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

There is nothing better for a baby than mother’s milk. I am not about to explain all the benefits of mother’s milk. I am sure there are mom’s out there who are much more qualified. Let us leave it at healthy for growth.

Let us rather focus on tasted grace. The milk of the Word, the simple pure gospel, easily digested, grace. Grace is the fat of the Word. It is fat that makes things taste better. Ask a French chef for the secret to tasty food and he will exclaim butter, nature fatty tasty butter.

I love Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara and the secret to the sauce is pancetta, unsmoked Italian bacon, with lots of fat. I know you have heard it said, tongue in cheek or not, “Everything tastes better with bacon.”

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.

Now we teach above and beyond the milk of the word. The simple gospel is just the start of the rebirth, the baby’s milk. We need to grow, we need that varied diet, even the strong meat of the Word. All I am saying here is that it will taste better, be a better dish if seasoned with grace.

Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

The Word chock-full of grace. Tasty.

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

I don’t think much has changed since John wrote this epistle. Sure the world has grown, sure technology is on the rise, but the sentiment about antichrists remains the same. A fledgling church surrounded by a dangerous and evil world would have felt oppressed and that there were many who would stand against the gospel. Well the church age has been around for almost two thousand years and we live in a dangerous and evil world that opposes the gospel.

There is a reason I chose anti-matter rather than antichrist as the title for this devotional. The issue of anti is opposition, being against. We know Christ, the antichrist opposes who Christ is but the antichrist is not just the opposite of Christ. He opposes everything that matters to Jesus Christ. He opposes you and me, love, fellowship, unity, harmony, and the gospel.

John warned that this is the last time. Obviously it was not true then. It might not be now. But then again we do not know that. Given that the anti-matter is in strong opposition to the matter, then what matters most? There is great evil in the world. There is so much to pray for. There is so much opposition to the gospel both here and abroad. What if all that is a distraction, a deceiving? What if what really matters to Christ is right in front of you? What if the soul you bring to Christ is the last soul needed to complete the body of Christ?

Now that would be the last time.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.