Published 2001-03
Bud Powell
Trinity Covenant RCUS, Colorado Springs
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. 13 For every one that useth milk is
unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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. –Heb.
5:12-14
The writer of Hebrews was really frustrated that his targeted
readers [Jews] were unable to understand what he wanted to say about the man
Melchizidec. You would have thought that
a man to whom Abraham paid tithes would have impressed the Jew. Especially when later on David spoke of a priest
arising after the order of Melchizidec (Psalm 110). The Jew was so filled with pride of race,
that they could not imagine someone greater than Abraham. But that is not the subject of this article.
As the writer rebukes his readers for spiritual immaturity, he
gives a formula for spiritual maturity.
His readers had been followers of the true faith long enough to become
teachers, but instead they needed to be taught over and over the first
principles. He gives this formula: “Strong meat belongs to them that are of full
age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.” Wow!
Discernment of good and evil is not automatic. It is a skill that must be learned, and comes
because of the exercise of the senses.
On this passage Calvin says,
Of full age, or perfect, etc. He calls those perfect who are
adults; he mentions them in opposition to babes, as it is done in 1 Corinthians
2:6; 14:20; Ephesians 4:13. For the middle and manly age is the full age of
human life; but he calls those by a figure men in Christ; who are spiritual. And
such he would have all Christians to be, such as have attained by continual
practice a habit to discern between good and evil. For he cannot have been
otherwise taught aright in the truth, except we are fortified by his protection
against all the falsehoods and delusions of Satan; for on this account it is
called the sword of the Spirit. And Paul points out this benefit conferred by
sound doctrine when he says, “That we may not be carried about by every wind of
doctrine.” (Ephesians 4:14.) And truly what sort of faith is that which doubts,
being suspended between truth and falsehood? Is it not in danger of coming to
nothing every moment?
But not satisfied to mention in one word the mind, he mentions all
the senses, in order to show that we are ever to strive until we be in
every way furnished by God’s word, and be so armed for battle, that Satan may
by no means steal upon us with his fallacies. It hence appears what sort of
Christianity there is under the Papacy, where not only the grossest ignorance
is commended under the name of simplicity, but where the people are also most
rigidly prevented from seeking real knowledge; nay, it is easy to judge by what
spirit they are influenced, who hardly allow that to be touched which the
Apostle commands us to handle continually, who imagine that a laudable neglect
which the Apostle here so severely reproves, who take away the word of God, the
only rule of discerning rightly, which discerning he declares to be necessary
for all Christians! But among those who are freed from this diabolical
prohibition and enjoy the liberty of learning, there is yet often no less
indifference both as to hearing and reading. When thus we exercise not our
powers, we are stupidly ignorant and void of all discernment.
All of the senses must be exercised. “Senses” means “faculties,” reason, will,
affections. The whole man must be
trained and disciplined by the Holy Spirit speaking in Scripture before a man
can trust his ideas of right and wrong.
The Bible is a difficult book, and a great many sins have been committed
in its name, by serious people who thought they were doing God service. The muscles of the soul must be exercised in
the Scriptures or we will do evil in the name of God.
Don’t take right and wrong for granted. A great deal of folly has been committed
through the years in the name of simplicity.
We need to have muscles in our soul, trained and exercised in the Holy
Scriptures.
