I Thessalonians 5:27
“I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.”
This is the second day on this verse. The first day addressed how churches have the responsibility of teaching the bible and how there are different methods for doing this. The focus of this session will be what the believer is to do with the message heard.
The messages are to be applied to one’s life. We should be gaining advice on managing the difficulties of life. We should also be becoming more Christlike.
Hebrews 5: 11-14 speaks of how we mature in our bible knowledge and application. Verse 11 says, “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing”. These individuals were bored with the bible. Their attention can only handle so much. They only get excited by the high interest topics.
Verse 12 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food”. These have been in church for a while. Unfortunately, they have benefited little. They are like students who are held back in school. They aren’t learning or progressing in their faith.
The individual needs to apply and seek the Lord in personal growth. I’m reminded of Jesus’ description of the four types of heart attitudes when hearing the bible. One is preoccupied, another is worried, the third has the message robbed from the evil one and the last is the heart ready to hear and apply (Matthew 13:3-8). We cycle through having any of those attitudes. As we mature, the idea is to attend to our hearts to keep it as the fertile soil.
Verse 14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” The words “practice” and “senses trained” are keys to maturity. Our faith is to be lived out on a daily basis. In doing so our senses are trained. It’s a blessing to sense His Spirit guiding us. We also sense what’s not of Him and stay away. Having the bible in us is inviting the Lord to be in us.
Lord, thank You for our churches and how they teach the bible. Help us to take those messages and apply them. Help us to mature and grow, so as to be be a blessing to others.