In this Bible teaching, Shawn delves into the concept of leaving behind the foundational principles of the Christian faith in order to move towards perfection. He explores the idea of repentance from dead works and faith towards God, emphasizing the importance of maturing in one’s walk with Christ and being willing to be transplanted to new levels of understanding and obedience. Shawn challenges his listeners to not remain stagnant in their faith, but to continually seek growth and maturity in their relationship with God.

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Hebrews 6:3 Part 2 Bible Teaching Script

Hebrews 6.3 B
October 27th 2013
Welcome.
Thank you for coming this morning.

Let’s pray before we hear the Word put to music and take a few moments to commune with Father God.

Okay.

We left off last week with somewhat of a cliff-hanger.

In chapter five the writer plainly explains that while there is a place and time for believers to be fed and nourished by the “milk of the Word,” there is also a time, just like there is a time for infants to stop drinking milk and begin to eat solid food, for believers to start eating meat.

We continued to read into chapter six, where, taking off on this point the writer says:

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore . . . leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ . . . let us go on unto perfection.

(long beat)

If there was ever going to be a meaty, this is some advanced Christianity being served up to all present, it would be this.

In fact, before continuing, I’m going to do what television stations do as a means to CYA (but I’m doing it to PYH – protect your hearts) I would truly invite anyone who is not mature in Christ and the word to possibly take a powder on what we are going to talk about right now, and go enjoy the day.

??

The birds are singing . . . the sun is shining . . . no takers?

Okay.

We know that one of the main reasons the writer has been writing is to move his readers – mature Jewish believers – away from the edge of apostasy and toward the safety of greater faith and love.

He has made a case that to remain milk drinkers could contribute to apostasy so his advice here is for them to start gnawing on meat.

Now, I am NOT going to hold back at all in the presentation of this material. I am going to do all I can to make it make sense and to keep it in harmony with the context of the Bible so hang on and let’s see what he says:

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore (in light of all I have told you about being milk drinkers and meat eaters) 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, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.

Whoa, freaking whoa. These three passages are not just meaty, they’re . . . they’re “dinosaur meaty.” To consume them takes a collaborative effort on the part of the teacher, the listener, and the Holy Spirit.

As the teacher I have to have some expertise in the culinary arts of cooking dinosaur. As listeners you have to possess a good set of teeth, strong jaw muscles, and a mature palate. And both of us have to be willing to let the Holy Spirit guide on how to go about preparing and eating this meal.

Back to verse one.

“Therefore.”

The writer seems to intimate that now is the time for his reader to mature in his or her diet and “therefore” is his call for them to come to the adult table.

“Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.”

I have called you to the adult table to dine and in order to do it you have to LEAVE the table you have been eating from in your Christian walk.

It served its purpose. It had its place in your life, and your job now, in part, is to leave it behind so as to make room for others to come in and take your seat.

So, in becoming a mature Christian, a meat eater, you have to “leave (as he puts it) the principle of the doctrine of Christ.”

Where the writer says, “leaving the principles,” the Greek word for principles might be familiar to this crowd – “arche.”
You may recall some discussions on this word and its meaning.

From it we get archeology – the study of the beginning of things.

Archtecture – the first principles of form.

Archetypes – the primary source.

Simply put an “arche” is the principle thing, the first thing of an order, the primary thing, the commencement of a thing.

We talked a week ago how Christ is called the High Priest – arche-yuroo – top, first or primary priest of all others.

So here, the writer says, leaving – departing from, best put, “let’s not linger around here any longer, let’s leave” – these primary things of Christ.

We’ve established our faith and lives on these primary architectural forms, but we ought to advance forward as a means to fully understand the entire system.

And in the end he has intimated that if a believer doesn’t apostasy lurks in the shadows.

We have to remember that his point here in chapter 1-3 is not to articulate in depth why these principle things ought to be abandoned OTHER than to say there is a danger of apostasy if they are not and new growth and understanding is obtained.

Nevertheless, in his suggestion that these principles of Christ be left he merges into a grand overall theme that is often ignored in the whole of scripture – the perfection of men and women in Christ.

The topic is so tenuous that the Christian faith avoids it, misunderstands it, or denies the existence of it all together.

And because of all this, this denial, there is a general resistance when concepts of Christian perfection are offered up.

Nevertheless, the writer of Hebrews does not hesitate in introducing the idea here in verses 1-3, and because he does, we are now privy to explore what he might mean.

So he says leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ – leaving the first, the primary doctrine.

The word for doctrine here is “logon,” and means the word or doctrine of the beginning of Christ.

And then he goes on an articulates what they are for us in an amazing order.

This order of the first or essential doctrines of Christ serve as our foundation, and once the foundations are set and understood, it is time to move on and “build upon them.”

