| 20th
April, 2005
LLOYD
HARKNESS
Milk. Flowing with
milk and honey. Honey and milk are under your tongue. Milk.
Good, wholesome, fat of the land milk.
Little bells went off in my head when I thought of the meaning
the Bible attaches to the word 'milk'.
This column has been running for some time and I've tackled
words like glory, blessed, trespass and revelation. These
are words that require some unwrapping, but milk...blessed,
simple, beautiful milk.
In the Old Testament milk is nearly always linked with honey
and it's a symbol for God's rich provision. Even in the Song
of Songs the groom says of his bride: "milk and honey
are under your tongue". He could only picture a good
and bountiful life with her.
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IMAGE:
Iliana (www.sxc.hu)
"Milk
says the Gospel is for all people of all tribes and
cultural backgrounds. New Christians, those who have
just been born again, are sustained in their new life
and faith by the milk of the Bible. Just like a babe
clamours for its mother's breast, so a new Christian
clamours for the sustaining fundamental truths of
God's message."
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The New Testament speaks of the milk of the Word. It's about
simplicity and accessibility. It's about the fundamentals
of the Christian faith.
Milk says the Gospel is for all people of all tribes and cultural
backgrounds. New Christians, those who have just been born
again, are sustained in their new life and faith by the milk
of the Bible. Just like a babe clamours for its mother's breast,
so a new Christian clamours for the sustaining fundamental
truths of God's message.
We're encouraged to retain this kind of yearning.
Unfortunately, Paul had to turn milk into a negative when
dealing with two groups of Christians (1Corinthians 3:2 and
Hebrews 5:12-13). In both situations Christians were hanging
onto things (legalism, self aggrandisement, a divisive spirit
and so on) which limited Paul to giving them a diet of milk
when they should have been capable of consuming a broader
range of foods and thus living a fuller and healthier life.
However, when I think of milk I picture slurping, gurgling,
smiling, burping, lip-smacking, sighing contented babies.
I'm with Peter when he said: "Like newborn babies crave
spiritual milk" (1Peter 2:2). When a baby tastes milk
it knows it is good. Likewise, when we get a taste of Jesus
in our lives it's not likely we will spit him out as some
rejected nipple. Peter is convinced that when we have tasted
the goodness of Jesus he will stir a craving in us that will
lead to maturity in our salvation.
A babe at the breast is a rich image for us. Paul even gives
a list of six of the constituents in our milk (Hebrews 6:1-2).
These constituents make for a healthy foundational diet:
• repent of all religious rituals and exercises. Keep
it real with God;
• stay the course of maintaining faith in God;
• get baptised and may your baptism continue to signify
the change in your life and the direction you are going in
now, with Jesus;
• get commissioned and in fulfilling what God has commissioned
you to do, pass on his blessing. (The laying on of hands sometimes
symbolises, and at other times is an impartation of, this
passing on to others what God has given you);
• have confidence that you will be resurrected to join
Jesus; and,
• know the ultimate price of rejecting God's grace is
judgement.
These are simple and accessible truths.
Ah, milk...
...running down your chin, nutritionally rich, milk.
Oh, and I'll have some meat and veg with that glass of milk
too thanks. You see, I'm now on a Pauline diet.
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