The Nugget:
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
My Comment:
The last verse (2 Peter 3:18) gave the command to grow in grace. This verse tells how to do it. We are to grow by desiring and partaking of the “milk of the word.” The “word” is the Bible. Just as newborn babies very strongly desire milk, so we are to very strongly desire to feed on God’s written word. If a newborn baby has no desire for milk or food, we would suspect the baby to be deathly ill. So for anyone who supposes they are really a Christian. If you have no appetite for God’s Word and Bible study, you are very likely spiritually dead, and not a real Christian! Or, it may be that you have never truly been involved in Real Bible Study. I remember a young lady, editor of the high school newspaper, visited the Bible Discussion Club, to better prepare herself to write an article about it. She told us all that she had no idea that other students her age could be so interested and excited about the Bible. I personally have found that what people imagine a Bible study to be like is altogether mistaken. They think a Bible study, as in a home Bible study, is simply another dose of Sunday school. It need not be. Real Bible study involves open discussion and questions and answers where all are encouraged, though no one is forced, to participate. Getting back to the “milk of the word,” if you fed your physical body as faithfully as you partake of spiritual food yourself from the Bible, how long would you last or stay well physically? The answer to that question might be indicative of your own spiritual health. Whatever our spiritual health, I’m sure we are all open to improvement in that department. Take time to read the Bible as often as possible. You might have to start small, reading just five minutes a day. Eventually, hopefully sooner than later, you will build up to twenty minutes a day. The best way to grow your interest in the Bible is to spend time reading it. The more you know the Bible, the more interesting it gets.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1457 for 1 Peter 2:2.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1474 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Peter 2:2.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
1 Peter 2:2. newborn babes. T#1113. 1 P *1:23. Le =22:11. Mt +*18:3. Mk *10:15. Lk +18:15. Ro *6:4. 1 C *3:1. 14:20. 2 T +*3:15. desire. Peter states we should desire the Word of God just like a newborn baby desires milk. I think a fair inference to be drawn from Peter’s statement is that just like a newborn baby would die if it never gets milk, so anyone who does not feed on the written Word of God in the Bible will die spiritually. A further proper inference no doubt would be that anyone who has no desire to seriously feed on the written Word of God in the Bible is spiritually dead. Jb *23:12. Ps 112:1. 119:165. Je %6:10. **15:16. Mt 5:6. the sincere. or, spiritual. Gr. reasonable. Ps *19:7-10. Ro 12:1g. milk. 1 C *3:2. He *5:12, 13. of the word. It is the Word of God, not tradition, “which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Rather than contending so much for what is clearly not essential to faith in Christ, true Christians, Bible believing ones, encourage others to get into the written Word of God in the Bible for themselves so that they can come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and have a life-giving relationship with Him that results in genuine belief that brings eternal life. Only the Bible provides the spiritual food necessary for spiritual growth and “works effectually” (1 Th 2:13n) in those who believe. Ex =16:15. Mt +4:4. 1 T 4:6. He 6:9n. grow. T#1048. 2 S 23:5. Jb *17:9. Pr +*4:18. Ho *6:3. *14:5, 7. Ml *4:2. Ac +*20:32. Ep 2:21. *4:15. Col 1:6, +*10. 2:19. 1 Th *2:13. 2 Th 1:3. 2 T +**3:16, 17. 2 P **3:18.
psm 69.30 i will praise the name of god with a song, and will magnify him
with thanksgiving
1 pe 2.2 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby.
several encouraging cross reference on 1 pe 2.2
1. pm 19.7-10
the law of the lord is perfect, restoring the soul: the testimony
of the soul; is sure making wise the simple.
2. psm 19.8 the statues of the lord are right, rejoicing
the heart: the commandment of the lord is pure, enlightening
the eyes
3.psm 19.9 the fear of the lord is clean, enduring for ever: the
judgments of the lord are true and righteous altogether.
4. psm 19.10 more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than
much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
5. 1 co 3.1-2 and i, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in christ.
6. 1 co 3.2 i have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for
hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
7. heb 5.12-13 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,
not of strong meat
8. heb 5.13 but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use have their senses excercised to
discern both good and evil.
9. prov 4.18 but the path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
10. eph 4.15 but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him
in all things, which is the head, even christ:
by the pure milk of the word the believer grows spiritually. the
ultimate goal toward all spiritual growth in this life is moving
in conformity to the image of our lord jesus christ.!!!
ph 3.3 we worship god in the spirit, and rejoice in christ jesus, and have
no confidence in the flesh.