Over the years people have expressed not only their appreciation, but sometimes even their dissatisfaction for the spiritual diet they have received from the Church. Based on the old King James wording taken from Hebrews 5:12-14, such negative comments often revolved around what was "milk" and what was "strong meat."

Quite frequently, "strong meat" was thought by some to be any new idea that was intriguing and scintillating, especially if it was a fresh interpretation of a difficult and ambiguous area of doctrine or prophecy. Such information and instruction was construed to be strong and spiritually mature, whereas subjects such as Christian living, personal overcoming and developing godly character were often felt to be the "I've heard it before" milk of the Word.

What they did not realize was that this thinking is not in agreement with the explanation of these terms milk and meat in the book of Hebrews itself. Tragically, such wrong perception has caused some to become so displeased that they disassociated themselves from God's Church, which shows why having right knowledge about these two expressions is important.

Let's see what the Bible really teaches, so we can properly understand what milk is, and what constitutes meat or solid food.

Milk or Meat?

Hebrews 5:12 admonishes the readers: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food."

What are these "first principles?" The answer is a few sentences later in chapter 6, verses 1 and 2. They are the basic teachings that every new Christian needs to learn about when he is first called by God. They consist of "the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

These fundamental "first principles of the oracles of God" are described as the "milk" of God's Word because, like an infant needs its mother's milk to build a healthy physical body, the new follower of God needs to understand the elementary doctrines and practices of the Bible's instruction to develop a sound spiritual mind.

But notice what it says in chapter 5, verse 13: "For everyone who partakes only of milk [the new covenant's basic doctrines] is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe" (emphasis added throughout).

This explains that the new Christian will not grow further as he needs to if he remains interested in just the foundational knowledge that God has revealed to him. He will not become more spiritually mature and skilled unless he begins to focus on the development of character perfection that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 5:20 and 48.

Hebrews continues, "But solid food [meat] belongs to those who are of full age [spiritually mature], that is, those who by reason of use [practice] have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).

This is the opposite of what some have believed. Strong spiritual meat or solid food does not consist of provocative and sometimes questionable new ideas, but rather of becoming skilled in righteousness, by continually using one's mind and God's Spirit to discern and choose between right and wrong.

This is what the Church of God has emphasized for years, but it has not always been what some of its affiliates have wanted to hear or read. It is far easier to get our minds on something intriguing but nonessential, than it is to concentrate on overcoming our spiritual weaknesses, which is necessary for all followers of Christ. "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son" (Revelation 21:7.)

This is why some have wrongly categorized solid spiritual meat and food as milk. They have not been willing to face the importance and ongoing responsibility of becoming righteous, so they try to minimize its significance by turning the biblical explanations upside down.

Seek Maturity

Once the foundation of basic doctrine is laid in our minds, we need to "go on to perfection" (Hebrews 6:1). This is the same goal that Jesus set when He told His disciples that their righteousness needed to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, and that they were to become perfect, just as their Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:20, 48).

Therefore, while basic doctrinal explanation and exposition (milk) is needed for building the Christian's foundation of knowledge and understanding, the instruction and encouragement to overcome personal sin and spiritual weakness (meat) is very necessary, because it stimulates essential spiritual growth and maturity in the individual.

Never disdain or underestimate its importance when the subject of attaining righteousness is presented for listening, viewing or reading. Be thankful that God's Church and ministry have the faithfulness and wisdom to include both milk and solid food in the spiritual diet they feed the brethren and the world.