Going Beyond the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Hebrews 6:1

The Hebrew writer shared how people who are “full of age” or mature in the Christian faith use the “strong meat” of God's word to have “their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”, and those who require only the “milk” or the basic principles in the word of God, are like “babes” who are “unskillful in the word of righteousness”. In chapter six and verse one of Hebrews the writer challenges his readers by “leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ” and exhorting them to, “let us go on to perfection” where we read:

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

The verse begins, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;” The writer began with the words, “Therefore” which means “consequently, for which cause and wherefore” “leaving” or “letting alone, departing and going away from” “the principles” which means “the beginning, origin, corner and first” “of the doctrine” or “degree, word, sayings, mandates, moral principles and declarations” “of Christ” which means “anointed” and refers to “the Messiah and Son of God”, “let us” which refers to “the writer of Hebrews and his readers” “go on” or “move with the suggestion of force or speed like a forceful wind” “unto perfection” which means “until we meet the state of the more intelligent and complete both mentally and morally”. The writer desired for his readers to “depart” from the need for the “first principles” of Jesus and to “move on” with inward prompting to “bear up, uphold, keep from falling from and apply” the word of God until they were “complete and mature” in their faith in God.

The verse goes on to say, “not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”. The writer continued, “not laying again” which means “not casting, throwing or putting in a lower place anew, further or another time” “the foundation” or “the beginnings and first principles” “of repentance” which means “change of mind, compunction for guilt and reversal of decisions” “from dead works” or “separation from lifeless, deceased, inanimate, destitute and spiritually inactive and inoperative business, employment, enterprise and undertakings”, “and of faith” or “belief, assurance and fidelity” “toward God” which means “upon the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. The Hebrew writer's exhortation was not to continue further teaching about foundational principles of Christianity such as “repentance from dead works” and “faith toward God”.

When we think through upon these words in Hebrews, we marvel at these “first principles” mentioned by the Hebrew writer. When we ponder the idea of “repentance from dead works” which seems to be exhorted constantly and “faith toward God” which is equally challenged, we may not think of them as “first principles”, and yet they are. According to the writer, these are the “basics” of Christianity, and those who primarily have a need to continue only learning about them are “babes” in the word of God. We should be challenged today to discover the “deeper” doctrines of God that we may “go on to perfection” or maturity in the faith, and as we continue to study God's word with a “speed like a forceful wind”, may the Lord “grow us up” in our relationship with Him.

Next time the writer names some of the “doctrines of Christ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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