Abnormal / Normal (1 Peter 2:2)

1 Peter 2:2 says, "...as new born babes, desire the pure milk..."

DESIRE

First of all, it should be noted, that unlike 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12-13, the emphasis of 1 Peter 2:2, is not a reference to maturity by way of contrasting consuming "meat" or "milk", as symbols of spiritual growth, but rather, the metaphorical use is focused on "desire" or our "passion" and "longing" for what is pure from God, as opposed to that which is not, by comparing our desire to that of a new born baby and its strong longing for it's mother's pure milk.

[This also highlights the danger of taking a metaphorical use of a Greek word in one passage of scripture, and randomly applying the same meaning to every place that it is referenced].

NEW BORN

The Greek word for "new born" is (artigennetos), a compound from (arti), "just now", and (gennetos), "born". The literal meaning is "born just now". This is the only place in the NT, or OT (LXX), where this word is used, and the emphasis is not of a baby a few weeks old; few months old; or even a few days old, but, basically a few minutes or seconds old. In other words, as the Greek text states, it speaks of a baby just born; right now, and the immediate need for that child to have healthy sustenance, in the form of it's mother's pure milk.

When considering a brand new baby; minutes, or seconds old, everyone has some type of vivid imagery and emotions that spring to mind; one of which is the frailty and utter dependence of the babe on it's parents, and specifically, it's need for nourishment from it's mother's milk.

COMPLETELY DEPENDENT

Though we may not consciously realize it, spiritually, we are utterly and completely dependent on our Father, and it is only our vital connection with Him, and His pure communication to us, that causes our healthy growth and development spiritually. Not only so, but we NEED to develop a strong passion for spiritual reality, to sustain our very spiritual existence. On a positive note, it is "spiritually" natural; normal, for us, as His children, to want what He gives us. It would be abnormal for a new born baby to resist, or not desire it's mother's milk. To the same extent, it would be just as abnormal for us, as His children, not to want His pure word, and to passionately desire what He wants to give us.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours