Babies by Larry Perry

1 Peter 2:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation

1 Peter 2:2 King James Version (KJV) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Comparing these two versions allows us to reflect on this thought: “Don’t treat me like a baby.”

When we came to Christ we made a conscious choice. It takes a certain amount of maturity to admit you need a savior. Then some are told they are babes in Christ and that isn’t always received with the same kind of loving attention that is lavished on a newborn. It is interesting to watch the faces of people as they see a friend’s newborn. Grown stout men will sometimes act the fool, not really knowing how to properly enjoy someone else’s baby.

Such is the dilemma of the initiate in Christ. Everyone is joyous and in celebration for this new birth. For most of us it happened so long ago we forgot how it felt. We have lost touch with those first moments of surrender that are fraught with doubt. We didn’t know that we had changed, at least not in the sense of having just entered into the Kingdom of God. Everything looks the same through our natural eyes and like a newborn baby, it takes time to bring things into focus.

Lastly, the issue of the newborn is that everyone wants to hold the baby. Everyone has an opinion of what the baby looks like and some idea connected to what that baby could become when it is grown.

Because the initiate is of an age where they can express themselves in terms of worldly thoughts and feeling it is easy to forget this person knows nothing of kingdom living. It is like reading a travel brochure of a distant land and then upon arriving they discover there is so much more that was not included in the brochure.

John 3:3 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Read of the various stages of growth in Christ. Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we have entered into a new life, a new living arrangement. We have enter into a kingdom where Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives.

There has been a comparison in the stages of birth and growth in the natural world and Kingdom living. We can understand our growth in the natural world and Kingdom living is very similar. The greatest difference is that we soon forget our life in the womb. Our old life memories linger with us and can often hinder Kingdom growth.

Philippians 3:12-13 English Standard Version

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Forgetting our past is not easy but it must not prevent us from looking forward. The initial goal upon entering into the Kingdom of God is to discover where we are in this new life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

We all are babes in Christ upon new birth. We can begin to compare kingdom living with being a baby and the baby in life is expected to do nothing more than eat and grow.

Our diet is the Word of God, His Word is life. Eat a healthy diet even if we do not like the taste.

It is good for us.