The
Hebrew writer shared how his readers should have been “teachers”
of the Christian faith but were in need for others to continue to
teach them the “first
principles”
of God. He exhorted them by “leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ”
and to “go on
unto perfection”
which would not lay “again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward
God”.
In chapter six and
verse two of Hebrews we discover some of those
“doctrines of Christ”
where we read:
Of
the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands,
and
of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
The
verse begins, “Of
the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands,” The
writer began with the words, “Of
the doctrine”
which means “Of the teaching and instruction” “of
baptisms”
or “washing and purification effected by the means of water”,
“and of
laying”
which means “an imposition of or putting” “on
of hands” which
means “the help or agency of anyone which figuratively is applied
to God and symbolizes his might activity and power”. “Baptisms
and laying on of hands”
are included in the Hebrew writer's list of “first
principle”
doctrines of Christ.
The
verse continues, “and
of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”. The
writer added, “and
of resurrection” which
means “the raising or rising” “of
the dead” which
refers to “those who have breathed their last and are lifeless,
deceased, departed and destitute of life who's souls are in heaven or
hell”, “and
of eternal”
which means “without beginning and end, that which has always been
and always will be” “judgment”
or “decree, condemnation of wrong and punishment with which one is
sentenced”. The writer also included “the
resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment”
in his list of “basic” and “elementary” principles of God.
When
we consider these words in Hebrews, we may be amazed by the Hebrew
writer's assessment of these basic principles of our Christian walk,
however, these are the “first
principles”.
These ideas from God are the ones used when a person first comes to
Jesus Christ and receives Him as Lord and Savior, and these are
“milk” for
the “unskillful”
in the “word
of righteousness”.
Let this be a challenge to us as we think through them, and may we
continue to grow in our knowledge of God the Father and His Son Jesus
Christ that we may become of “full
age”
or “mature” in the faith to be used in His service.
Next
time the writer “wills”
to continue beyond the “doctrines
of Christ”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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