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ABC's




I recently wrote about the importance of milk in our diet. Paul scolded the Corinthians for still being on the milk of the Word rather than the meat, meaning that the church had not grown to maturity the way a baby likewise progresses from milk to meat. 

 

I said that we often create a false dichotomy, asking people if they are on milk or meat, as if Paul’s point was to choose one or the other; we need both the basics and the advanced doctrines. The author of Hebrews makes that point better than I can, writing, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food (12:12).”

 

We sometimes think of milk as the stuff of babies when it should be thought of as the building block of health. We should move toward maturity, but we all need to be constantly reminded of the basics. We might call this the ABC’s. 

 

We cannot read sentences or paragraphs if we do not know the alphabet. As Christians, regardless of how long we have walked with the Lord, we need to master the ABC’s. 

 

Admit you have sinned

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 

Call upon the name of the Lord

Deny yourself and follow God

Enjoy time with God every day

Forgive those who sin against you

Give God your time, talent, and treasure

Hunger and thirst after righteousness

Invite others to follow Christ

Join a local church

Keep God's commandments

Love your neighbor as yourself

Make peace with your enemies

Never give the devil an inch

Offer yourself as a living sacrifice

Put on the armor of God

Quit bad habits

Rejoice always

Sing praise to the Lord

Trust and obey

Uplift your fellow believers

Value others over yourself

Wait upon the Lord

X-amine yourself often 

Yearn for the things of God

Zealously guard the truth



 

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