5104

The"American Wisdom Series"

presents
Pamphlet #5104 KC1Peter5-1

Where do the doctrines in your church come from, God's Word or tradition?

Peter told us in chapter 1 that because Christ redeemed us by His precious blood and we have faith and believe in Him, that we have a wonderful and magnificent future that awaits us.

Therefore we should conduct our lives appropriately, i.e. in a holy manner (because He is holy), and be kind and loving towards one another.

And why not, for our future is secure and locked in heaven with Him and no man can take it away.

Peter now continues in chapter 2 with some basic, simple teaching.

1 Peter 2:1
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

Once you've shed the ways of your former self, the old man, and had a rebirth (1:23), then...

[2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
[3] If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Now that you have tasted the unfathomable grace and kindness of His redemption for you, and have changed your ways to conform to a better way of life, then like a newborn baby "cry out" for the sincere (which means uncorrupted, unadulterated) "milk" of the Word of God.

Of course that means that there must be corrupt and adulterated milk.

So how does it become that way?

Answer: Through the teachings of the traditions of men which make void the Word of God and sour the milk.

Here are Christ's own words:

Mark 7:7
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Where do the doctrines in your church come from, God's Word or tradition?

Does your church teach the rapture theory instead of instructing Christians to put on the gospel armor and take a stand against antichrist (Eph. 6)?

Does your church teach an ever-burning torture of men's souls, instead of the second death when all the wicked will perish as John 3:16 says?

Does your church roll Easter eggs?

Does your church teach that the terms Hebrew, Israelite and Jew are all synonymous and that all non-Jews are gentiles?

Does your church teach the Adam and Eve ate an apple in the garden and that a snake stood upright and spoke to Eve?

If the answer to the above questions is yes then you're drinking contaminated, adulterated (adulterous) milk, and "in vain do you worship Him" He just said so in Mark 7:7.

Mark 7:13
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

So here is what happens.

A person starts going to church once a week (another tradition and ritual in itself) and 15 years later knows little more than he or she started out with.

Is that good?

Here's what the Apostle Paul has to say about it:

Hebrews 5:11
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

There's a lot to learn but your ears have grown shut and you have become anesthetized by churchianity.

[12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

So you've been a Christian all your life?

Good, you should be skilful in His word and be able to teach others.

But no, you still can't understand the deeper level of God's Word because you not only haven't grown in the grace and knowledge of His word, you're still drinking sour milk and have need to start all over on the pure, unadulterated truth, and be taught the first principles of the oracles of God.

[13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

However, milk is mere "starter food" which is food for babies, and we all know a baby can't partake of a full 7 course dinner, can it?

The baby will have to grow-up first.

Let's read again what Peter said in verse 2.

1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Peter says you must desire the sincere milk and then grow-up in the word, i.e. as Paul says, become skilful.

Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So are you a babe or a mature, full age Christian who is skilful in the word, having wisdom and discernment which you gained by reason of the use of His word?

The next few verses by the Big Fisherman will test our level of understanding.
See next study - Pamphlet #5105

The subject is the Lord.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the ancient Israelites} for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

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