My youngest son John Wicks is growing up way too fast. It seems like just yesterday he was a newborn who depended on us for absolutely everything. Now, he’s almost a year old and is wanting to be more independent, especially when it comes to eating. Let me tell you, that boy loves to eat! Now, when we try to feed him something from a spoon he gets very upset and forcefully pushes the spoon away. However, if we simply place the food down in front of him, he will devour it. He wants to feed himself.
As Christians, we experience a similar spiritual reality when we are born again through repentance and faith in Christ( John 3:3). At first, we are wholly dependent on others to show and teach us God’s words (i.e. pastor, teacher, disciple-maker) and provide spiritual nourishment. Although we never completely outgrow our need to hear the Word of God taught through preaching and teaching, as we grow in faith we should be learning to feed ourselves. Furthermore, we should develop the discipline of feeding on the Word of God on a daily basis. Just as food and water bring life to promote and sustain our physical growth, God’s Word brings life to promote our spiritual growth and sustain our souls (Rom 10:17). Christians cannot live without the Word of God. We need it to grow in Christ-likeness (Matt 4:4). We need it to teach us what pleases God (2 Cor 5:9). The written Word is the means by which we are conformed into the likeness of the Living Word, Jesus Christ. To neglect regular reading of the Bible is detrimental to the health of the soul.
God’s Word speaks for itself, promising that it is profitable to teach us how to live. It confronts and corrects our wrong thinking and way of living. Furthermore, it trains us to become more like Christ. Though physically written by men it is divinely inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16-17). Therefore, the Bible is the very Words of God Himself. Wayne Grudem says, “since the Bible affirms that it is the very words of God, we are to seek to understand those words, for in doing so, we are seeking to know God himself. We are to seek and trust the words of Scripture, for in doing so, we are seeking to trust God himself. We are to seek to obey the words of Scripture, because in doing so, we are seeking to obey God himself.”
My prayer for you is that you would grow in your desire to feed yourself. Don’t just wait for someone else to feed you. There are many resources available to help you in this. Get a good study Bible. Pick a Bible reading plan. Buy a few easy-to-read commentaries.Finally, I want to encourage you to commit to walk alongside someone else as you help them grow up in Christ. Show and teach them the Word. Help them get a grasp on what the Bible is about. Point them to Christ in the Old Testament. Use the New Testament to show them their new life and future inheritance in Christ. More importantly, help them learn how to feed themselves. Please contact me with questions about obtaining the best, most helpful resources for where you are in your faith walk.
*Blog adapted from the FBC Hartselle May 2014 Newsletter
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