Then he reveals the secret of true Christian growth, saying that “solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.

Heb. 5:11–6:1.

 4. (a) In our training work, what must we guard against? (b) How is proper training dependent on proper feeding?

⁴ This clearly shows that not only must we have the right motive, but we must also be careful to check as to the right method or process used in the training work. As Christians, we dare not rely on our own initiative or judgment, deciding for ourselves how to distinguish between right and wrong. That was Satan’s argument when giving the original “Go-ahead” signal: “Your eyes [of perception] are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.” With what result? The “eyes of both of them became opened,” yes, but only to become self-conscious in a guilty way. Both their motive and their method were bad. (Gen. 3:5-7) In contrast, note the close connection made between solid food and the training process. As Paul explains, the milk refers to the elementary things of God’s Word, hence the more advanced Bible truths and their application are likened to solid food. Assimilating these truths is essential to our growth to maturity, it forming the only safe guide whereby we can ‘have our perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong’ in the right way, learning how to perceive all things from God’s viewpoint.