RPG Adults
THE PRESCRIPTION
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7
Hebrews 5:11-14
1 Peter 2:1-6
“If so be ye have tasted that
the Lord is gracious.”
THE PRESCRIPTION
The Sanhedrin had taken counsel to slay the Apostles Peter and John, then Gamaliel stood up and forbade them from taking action (Acts 5:33- 39). He was a member of this council of the Jews and a doctor of the Law. He was a respected leader in Jerusalem. It is not clear if he was a believer in Christ but at least he recognized that the apostles were not ordinary people but that their words had substance.
At that time the Apostle Paul was still one of the Pharisees and a student of Gamaliel. He was very hostile towards the church, but now as the probable writer of the words of this text he understood well the Jewish mind. These Jews needed to know the first principles of the oracles of God. This was what Nicodemus asked Jesus in that night visit. These were the basic doctrines of Christianity, but wilful ignorance kept them in the dark.
Today there is a parallel to this trend: the advent of liberal theology came with clergy with big titles who were wilfully ignorant of biblical truths. In the nineteenth century, liberalism invaded the Anglican Church. One of her bishops, a conservative believer, wrote that the bishops of his church knew nothing about Christ except His name. It is no wonder that some of today’s bishops are self-proclaimed atheists! Many mainline churches today are led by liberal clergy who are similarly destitute of biblical truths. However in the eyes of the general public they are great leaders whose words count in public affairs. These false shepherds have flocks that follow them ignorantly.
The writer saw these people as babies in the faith and as such he could only prescribe milk for them. He said that they were unskilful in the word. He got them started with that simple food for they were unable to digest more. When they had grown, they could then be given strong meat.
THOUGHT: Simple spiritual diet is good for anyone who wishes to learn simple truths.
PRAYER: Father, may I always “desire the sincere milk of the word” (1 Pet 2:2).