I would suggest at this point – strongly suggest that until the Body (or members of the Body) truly understands these first principles it is impossible to properly build upon them.

In other words, how can we erect a monument to Christian truths when the foundation has not cured, or when it continually is re-constructed, or taught over and over and over again.

Get them right. Get them established. Understand them and let them go.

I realize that what I am about to say is going to sound bad. Please take it in the spirit given which is the spirit of trying to establish His truth – I wonder about most of the attempts made at comprehending the entirety of the Gospel message.

I am not anyone – not a prophet nor apostles nor visionary – but the general understanding of these first primary six principles has lead the church into such division, and has promoted so many upstart cults in its wake, I can’t help but scratch my head.

See, if the church cannot get these basic six principles straight, how could it ever think to progress to the table serving meat.

I would go so far as to suggest that until these six principles are truly understood, that all the building upon them will be in some way, shape or form faulty.

So we are going to explore them – one by one, and see if we can determine, in our own minds, that they are set, cured, and in a place to be . . . left behind.

Once they are, the writer tells us that the journey we are then pursuing is . . . perfection.

“Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.”

A couple of things about this phrase or line about Christians well established going on “unto perfection.”

The Greek word for perfection is teleotace – and it means to being complete.

I’ve talked about this word in the past and we can never make the mistake of thinking it means perfection in the sense of being perfect as living breathing human beings in and of ourselves.

I would suggest that in Christ we are all perfect and complete and the challenge the writer is giving is for us to move on to higher thought as a means to get our flesh out of the way so we can realize all that is presently complete in and through Him the moment we were regenerated.

In an all familiar comparative, it is said that Michelangelo, when sculpting figures (like David) claimed that the rock already held the statue in perfect form – but it was his job to remove everything that didn’t belong.

I would suggest that this is the process the writer is presenting.

At rebirth we have all that is necessary to be Christ, but as babes, we have not the capacity to let it all out, to let it live fully – the flesh is too present.

As a means to move us out from this fleshly state of spiritual immaturity, and into a fully mature walk where we can remove all that is not Christ, he tells us to leave the basic essentials of the Christian faith, and start applying the heavier machinery to the stone – surrounding our hearts and minds.

This is often missed in our assumptions about God’s purposes in redeeming Man.
But take note:

First, we must see in scripture that Christ has redeemed us.
That He calls to us.
That He is with us.
That He is then in us.
And that in time, and in greater and greater degree, we are Him.

Let me say this again:

The goal is not redemption. The goal is not Jesus. The goal is perfection in Him for the Kingdom’s sake, which is for the Father.

All of this is attained by and through Him in us, not through any appeals to reform ourselves or our flesh. And so the writer says we have to leave the basics behind before we will ever be able to comprehend the mysteries (like this one).

And here he begins to articulate which basics he means. But before explaining them, he says leave these principles, and don’t

“lay again the foundation”

I really think there is something important being said here – for the individual Christian and for the Body itself.

Certainly we know, and have mentioned that a foundation is laid or set only once.

If that foundation is faulty it has to be ripped up entirely and repoured – or else the edifice will never be right.

So while the writer uses this time and argument to tell the reader to leave these foundational elements behind, I think we ought to ask ourselves:

Has the foundation in our walk been properly poured and set?

This is a very serious question because from what I can tell in my own life I have been mislead in so many ways relative to how the foundation ought to be laid I’m not sure anyone has ever truly gotten it right but Jesus and the early apostles.

And so people are constantly laying again the foundation of . . .

repentance from dead works,
of faith toward God,
of the doctrine of baptisms,
of laying on of hands,
of resurrection of the dead, and
of eternal judgment.

So let’s talk about them – point by point –establish in our minds first what they really mean, and then let’s leave them behind. Okay?

Repentance from dead works

Now remember, the writer is addressing Jewish converts so what he is telling them to abandon was something they were called to abandon – their allegiance to the Law.

When John the Baptist came He came an cried repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

His mission was to the Jewish nation in preparation of the Messiah to come.

Those who “heard” repented – changed their minds – about all they had once embraces (they repented from dead works) and looked toward the true and living God.

There was, of course, the tendency for some, who once changed their minds and were converted, to return to the dead works of the law.

In fact, the writer addresses this very issue next beginning at verse 4.

So his call to them is to realize the waste of time dead works are in the New Covenant (which include all the rites and rituals and demands of the Law) and to stop going back and forth embracing them, then repenting of them.

I am of the opinion that he calls them dead works because he is speaking of matters that do nothing to please, impress, or do the will of God.

Additionally, they are dead because they are founded on the Law, and remember what Paul said in Romans 7:4:

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ.”

Romans 8:2 says

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of . . . sin and death.

The Law is the law of sin and of death!

