The Milk and the Meat of the Gospel

Chris and I have been concerned lately at the vast number of solid members of the church who seem to be wavering or who are even making announcements of their departure from the church after years of dedication and service. It's been heartbreaking to watch people walk away from something that made them better people and step closer toward an unsatisfying lifestyle where those questions and doubts that caused them to leave in the first place, aren't ever answered. We've talked a lot about this and wondered why it is ultimately that people leave. While there are certainly many reasons, Chris and I have come to the conclusion that the main reason is because members are trying to go for the "meat" of the gospel when they should be focusing their time on the "milk". Allow me to explain.

Paul speaks to the saints of his day and explains the "milk" of the gospel:

"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." 

1 Corinthians 3:2

This is the same concept as used with a newborn baby. The first nutrients that baby is exposed to certainly isn't foods that are difficult to digest or chew, rather the most basic form of liquids: it's mother's milk. Anything more solid than that is too difficult for the baby to chew and process. Paul brings the same analogy into a gospel context. The "milk" of the gospel is the "what" or actual requirements of the gospel that are used to lead us back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. These are the most basic principles of which we gain a foundation of faith. These include knowing we have a loving Father in Heaven who knows us individually, our needs, and our struggles. It is knowing that He sent His son, Jesus Christ to show us the way and eventually suffer and die for our mistakes. It is knowing The Bible and The Book of Mormon contain the word of God and will lead us to answering the questions of our souls. Without this foundation to set our faith in stone, more complex doctrines, historical facts, and other expectations from our Heavenly Father can appear overwhelming and virtually impossible to understand fully. However, like a young child, as we grow and develop that foundation, we will prepare ourselves for the "meat" of the gospel.

Meat is the "why" of the gospel, explaining why and how we are to obey those basic principles we have gained experiential testimony of. This meat cannot be swallowed whole or in one sitting, but must be prayerfully considered and pondered before being digested. The meat is ultimately what leads to a change of heart and a lasting conversion. However, as members in the church, we are sometimes eager to help ourselves to a full steak dinner when we aren't fully prepared. Isaiah reiterates this principle. 

"Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little."

Isaiah 28:9-10

The milk is our prerequisite; the only way we will be prepared for deeper understanding of God's principles and the "meat" of His gospel. Without this basic knowledge first, we hear and read things without the full context. Without context, anything can be made to appear foolish. Is there any question as to why outsiders of the church question the temple? They see it out of context. Why are events from the life of Brother Joseph questioned and ridiculed? Because we lack context. We are trying to process meat that our mortal minds are perhaps just not ready for. We would do well to remember that we are not perfect, and in a small way we are all disabled due to our state of mortality. There are things we simply cannot comprehend in this life because we are in a fallen world.

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

Mosiah 4:9

The strong are going to become stronger and the weak are going to become weaker. The good side to this is that we have total control of what team we decide to play for. My woman Sheri Dew said the following about this generation of saints:

"The Lord did not recommend Eve or Nephi or Moses or countless other magnificent exemplars for this dispensation; He recommended YOU and ME. Do you really think that God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn't count on? You were born to lead, you were born for glory."

If we are to prepare ourselves to digest the meat of the gospel and head down the road of life-long conversion, we have to develop a solid habit of spending time with the basics. A consistent study of the scriptures and words of the prophets will motivate us to act on our child-like faith in the Savior. Those actions will lead to experiences and opportunities where the Holy Ghost can testify and confirm gospel truth. Those testimonies will turn into a small level of knowledge that will solidify our foundation and lead us to deeper understanding of God's commandments. Like anything else in the gospel, there will always be opposition. While God rejoices in His children gaining further light and knowledge, Satan does not (party pooper). He is the master of manipulation and confusion. He likes to stretch the truth and get us to look at things with the eyes of a natural man with little or no context at all. More than anything, he likes to make us think we must know more than our Heavenly Father. God must not be aware of everything that happened in church history. He must not know everything about our modern society and the struggles men and women face. He just doesn't understand it like we do. Mortal stupidity. I mean, come on. Why is it so hard to admit that we are so limited in what we see and understand in this life? Don't we learn early on that we are to walk by faith, rather than by sight or evidence? Trust in the Father, He WILL direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As can be said with every other principle of the gospel, Heavenly Father's motivation for everything He does is the constant and ever-present love He has for His children. He knows our struggles, He knows the questions and concerns we have with doctrine. He KNOWS it ALL. He is ready to reach out to us when we make an effort to reach out to Him. He will lift the fog and allow us to gain light and greater understanding. But the ball is in our court and He's waiting for us to take initiative. May we all be willing to prioritize our spiritual education and build our conversions to the Savior line upon line.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer , for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours."

Doctrine and Covenants 78:17-18