their opportunities should have prepared them for. They lived on a low level, dwelling on surface truth calling for no thought or deep research, and though wise in worldly knowledge they were still babes in Christ who had not been feeding on Christ and therefore were not advanced in spiritual knowledge.
Their carnal condition was shown by envying, jealousy, suspicion, accusation, strife, contention, disunion, and divisions, walking as men governed by human ways rather than by the Spirit. This was seen when one said I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos, withdrawing from some for imagined reasons and binding up with others. Such cherishing of carnal attributes closed their hearts to the full working of the Holy Spirit, weakened and destroyed spiritual discernment, hindered His work in them, and left them unable to bear deeper truth, bringing a dearth of the Spirit and preventing growth in understanding.
Paul longed to speak spiritual things to them but to his sorrow found them in great weakness, in great inability to receive. So he fed them with milk and not with meat because hitherto they were not able to bear it, and their inability persisted so that neither yet now were they able. They were so dwarfed in spiritual growth that they could not even bear to hear the truth about themselves, and a plain Thus saith the Lord offended them so that Paul would be ranked as accuser and faultfinder and inspired testimony could do them no good. Deeper instruction would cut directly across their jealousy and be misapplied and misappropriated to harm young converts, so only simpler lessons could be given.
All do not have the same work: Paul and Apollos are only ministers by whom men believed as the Lord gave to each, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase, laborers together with God building on the one foundation which is Jesus Christ. Paul began the work by sowing the seed, and those who followed him were to build on it and give further light as believers became able to receive it. Worldly knowledge and sharp business traits do not make men mature in knowing Christ, for spiritual understanding grows only through the gospel's light and sanctifying grace transforming the carnal mind to discern spiritual things. To the worldly-wise the preaching of the cross is foolishness, so few such come into the truth, for God has not called many wise after the flesh, mighty, or noble, but has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty.
Teaching Suited to Capacity
Gospel laborers must use discretion and fit teaching to spiritual age, not giving strong meat to those who are as babes but feeding them with the sincere milk of the word. That milk is the pure truth as it is in Jesus, suited to capacity, given without mingling the teacher's own spirit and ideas with it. God's precepts must not be covered up by traditions, suppositions, or self-devising, for a presentation tasting strongly of self disgusts the hearers.
Souls newly come to the faith are babes in Christ who need milk and not strong meat, and conscientious new believers as lambs of the flock need gentle, simple nourishment. They need to be come close to with kindness and sympathy in the love Christ showed, and to receive faithful, Christlike care and guidance. Only those who show the power of Christ's grace in character at home show wisdom in the church and can be entrusted with their care. Church members who remain spiritually immature are like babies who can take only milk, weak because they have not been encouraged to develop spiritual strength and advance in their work.
People who have known the Scriptures only through ministers and members and have received traditions and fables as Bible truth are babes who do not know the first principles and cannot bear all the truth at once in its most striking character. Even though there is a special message for this age with many things to say, the strongest meat must be withheld from them for a time because they are not prepared to receive it now. They must be given the bread of life they are hungering for and not a stone, with great allowance made for them. God's love is to be spoken in words easy to be understood, and Bible truth as it is in Jesus presented line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, in meekness and love so it will have a telling influence on many minds.
Strong doctrinal discourses are meat suited only for those who have progressed step by step in knowledge of the truth. Those without knowledge need simple, melting truth that subdues the heart: Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the sanctification of soul, body, and spirit, and the amazing love of God, spoken in the simplicity and meekness and lowliness of Christ. Deeper reasons of faith such as the Sabbath question and the third angel's message must be unfolded gradually as seekers inquire and as they are able to bear it. Paul began the work by sowing the seed of the first rudiments of faith and doctrine, and those who followed were to build on the foundation already laid and give further light as believers became able to receive it, until spiritual understanding grown through the gospel's light and sanctifying grace transforms the carnal mind to discern spiritual things.
