The author starts the 6th chapter of Hebrews with an exhortation. His readers are urged leave the elementary teachings about Christ and move on to maturity.It is possible that dullness of hearing the Word can lead to spiritual immaturity.Paul warned Timothy that the time will come people will chose only what they want to hear and remain immature in the faith(2 Tim 4:3,4). Basic doctrines are the first principles of the oracles of God and not to be neglected. But Christians should grow into a fuller knowledge of Christ to become mature. Matured Christians are those who understand the deeper truths about Christ and distinguish truth from error. The elementary teachings falls into three groups. Repentance and faith. Baptism and laying of hands; Resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.
Repentance from dead work and faith in God. Dead works are the works unsaved person does to please God to earn salvation(9:14). They have no saving merit before God. Repentance is the radical reorientation of our outlook towards sin and God which results change in behavior. They turned away from idols to serve the true and living God(1Thess 1:9).Remorse is not repentance. Godly sorrow will produce repentance
(2 Cor 7:8-10). Faith , on the other hand is both trust and obedience to God. It is not more than the belief in the existence and power of God(Jam 2:23-25).Some one said "To believe mind must be convinced, hearts must be consumed with love and will must be committed in obedience". Forcing some one to believe is authoritarianism. Pleading with out explaining could lead to sentimentalism. Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the Word of God(Rom 10:17). This only will help people to accept God's grace revealed in Christ Jesus(John 1:14).
The doctrine of baptisms and laying of hands are the outwards ordinances. The baptisms mentioned here is in plural. These refer to baptismal rites of either Jew or gentiles. They are external in nature and purify only flesh and not conscience(9:13,14). Only saved people should be baptized according to the commandment of Christ(Matt 28:19,20). The laying on of hands was symbol of ordination, recognition and identification
(1 Tim 4:14; 2Tim 1:6). Resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment are eschatological doctrines revealed in the Old Testament and as well as in the New Testament. The writer warns that these are basic principles and we should advance to a higher knowledge of Christ. Also the writer recognizes that we will do it with the blessings of God.
If we are not growing spiritually, we may be carried away by the errors of false teachers. We are exhorted to grow in the grace and in the knowledge our our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ(2 Pet 3:18). We are saved by grace( Eph 2:8,9). Also we are strengthened by grace(2 Tim 2:1). What ever we are in Christ, it is all because of God's grace(1Cor 15:10). To know Christ we have to study the Bible and make the Bible part of our daily life. It speaks for itself. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. It shows what is wrong in our lives and corrects us when we go in the wrong direction. The Bible also helps us to do what is right. It prepares and motivates us to serve God(2Tim 3:16-17) Hebrew Christians knew the basic principles of God and not growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Thus they were in danger of carried away by the errors of false teachers. May God help us to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our great Savior!
Repentance from dead work and faith in God. Dead works are the works unsaved person does to please God to earn salvation(9:14). They have no saving merit before God. Repentance is the radical reorientation of our outlook towards sin and God which results change in behavior. They turned away from idols to serve the true and living God(1Thess 1:9).Remorse is not repentance. Godly sorrow will produce repentance
(2 Cor 7:8-10). Faith , on the other hand is both trust and obedience to God. It is not more than the belief in the existence and power of God(Jam 2:23-25).Some one said "To believe mind must be convinced, hearts must be consumed with love and will must be committed in obedience". Forcing some one to believe is authoritarianism. Pleading with out explaining could lead to sentimentalism. Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the Word of God(Rom 10:17). This only will help people to accept God's grace revealed in Christ Jesus(John 1:14).
The doctrine of baptisms and laying of hands are the outwards ordinances. The baptisms mentioned here is in plural. These refer to baptismal rites of either Jew or gentiles. They are external in nature and purify only flesh and not conscience(9:13,14). Only saved people should be baptized according to the commandment of Christ(Matt 28:19,20). The laying on of hands was symbol of ordination, recognition and identification
(1 Tim 4:14; 2Tim 1:6). Resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment are eschatological doctrines revealed in the Old Testament and as well as in the New Testament. The writer warns that these are basic principles and we should advance to a higher knowledge of Christ. Also the writer recognizes that we will do it with the blessings of God.
If we are not growing spiritually, we may be carried away by the errors of false teachers. We are exhorted to grow in the grace and in the knowledge our our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ(2 Pet 3:18). We are saved by grace( Eph 2:8,9). Also we are strengthened by grace(2 Tim 2:1). What ever we are in Christ, it is all because of God's grace(1Cor 15:10). To know Christ we have to study the Bible and make the Bible part of our daily life. It speaks for itself. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. It shows what is wrong in our lives and corrects us when we go in the wrong direction. The Bible also helps us to do what is right. It prepares and motivates us to serve God(2Tim 3:16-17) Hebrew Christians knew the basic principles of God and not growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Thus they were in danger of carried away by the errors of false teachers. May God help us to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our great Savior!
