The Word: Pure Spiritual Milk

This past Sunday, Rev. Stephenson directed his message to the graduating high school seniors encouraging them to grow into salvation.

Read 1 Peter 2:2-10, the text used on Sunday. If you don't have a Bible near, click the Scripture reference to read it online.

This text is rich in imagery for what it means to grow into salvation.

And I wonder... What is this pure spiritual milk we are to crave? ...the sustenance needed to become living stones worthy of being part of the one spiritual house? ...what draws us out of the darkness into His marvelous light? ...grows us into salvation...?

This wonder sends me on a word study of the original language of pure spiritual milk. And I'm surprised at what I find.

Three times the word spiritual is used in this passage, but in Greek, they are not all the same word.

The usual Greek word translated as spirit is pneuma, and that is what I expected to find. Two of the words were based on the root pneuma, both found in the same verse, pneumatikos:

...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house,

to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable

to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

But the Greek translated spiritual in pure spiritual milk is different, this word is logikos. A difference seen in other Bible translations:

...as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word,

that you may grow thereby...

1 Peter 2:2 NKJV

...like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word,
so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation...
1 Peter 2:2 NASB

And do you see it coming... logikos... it comes from the root word logos, as in...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

John 1:1, 14 NKJV

The Logos. Jesus.

And the adjective pure is added to milk of the word. Pure, meaning unadulterated, nothing else added. Filtered through the Holy Spirit, not through the traditions or philosophies of mankind.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, 
according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, 
and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8 ESV

Peter tells us: Just as babies crave milk, you as Believers should be craving what you get from His pure unadulterated Word so you may grow.

Logos, this is also the root for our English word logic. So what we should be craving, desiring, feeding on to grow in salvation is Christ's logic. The way He says things should be. Live according to His Word and His desire. Putting aside the desires of the flesh for the desires of the Spirit.

This is how we grow in salvation: consuming and living out His Word, becoming living stones, building up the spiritual house (the Church), making spiritual sacrifices.

"... It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ..."

---Jesus

John 6:63 ESV

Milk anyone?