Are You Ready for Solid Food?

Image result for baby drinking milk

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
We often talk about "Christian maturity", but what does it mean?  Paul addresses the lack of spiritual maturity today in the Corinthian church.  He uses the analogy of feeding them with milk rather than solid food.  An obvious reference to babies who cannot handle solid food until they have grown up.  What is the reason Paul gives for them not being as mature as they should be?  They are still worldly.  Their worldliness is reflected in being more interested in the personalities of their leaders than the Word of God.  
Paul refers to his in another letter when he says to Timothy, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Timothy 4:3
Clearly Paul equates spiritual maturity with how one handles the word of God. It is interesting to think that as we mature in Christ and applying his Word in our lives that we can be "addressed" differently.  Meaning until we have handled the basics God will not give us more.  To those who are faithful, they will be given more.  It is sort of like you can't go on to higher applications in math until you master algebra. 
Where are you at in your Christian maturity?  Are you ready for solid food or still being fed only milk?  Are you worldly? As you apply God's word in your life you will grow in spiritual maturity.  God will use you in new ways to make an impact in the lives of others, and you will experience the abundant life Jesus promised.  

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