ANYONE WHO KNOWS anything about the Bible will agree that there are easy and hard things in the word of God…

Peter specifically said this in his second letter (2 Peter 3:16).  Sometimes things are hard because we make them hard.  We may not want to follow a command of God so it is classified as “difficult information.”  In many places God’s word is very explicit, but the information is hard to accept.  When one considers what Jesus said about money (Matthew 19:23), not fearing man (Matthew 10:28), dedication (Matthew 12:30), loving God supremely (Matthew 10:37), loving one’s enemies (Matthew 5:44), marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:9), forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22), making whatever sacrifice is necessary to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 9:43), the first shall be last (Mark 10:31), God rejects improper worship (Matthew 15:8-9), and God will destroy all religious groups He has not authorized (Matthew 15:13), it quickly becomes clear that there are many hard teachings just from Jesus’ life.

It is certainly easier to stay a spiritual baby, but God commands His people to increase to the point where they can teach others (Matthew 28:20).  This requires a commitments to personal Christian growth and perseverance.  Local congregations should give careful consideration to how they can help Christians learn as much as they can and reach their full potential.  Brad Price

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.  For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?”  1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Mike Benson