"THE HOLIEST OF ALL" part XLIII

SOLID FOOD FOR THE PERFECT
Hebrews 5: 13 - 14  For every one that partakes of milk is without experience of the word of Righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for perfect men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Continuing with The Third Warning
Against Sloth and Apostasy

BY THE REV. ANDREW MURRAY

We have here the contrast between the two stages in the Christian life. Of the first we have already spoken. The second stage is that of manhood the full-grown, mature, perfect man. This does not, as in nature, come with years, but consists in the wholeheartedness with which the believer yields himself to be all for God. It is the perfect heart that makes the perfect man. The twenty years needed for a child to become a full-grown man are not the rule in the Kingdom of Heaven. There is indeed a riper maturity and a mellowness which comes with the experience of years. But even a young Christian can be of the perfect of whom our Epistle speaks, with a heart all athirst for the deeper and more spiritual Truth it is to teach, and a will that has indeed finally broken with sin, the world and counted all things loss for the perfect Knowledge of Christ Jesus.

The contrast is expressed in the words: The babe is without experience of the word of righteousness. He has not yielded himself to the discipline which the word demands and brings; he has not, in the struggle of practical obedience, had experience of what the Word can do to search and cleanse, to strengthen and bless. His religious life has been, as with a babe, the enjoyment of being fed. He is without real experience of the Word of Righteousness.

With the perfect, the full-grown men, it is the very opposite: by reason of use they have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Just as in nature the use of the limbs, with plenty of exercise for every sense and organ, is one of the surest conditions of a healthy growth, so with the Christian too. It is when the faculties God gives us in the Spiritual Life are put to the use He meant them for, and our spiritual senses are kept in full exercise, that we pass from feeble infancy to maturity. This exercise of the senses has special reference to that which we have been saved to a Life of Obedience and Holiness; it is to discern good and evil. The eye is exercised to see and know God's Way and Him who leads in it; the ear to hear His voice; the conscience to reject everything that is not well pleasing to God or even the slightest bite doubtful; the will to choose and do only what is His Will.

It is of the utmost consequence that we should note this well. The capacity for entering into the Deeper Truths to be unfolded does not depend on talent or study, on sagacity or genius, but on the tenderness with which the soul has exercised itself in daily life in discerning good and evil. The Redemption in Christ is to save us from sin, and bring us back to the perfect Obedience and unhindered fellowship of intimacy with God. It is as the desire not to sin becomes more intense; and the acceptance of Jesus as an indwelling deliverer from sin more entire or complete; and the surrender to the operation of God in working His Will in us more complete; that the spiritual teaching of our Epistle will be appreciated. It is a Holy Sensitiveness to the least sin, arising from the faithful use and exercise of the senses as far as there is Light, that is the spiritual sense or organ for Spiritual Truth, the mark of the perfect man. In the things of God a tender conscience and a surrendered will are more than the highest intellect.

Such are the perfect. The word means here just what it meant when used of Jesus a few verses previously. His Perfection came through Obedience. Ours comes in no other Way--- the exercise of the senses to discern good and evil. In temptations Jesus Himself was exercised to discern between good and evil: in the wilderness and the garden He had to fast and watch and pray, lest the lawful desire of His human nature might lead to sin: thus He was Perfected. And this is Christian perfection the fellowship of intimacy with Christ, through the indwelling Spirit, in His Obedience.

Solid food is for the perfect. And what is this solid food? The context leaves no doubt as to the answer. It is the Knowledge of Christ as Melchlzedek, as it is now to be expounded. To know Christ as Aaron, to believe in His atonement on earth, and in pardon through His Blood, this is often found with Christians who are content to remain mere babes, entirely slothful and stationary. But to Know Christ as Melchizedek in His Heavenly Priesthood, working in us in Authority the power of an Endless Life; as a Savior able to save completely; as the Minister of the Sanctuary, who has Opened the Holiest of All, and brings us in to dwell there; as the Mediator of the New and Better Covenant, who does actually fulfill its promise and write God's Law in Living power in our heart;--- this is the solid food for the perfect. The teaching in the word is open and free to all, but only those who have given themselves to be perfect, feel the need and hunger for it only they are capable of receiving and assimilating it; because it is only they who have in very deed determined to rest content with nothing less than all Christ can do for them, and to count all things loss for the possession of this Pearl of Great Price. All the outward teaching and knowledge of the words of the prophets and of Christ must give way to the inward speaking of Christ in the soul by the Holy Spirit. It is to souls who break through the husk, and hunger to feed on the kernel, on the very Life of God in Christ, who will become perfect in Christ Jesus.

1. These Hebrew Christians are reproved for not being perfect. It is not left to their choice whether they are to be eminent Christians. God expects each child of His to be as eminent In Grace and Piety as it is possible for Christ to make him.
2. Till we all attain unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: this ought to be our aim. The motive and the power to seek this we have in our Lord Jesus.
3. Let nothing satisfy us but living wholly for Christ; He is Worthy.

A special note here: We might add that our rituals, customs, programs, methods, creeds, doctrines, church affiliations and participation do nothing to advance the working of the Spirit of Christ within our heart to accomplish God's purposes and goal. We do need to heed the warnings given to the Hebrews believers.