"Like Newborn Infants"

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3 ESV)

If you have already accepted Christ as your Savior, how long has it been? Has the fire died down? You remember the fire, right? When all you wanted to do was tell everyone about Jesus Christ and what He had done to and for you. Is it gone, that fire, is it gone?

Peter reminds us we are to be like newborn infants longing for the spiritual milk from which we grow in sanctification. Do you think about Jesus often? I have brothers and sisters in Christ who say things like, “I was in the shower and thought this about Jesus,” or “driving home, it struck me about this verse.” They are always thinking about Christ and the word of God.

A follower of Jesus Christ is just that, a disciple. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a disciple as one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another, such as Christ and Christianity. I cannot stop thinking about Christ. He is the center of everything I do, almost to the point of being distracting. But this distraction is a joy, a privilege. I strive to live a Christ-centered life, and it brings me immense joy. Is this how you live? I am not boasting; I am simply saying Christ changed me at a level that manifests itself in every aspect of who I am.

If you are not familiar with the principles of John Calvin, there is an acronym that represents the principles of Christianity he believed in: TULIP. TULIP stands for: T- Total Depravation, U- Unconditional election, L-limited atonement, I -Irresistible grace, P-Perseverance of the saints.

I am writing today, and Peter wrote of irresistible grace. When God opens the ears and eyes of the elect, the grace of Jesus Christ is irresistible. We cannot turn away from it, and we want it more than anything. If one tries to resist, they will inevitably return to it.

As we grow in Christ, this grace becomes increasingly irresistible. We yearn for it; we crave it. We desire to know more about Christ and to be closer to him. The spiritual milk of the gospel is all we desire. Conversely, we are crushed in our sin and strive harder and harder to be pleasing to God.

When God calls you, and you come, your whole purpose changes. You realize you are here on earth to glorify God. When we taste the goodness of the Lord, it is all we want. We can only be satisfied in the goodness of the Lord's spiritual milk. In that satisfaction, that happiness, God is most glorified. Some may disagree with this, but like John Piper, I believe we are to pursue happiness and fulfillment in the Lord. And in this pursuit, we find reassurance, comfort, and a deep sense of peace.

How do we pursue it? We pursue it through worship, sharing God’s glory. We pursue it in our understanding of God’s word and its application to our lives. We pursue it by seeing God’s grace and mercy in everything around us, in everything we have, in every sunrise, every starry night, every blessing, and in the end of every test or trial. It is God who makes these things for us to enjoy and find satisfaction in His gifts.

I tell my children and grandchildren, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Is that what you do? Is that how you approach your day, to do all things to glorify God? Paul was no fool; try it, and you will change the entire way you approach everything in your life.

If you do not know Jesus Christ and have not been changed by His irresistible grace and mercy, seek Him now. Open the door, and He will come into your heart. His grace and faith await you, and when you have received them, His everlasting life is yours.

Grace and Peace.