Perfect Provision
God provides the perfect provision for our spiritual growth through Christ, who gives us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and maturity in Christ, likening it to the process of being fed with solid food rather than milk. He highlights how God, like a wise Teacher, provides for our growth in Christ by giving us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption through Jesus. Stanford also points out that God works in us gradually, mortifying our old selves through life's circumstances until the power of the flesh is broken, teaching us valuable lessons along the way.
Text
"For when for a time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food" (Hebrews 5:12).
It is a great comfort, during our growing up in the Lord Jesus, to know that He is our perfect provision, and that He provides the perfect processing.
"When the queen bee lays an egg, there is deposited in the cell with it the food on which the larva is to feed during its development. Similarly, when the Father placed us 'in Christ,' He also made provision in Him for our whole life. Christ is made unto us wisdom to enable us to walk aright in a perplexing world, righteousness to replace our sinfulness, sanctification to impart the growth we so greatly need, and redemption of the body to consummate the whole."
"As with the seed that is buried once for all, but then disintegrates through a gradual process that sets free the new life, even so does the Father deal with our old man by delivering it to death with the Lord Jesus once for all, and then bringing about its mortification in detail through the circumstances of life, until the power of the flesh has lost its hold." -L.T.
"Our Father is faithful and wise as well as a gracious and patient Teacher. He will not permit us to pass cursorily over our lessons. Sometimes, perhaps, we think we have mastered a lesson, and we attempt to move on to another; but our wise Teacher knows better, and He sees the need of deeper ploughing. He will not have us mere theorists or smatterers: He will keep us, if need be, year after year at our scales until we learn to sing."-C.H.M.
"Solid food belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).
Sermon Outline
- The Perfect Provision
- The Process of Spiritual Growth
- The Importance of Spiritual Maturity
- Faithfulness and Wisdom of God
- Need for Deeper Understanding
Key Quotes
“Christ is made unto us wisdom to enable us to walk aright in a perplexing world, righteousness to replace our sinfulness, sanctification to impart the growth we so greatly need, and redemption of the body to consummate the whole.” — Miles J. Stanford
“As with the seed that is buried once for all, but then disintegrates through a gradual process that sets free the new life, even so does the Father deal with our old man by delivering it to death with the Lord Jesus once for all, and then bringing about its mortification in detail through the circumstances of life, until the power of the flesh has lost its hold.” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We should strive for spiritual maturity, which comes from a deep understanding and application of God's Word.
- God is faithful and wise, and will not let us pass over our lessons too quickly.
- We need to be patient and allow God to work in our lives, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable.