During one’s life, a person develops many appetites for many things. Some of them come naturally and others must be cultivated. A new-born baby comes out of the womb with great hunger for its mother’s milk. The Apostle Peter uses this analogy in his letter the believers in the early church; 1 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
The word pure is an important word in this verse. As in the natural, so in the spiritual. If there are impurities in mother’s milk, it can cause the newborn baby great difficulty to thrive and even survive the early days of life. That’s why her diet and intake is so important in pregnancy and while she’s feeding the baby her milk, especially if she wants her baby to grow healthy and strong. In the spiritual, we can affect an entire generation of believers if teaching is not pure.
The definition of the word pure is ádolos (an adjective, derived from /A "without" and /dólos, "bait, deceit") – properly, not-caught (in a trap), referring to being free from fraud(trickery, deceit); without craftiness (hidden, "mixed motives") and (ádolos) in the papyri means "unfalsified" and is also used of unmixed liquids, free from adulteration or fraudulent claim (Bible-Hub)
Of course, the main objective of the early apostles was not to create denominations or religious systems, their focus was to help the followers of Jesus to become reflections of Jesus. Notice what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV).
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
I believe, all the false teaching of 1900 years of institutional Christianity has produced a church that lacks basic understanding of what we are called to and much confusion as to what truth is. Religion has made it about “what you know” and not about “who you know”. This seems to back what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
For example, if our main focus is miracles and Jesus, we will be leading people top a wrong focus that leads to destruction and disappointment. It’s the same as loving your spouse for what she does and not for who she is.
If our main focus is blessing and money, then we will lose focus and become a lover of money and not the Lord. The primary purpose is not just to be blessed but to die to self.
If our main focus becomes theology and the Bible void of the Spirit, we will become religious zealots and be no different than the Pharisees and Zealots of Jesus’ day.
Jesus tried to warn us about these days in Matthew 7:15-20 (ESV)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
He also said that deception would be part of the final age just before His return; Matthew 24:4-5 (ESV)
“And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.”
The Apostle Paul reiterates Jesus’ warning to his spiritual son Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV),
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, “
And again, in his final letter in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
I find it interesting that the phrase Paul uses is “avoid such people”. Why? Because religious people have no power. Lots of religion and rules but no power. How do you examine the fruit? There is a characteristic with religious people in that they seem to exalt self and ego. It’s all about anointing and position and nothing about humility and servitude, a lover of self rather than being a love of God.
The way to Jesus is through the cross. There has to be a death to self and ego and a worship and love of the Lord. A hunger for the Lord comes from stepping away from the worship of self and distraction and a responding to the invitation by drawing near to Jesus. Knowing Him must become the priority in your life. Falling in love with the lover of your soul. It does not come by “happenstance”. It comes through decisive action and purpose to make Jesus first in your life. Your soul desire must be to please and be obedient to Him. To step into the place of loving others.
The good news is, I believe there is going to be a remnant in the last days that rise out of the “lukewarmness” of the age who will actually love Jesus with heart, soul, mind and strength and love their neighbor as themselves. Those who do so will have such fear of the Lord that their only desire to please Jesus. What should our response be? Be a difference maker. Being willing to throw of the “weights that so easily beset us” and press into Jesus the author and finisher of faith!