Spending time preaching to established churches and hovering over them does not strengthen members but makes them weak and helpless, kept on milk and not meat. Hovering keeps believers as consumers and not producers, when ministers are called to leave the ninety and nine and hunt for the lost sheep. Milk is the ABC in divine things for spiritual babies and meat is true gospel food for grown believers. Those who do not work at home, in their neighborhood, and in the church remain babies, always needing to be fed milk and never able to partake of meat, so the experience of young converts never grows beyond the beginning.
Call to Leave Carnality
The first, second, and third chapters of 1 Corinthians carry full instruction of the greatest importance for all who have entered the Lord's army, for God's people to understand and practice at this time. The whole third chapter with the first and second must be read in every church and received for the soul's sake, thought over at home with personal application and read with much prayer. Feeding the mind from Christ and His Word, abiding in Christ, and understanding Scripture belong to that reading, since Christian work is individual and no one should find fault with another's work. The weakness that leaves believers unable to bear stronger food comes from envy and strife cherished among members, with division making them carnal and walking as men, as when one says I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos, withdrawing from some for imagined reasons and binding up with others, while ministers are only servants by whom belief comes, one planting and another watering but God giving the increase. Such surface living on truths calling for no deep research shows babes in Christ who have not been feeding on Christ and therefore are not advanced in spiritual knowledge.
The verse is a reproof to ministers of the gospel and to all churches wherever located, calling ministers and members to humble their hearts before God, seek the truth, and search the Scriptures. Unless hearts are humbled, names will not be placed in the book of life. God will help those who apply these chapters to confess Christ, separate from all hindrances, know the will of God and walk in that pathway, come out of darkness into His marvelous light, and become free and all light in the Lord. Many who think they are prepared for the Lord's coming are not.
Faith and practice need to be energized by the Holy Spirit through study and prayer over Paul's words. No ruling power should compel obedience to dictates of the finite mind, and men must cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Turning minds to lean on human wisdom places a veil between God and man so that He who is invisible is not seen.
Those long grown up in the truth must no longer remain carnal babes who have not labored to come into right relation to truth and close connection with God, but must stand where they can discern what they need and lay hold on it. Feeding on the heavenly manna of the Word and eating the bread of life here gives a right to the tree of life. Earthly, temporal things outside eternal interest must not absorb time and attention so that essential preparation is lost. They must seek Christ daily so He reveals Himself day by day, standing ready with trimmed lamps and the oil of grace, preparing to be translated.
Linking up with the one man under whose labors the light of present truth was received and refusing harmony with brethren proves not being sanctified through the truth. Standing as independent atoms for want of meekness, humility, and wholehearted kindness stands on dangerous ground, needs reconversion as soon as possible, and otherwise makes claimed conversion a stumbling block to sinners. Paul did not give such divided believers up as irreclaimable but educated them to bring them to a better understanding of the spirit that should control believers. God's truth sanctifies the receiver to be a channel and representative of His grace to the world, to angels, and to men, prepared and aided by one Agency from one great Source in love and unity, each strengthening the other. Taking heed to personal conduct in presenting sanctifying truth to souls ready to die, and making straight paths lest the lame be turned out of the way, belongs to that sanctified unity.
Remaining carnal babes unable to bear solid food is seen in discord that prevents growth in understanding, for envy, strife, and divisions showed the Corinthians remained carnal like babes in Christ though they had been given basic teaching of the faith. Tobacco use that defiles and clouds spiritual discernment is unchristian and belongs to that same inability to bear mature instruction. A married man who lets another woman receive affection belonging to his wife and indulges dangerous sentimentalism and spiritualistic affection shows continued carnal immaturity and inability to receive deeper truth. Such affection calls for repentance and conversion, guarding mind and heart from impurity, centering affections on proper objects by Christ, and being as true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word, and deed. The verse calls for minds to be spiritual, not carnal.