To be in a living relationship with Jesus, and then to return to elements of the Law, is akin to re-embracing sin and death.

Which requires all who so do to repent from re-embracing them again.

1st Corinthians 15:56 makes it clear:

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The Jews who converted to Christ that had matured understood this. But apparently those who remained babes never had this principle firmly established in their hearts.

But notice here the order. Reading this as gentiles we can see that repentance is listed first in the principles we are commanded to leave behind.

Many many many Christians believe and teach that when people (or for people to come to faith) they must first repent and this is defined as turning from sin.

Not so.

We come to Jesus as we are – if repenting from specific sin was required to be worthy to receive salvation, then when we think about it, we have it in our power to avoid sin all together so what do we need a savior for?

Repentance is so majorly understood throughout the Christian walk it merits our taking the time to examine it here.

Is it a basic arche? Certainly. Once it is understood should it be left? Yes. “Let’s move on!”

And yet I constantly hear people using the term to describe the Christians need to turn from sin (as in) “you had better stop that particular action” by and through your own will and choice.

Faithlessness.

So let’s look at it quickly.

Jews – because the Jews had both promises of a Messiah and had misinterpreted the Law in preparation for His coming – they were called to repent for their failure to follow the true and living God who has been leading them to the coming of Christ.

Remember, repentance means to change the mind, and so the Jews were called to change their mind about all they had thought and done and believed.

But for non-Jews, listen – who had no law, no promises, no idea of who the true and living God was, their repentance was for embracing a faulty world view.

Listen – repentance for us was simply a by- product of belief.

Going back to the basics, Pagans, Heathens (that is you and me, if we are not Jews established in the Law) had no law written in stone and on parchments for which to change our minds about.

So the Gospel is preached, offered by God to us standing out there in the jungle, and the MOMENT we receive it by faith (which is offered to all as well) we simultaneously REPENT.

It’s just a different side to the same coin!

Here in my hand is the coin of salvation, so to speak.

Not a command to repent first, which again was the call upon the Jews, but a command to believe on Jesus as savior of the world.

This coin is offered to all.

When we receive it – IT – by faith, we automatically “repent.” How so?

Because by believing on Him we HAVE changed our minds about a thousand other factors relative to our former lives!

Did you ever think about that?

By believing on the Good News people automatically repent (or change their minds).

By FAITH (BY FAITH) in Christ Jesus we automatically change our minds about the meaning of life, the existence of God, and about the direction and ways of our “former” lives.

It is all accomplished by and through the presence and acceptance of FAITH.

When a person thinks that repentance is a practice of Christianity that exists apart from faith they are really no different than a converted Jew who thinks He has to obey the Law as a means to appeal to, or please God.

What pleases God is faith on His Son.

A “changed mind” comes with this faith as much as sweetness comes when we eat sugar.

For this reason Paul, the apostle to the pagans and heathens of the world never uses the word “repent” in any of his epistles.

Let me offer a living example of this principle to flesh this point out:

The only reason a Christian has trouble with anger, or gossip, or evil of any kind is because they have relied on their flesh (wherein dwells no good thing) instead of looked to the strength of their spirit.

In the end, this is nothing but faithlessness. We believe somehow, that our flesh will do a better job of managing a problem than appealing to the ways and means of our spirit – and so we sin – not in the expression of anger, or lust, or selfishness – we sin because we have failed to trust, believe, have faith in the power of the indwelling Spirit to do the will of the Father.

Now, in the face of our respective “failures” we could go to the confessional, and receive and do the penance religion demands, we could grit our teeth and repeat the mantra, “Never again, Never again,” we could go to our pastor who implements an old Testament model for repenting and go about making restitution, or we could appeal to the Father of our spirit, who sent His Son, and renew our faith in Him.

We could examine our walk of faith, and examine possible our love or lack of it for God and Man, and change our minds about how we have looked to and relied upon Him.

Getting back to the Jews, the writer says, essentially:

“You have understood that we are no longer under the law. You have understood that there was a command for you to repent from embracing it instead of the promised Messiah – now leave it all behind.”

Looking to us, our reading of this might be:

“Christians are saved by faith, live by faith, and know that it is by and through their faith on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, that we live by the spirit and not the flesh. Now, let this rest, and carry on.”

Interestingly enough, now that we have established that it is through our faith that we repent as believers, the next principle or arche the writer presents to be left behind is:

“And of faith toward God.”

This is a tough one to explain if we take the line as it stands all by itself.

Leave the principle of faith toward God?

Remember, the author is trying to move these believers on to perfection. He wants them to get beyond the principles of their nascent faith.

We have to examine this line contextually, and understand what he means from a birds-eye view of faith towards God and not by viewing the phrase under a microscope.

