| September
2008 - Vol. 22
Keys to Growth and
Maturity, by Don Schwager, continued
The Elementary
Doctrine (Hebrews 6:1)
What is the “elementary doctrine of Christ” mentioned
in chapter six of Hebrews? The author of Hebrews mentions six things.
First it is “repentance from dead works”.
Repentance literally means “a change of mind”. It’s a turning away from
whatever is contrary to truth, righteousness, and life. And it involves
a change of heart and mind which embraces God’s word of truth and moral
goodness.
Second, the elementary doctrine is “faith toward
God” or God-centeredness. One who lives “by faith” directs his
or her life towards Christ and what Christ has accomplished for us in his
saving death and resurrection.
The third in the author's list, “ablutions”,
likely refers to the rite of baptism. A Christian must not forget what
it means to be baptized into Christ Jesus:
to be buried in Christ’s death from which we rise up by resurrection with
him, as a “new creation” (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians
5:17; Galatians.6:15).
Fourth, the “laying on of hands”
in the early church always accompanied baptism. This signified the “blessing”
and “impartation of the Holy Spirit” to the person newly baptized
(Acts 8:17; 19:6). God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to live as
his sons and daughters (John 1:13) and to walk in his way of peace, joy,
and love (Galatians 5:22-23).
The fifth elementary doctrine is the “resurrection
of the dead.” In order to rise with Christ, we must die with
Christ. Jesus’ obedience transformed the curse of death into a blessing.
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). We
believe and hope that just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives
for ever, so after death, the righteous will live for ever with the risen
Christ, and he will raise them up on the last day.
The sixth is “eternal judgment.”
The last judgment proclaims the “blessed hope” of the Lord’s return, when
he will come “to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all
who have believed” (Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:10). The last judgment
will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed
by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death (Song of Songs
8:6).
Go
to > Next Page | 1
| 2 | 3 |
Also
see > Introduction
to the Letter to Hebrews
[Don
Schwager is a member of The
Servants of the Word and the author of the Daily
Scripture Reading and Meditation website.] |
Hebrews 5:11-14;
6:1-8
5:11
About this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers,
you need some one to teach you again the first principles of God's word.
You need milk, not solid food; 13 for every one who lives on milk is unskilled
in the word of righteousness, for he is a child. 14 But solid food is for
the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish
good from evil.
6:1
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity,
not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith
toward God, 2 with instruction about ablutions, the laying on of hands,
the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will
do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible to restore again to repentance
those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift,
and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness
of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they then commit
apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold
him up to contempt. 7 For land which has drunk the rain that often falls
upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it
is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and
thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned.
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