TEXT:  1 Pet. 1:22 - - 2:2

INTRODUCTION:

A.      THE FIGURE - BEGOTTEN AGAIN, BORN OF WATER & SPIRIT.

B.      THIS PRODUCES "BABES IN CHRIST" WHO LONG FOR MILE( 1 Pet. 2:2 ).

C.      WHAT ALL DOES IT TAKE FOR US TO GROW AND BE HEALTHY?  THERE

          IS A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE SPIRITUAL AND THE PHYSICAL.

I.      BABIES EAT - SPIRITUAL MILK WITHOUT GUILE.

A.      WHAT IS SPIRITUAL MILK?  kjv è "SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD."

          1.       A complete diet( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

          2.       Life-giving( 2 Tim. 1:10 ).

B.      THE MILK?  FIRST PRINCIPLES( Heb. 5:12-13;  6:1-2 ).

          1.       Can't live forever on milk, must have solid food( Heb. 5:12--6:3 ).

          2.       Ulcerous carnality sometimes calls for "baby-food"( 1 Cor. 3:1-3 ).

C.      THE MILK MUST BE WITHOUT GUILE - PURE.

          1.       kjv è "sincere milk of the word."

          2.       Greek, adolos, "pure, unadulterated"( Vine ).

          3.       Contains no error( 1 Cor. 4:6;  2 John 9;  Acts 20:29-30;  2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).

II.     BABIES ELIMINATE POISON - WE ELIMINATE SIN.

A.      "PUT AWAY" PASSAGES( 1 Pet. 2:1;  James 1:21-22;  Col. 3:5-10 ).

B.      WE MUST PURGE OURSELVES TO BE FIT( 2 Tim. 2:19-22 ).

C.      POISONS CAN DISTRACT( Heb. 12:1 ).

D.      POISON EVENTUALLY KILLS( Eph. 5:3-6 ).

III.    BABIES MUST EXERCISE - WE MUST WORK( 1 Tim. 4:7-8 ).

A.      VERY YOUNG CHILDREN ARE EAGER TO WORK( Titus 3:1 ).

B.      WE EXERCISE TO DISCERN GOOD AND EVIL( Heb. 5:14 ).

C.      WE EXERCISE TO MAINTAIN PURITY OF LIFE( 1 Tim. 4:7 ).

D.      WE EXERCISE TO TEACH OTHERS( Heb. 5:12, 14;  2 Tim. 2:15 ).

E.      Phil. 2:12-16.  GOD WORKS THROUGH US.

IV.   BABIES GET SICK - SO DO WE.

A.      BAD DIET - FAILURE TO ELIMINATE - LACK OF EXERCISE.

B.      GERMS( 1 Cor. 15:33;  Eph. 5:11;  2 Cor. 6:17-7:1 ).

C.      ONE CAN BE SICK AND NOT KNOW IT( Rev. 3:17-19 ).

D.      NEED FOR INTROSPECTION( 2 Cor. 13:5 ).

          1.       The word is the standard( James 1:22-25 ).

          2.       We can know if we are well, and we can get well( 1 John 2:3-6 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      HAVE YOU BEEN BORN AGAIN?

B.      ARE YOU GROWING AS YOU SHOULD?

C.      IS THERE SPIRITUAL ILLNESS?