What is the meaning of Hebrews 5:14? But solid food • “Solid food” pictures the deeper, weightier truths of God’s Word—doctrine that stretches the mind and calls for obedience. Paul makes the same contrast in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, where immature believers can handle only “milk.” • Scripture never suggests that salvation is found in surface knowledge alone; rather, believers are called to “move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1). • Solid food is always Bible-based; anything that contradicts the written Word is spiritual junk food (2 Timothy 3:16-17). is for the mature • Maturity is not measured by years in church but by yielded lives shaped by Scripture (Ephesians 4:13-15). • Mature saints exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and walk consistently in obedience (James 1:22-25). • They echo the psalmist: “I delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Psalm 119:16). who by constant use • Growth happens as believers repeatedly apply truth—Bible study, meditation, and obedience day after day (Joshua 1:8; Acts 17:11). • “Constant use” demands discipline: regular worship, fellowship, and service (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Like athletes, Christians build spiritual muscle through repetition, not occasional spurts (1 Timothy 4:7-8). have trained their senses • God has given spiritual “senses” (heart, mind, conscience) that must be exercised (Hebrews 4:12). • Training involves: – Hearing—receiving the Word (Romans 10:17). – Thinking—renewing the mind (Romans 12:2). – Choosing—obeying promptly (John 14:21). • As practice continues, believers recognize the Shepherd’s voice more clearly (John 10:27). to distinguish good from evil • Discernment is the God-given ability to separate truth from error and righteousness from sin (Philippians 1:9-10). • This is critical in a culture that calls evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). • The mature believer tests every spirit (1 John 4:1) and, equipped with Scripture, stands firm against deception (Ephesians 6:17). summary Hebrews 5:14 teaches that deeper biblical teaching (“solid food”) belongs to believers who have progressed in Christ-likeness. Through continual practice of Scripture, they exercise their spiritual senses and develop sharp discernment, enabling them to embrace what pleases God and reject what does not. |
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