For milk drinkers, there is the marvelous experience (which we often share and share and share) how we came to faith.

It is a wonderful story – one of the most miraculous in our lives. We can’t hardly believe our eyes opened to Him, that we were able to see Him, hear Him, believe on Him and be saved – and so we urgently and joyfully share this news with the waiting world.

During these years of our Christian infancy God uses our witness to reach those who are also seeking, who are open to hearing, who are looking for truth.

But to return to this event, and the facts of it week in and week out ignores what God intends for each of us once we have established a foundation in the Milk of the Word.

The writer is not suggesting we reject our faith toward God which allowed us to receive His great gift, to go in and jackhammer it out of the foundations of our Christian walk.

He is merely saying that we move past the emphasis, the focus, and maturing, we allow Him to use us for other purposes.

Borrowing from the mind of Jean Jacques Rousseau, I have always bloomed where I am planted.

This has it’s positives and negatives. And what I mean by this is I go full force and live where I am presently at.

When I came to know the Lord by faith in 1997, I went full force into that relationship, and took all I knew, all I had seen and observed, all I had learned to be true (in light of all I had come to know was false) and engaged myself.

It became a relentless proponent of “faith in Christ, faith in Christ, faith in Christ.”

But in addition to blooming where I am planted, I am also not resistant to being transplanted once I have out grown the pot.

So over the years, while proclaiming Christ,” I, like the writer of Hebrews suggests, became a meat-eater, much to the behest of former fans and supporters.

The question I had to face was do I remain in the milk or not?

So where faith in Christ is foundational to my Christian life and walk and will never be supplanted or replaced, am I willing to leave this principle as a means to bloom from another higher location.

This issue presents us with a problem rarely faced in Christianity today –

Do we support, and promote, and teach, and do only what is effective and successful, or do we do what God wants us to do.

Many in the body will try to suggest that success in one area of religion is indicative of it being God authored, and therefore whether to remain engaged in such activities or not is a non-issue – of course you remain!

This is what you do.

I’m not so sure this is the Biblical directive. The COI wanted to remain (or return to) captivity. I’m sure Joseph wanted to remain with his family and brothers initially, and I’m sure the apostles of Jesus thought He would be far more effective doing miracles and leading the people than going to the cross and dying.

What people want – and sometime what we want, is not in harmony with what God wants.

To move onto perfection, in other words, does not always mean remain where you are.

So, back to the writers second point, let me summarize what he is saying like this:

You know your have been redeemed by faith. You realize the import of faith in the Christian walk. You have matured to the point where you understand faith comes and grows by the hearing, and reading, and study of the word.

Now leave this as a principle part of your foundation – and move out toward perfection.

I would add to the advice and modernize it like this – Going to church every week to worship Jesus, Jesus, Jesus and to excitedly spill your coffee on the way to the “worship” because “it is so good,” and “you get so much out of it,” and to remain a Jesus freak for your entire Christian life may not be everything God has for you.

It might be, but maybe not. In all probability there is more. So never letting go of your first love, and with patience and kindness bearing with new believers and babes in Christ, it might be time for you to personally let go . . . and move on . . . toward perfection.

In our milk gathering this morning we talked about one of the most important passages of scripture – it’s where Jesus says to the Samaritan woman at the well:

John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

As a means to move toward perfection, and to worship God in Spirit and in truth, there must be a willingness to live in the Spirit, move with the Spirit, go according to the Spirit, and change directions as the Spirit directs.

Standing on what has always been, being concrete (which means nothing more that you are hard and set in your ways) in counterintuitive to living by the Spirit.

The writer of Hebrews is warning His readers that one of the surest roads to apostasy is to remain milk drinkers and to refuse to be transplanted, to leave behind basic principles of the faith as a means to grow in others.

We tend to think of this apostasy as leaving Christianity all together – which is the context and case of what the writer of Hebrews is proposing.

But I would suggest that there are ways of being heretical while remaining fully engaged in the faith day in and day out.

We tend to see heresy as overt actions and beliefs that thrive outside of orthodoxy. But I would suggest that such heresy is from mans point of view and is used to control the masses so the will serve the established order.

Why? The established order brings conformity, consistency, and allows groups and individual to establish their vision for what should be instead of allowing God to move.

For this reason we have religious institutions which resist every form of change – all as a means to maintain the status quo.

“This is what this means, that is what that means – don’t you dare focus or think on anything else – it’s NOT God pleasing.”

As a result, there are many churches that refuse to let their congregates mature – because maturation means loss of control, and it takes persons NOT bent on establishing empires and systems of their own imaginations who will allow for their children to grow up.

So its milk – week end and week out – which in my opinion creates Christians who, after so many years “in the faith” are wholly heretical in their walk – not because they stand outside of orthodoxy but because they remain in it.

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