Studies in Hebrews - Sermon Outlines. Org



The Living Word Bible Series

Studies in Hebrews by Ken Trivette

Study 20

GOING ON TO PERFECTION

Hebrews 6:1-3

When we closed chapter 5 we were talking about spiritual growth; where many actually are in their Christian life in contrast to where they should be. Peter said, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). Just as physical growth is normal, spiritual growth should be the norm in the Christian.

Unfortunately, many are like the little boy who fell out of bed in the middle of the night. When his mother rushed to his room to ask him what happened, he said, "I don't know. I guess I was sleeping too close to where I got in."

Tragically, many Christians are living to close where they have got in. They have got in the family of God, but they have never grown up as a child of God. Even after years of being saved, they are spiritually babies.

Warren Wiersbe made this incredible statement: "After over forty years of ministry, I am convinced that spiritual immaturity is the number one problem in our churches."

Having pastored for over 32-years, I must agree. Most, if not all, problems that I experienced (and all pastors experience them) can be traced to immature Christians. Oh, many thought they were pillars of the assembly, but actions only revealed their lack of maturity. No longer a pastor, I look back and realize how much of my time was spent being a nursemaid to spiritual babies.

After indicting many of the Hebrew Christians for their spiritual immaturity, the writer continues by challenging them to move forward in their Christian life. He is calling for spiritual growth.

1. THE COMMENCEMENT OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

In verse one the writer describes what we would call a New Converts or Discipleship Class in the early Church, a primitive catechism of the Church to induct converts into the basic teachings of the Word of God. It would appear that the early church taught new converts in the basics of the Christian faith.

The work of Church is not evangelization but also edification. We are not only to get them in but to help them go on. When Jesus gave what we often call the Great Commission, He commanded that we not only lead people to become Christians, but also lead those who accept Christ to become disciples.

The command of Jesus was, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” The church has the responsibility of teaching as well as reaching.

The writer says, “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.” There is the start of the Christian life and the beginning of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth begins with:

A) Foundational Teachings

The writer speaks of the “principles of the doctrine of Christ.” The word “principles” is translated 40 times in the New Testament as “beginning.” The word refers to that which is elementary. Warren Wiersbe translates the statement, "Therefore, having left [once and for all] the elementary lessons [the ABCs] of the teaching of Christ." (1)

The writer is speaking of the first things that a new Christian learns. These are the basics of the Christian faith, the ABCs of truth. These “principles” are described as “doctrine” and as a “foundation.”

“Doctrine” speaks of the teachings of God that we have given in His Word. The word itself means “something said” and by implication refers to a topic. When we talk about doctrine we are talking about what God says.

We hear those who say doctrine is not important. They say that we all need to get along and that doctrine should not be an issue. In light of what we are talking about, that is an immature statement. What God says is paramount. Doctrine must never be relegated into the background or viewed secondary. It should be first and foremost in all we do and are as Christians.

The word “foundation” means “something put down” such as the substruction of a building. The “principles of the doctrine of Christ” are the teachings of God’s Word upon which every believer is to build their life. If a believer is to grow, there must be something on which they grow. The Word of God is the foundation on which we build our Christian lives.

There can be no spiritual growth apart from God’s Word. You will notice carefully that when Peter called for spiritual growth it involved a desire for the “milk of the word” (1 Pet. 2:2). The Word of God is the milk and meat that enables a Christian to grow. Just as a baby will not grow without physical food, there will be no spiritual growth without spiritual food—the Word of God.

The writer gives us a list of these “principles.” Let me refer to them as:

B) Foundational Truths

The writer gives a list of the basics or ABCs that were taught to new converts. In verse one, we find the foundation truths of “repentance” and “faith.”

The “repentance from dead works” speaks of any attempt at self-salvation. Repentance is more than feeling bad about sin. It literally means to change one’s mind which leads to a change in direction. Repentance is a change of mind about sin and a turning from sin. The “repentance from dead works” is a turning from sin that brings death.

Salvation not only involves a turning from sin, but also a turning to the Savior. Once we have turned from sin then there “faith toward God.” The act of faith is a turning to God to save us. Paul said in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith.”

This is foundational to the Christian life. In fact, this is where the Christian life begins. There can be no growth where there is no life.

The second foundational truth that we see is the “doctrine of baptisms” (Vs. 2). The word used for “baptisms” is not the word that is used in the Bible to speak of baptism by water. The word was used to speak of the ceremonial cleansings that were a part of all Jewish life. For example, every Jewish home had a basin by the entrance for family and visitors to use for these ceremonial cleansings.

An ABC of the Christian life is not only that one’s salvation rests in Christ, but having new life in Christ one is to keep life clean before God. Salvation is always followed by separation, a separation from the old life.

Another ABC or foundational truth of the Christian life is service. The writer speaks of the “laying on of hands” (Vs. 2). The laying on of hands was associated with someone being commissioned and empowered for Christian service. Having been saved, one is to live for God and serve Him. Service is always a product of salvation. I have known many who claimed to be a Christian but you couldn’t get them, as we used to say, strike a lick at a snake. One cannot work to save themselves, but once one is saved they will work. It’s an ABC of the Christian life. It is evidence that one has truly been saved.

The writer also spoke of the “resurrection of the dead.” He was speaking of the return of Christ and the bodily resurrection of all who died in the Lord. The great truth that Jesus died, was buried, rose again from dead and will one day return is a foundational truth of the Christian life.

As well, “eternal judgment” is an ABC of the Christian life. The believer will one day meet God face to face and stand before Him to give an account of their life.

Think back to when you first were saved. You were no doubt like me. There was very little knowledge about the Bible and eternal things. But what were the very first things you learned? Was it not that you were saved because you had put your faith in Christ, that as a Christian you were to live a life different than the previous one, live for God and serve Him, because one day He would return.

It did not take me long, and I am sure it did not take you long to learn these truths. They are basic, elementary, foundational teachings and truth. These are teachings and truths on which spiritual growth commenced.

2. THE CONTINUATION OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Salvation is the starting line. Once a person is saved they are to grow spiritually. In chapter 5 the writer condemned his readers for not growing. They had stayed at the starting line. Now he calls for them to leave the starting line and “go on unto perfection” (Vs. 1).

The spiritual growth of a believer begins with foundational teachings and truths. But these are only foundational. They are where we start. There is to be continual growth.

There are two essential in a continual spiritual growth. There is a leaving behind of certain things and a going forward unto additional things. In these we see:

A) The Progress of Spiritual Growth

There are the ABCs of the Christian life. However, the believer is to continue growing by “leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ.” The word “leaving” means to forsake, to put away, let alone, disregard, put off. It refers to total detachment and separation from a previous location or condition. It speaks of making progress in our Christian life, maturing, growing, moving from one place in our life to another place.

The idea is not that we abandon the basics of our faith, but that once these foundational teachings are learned, we move further in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. The foundational truths of the Christian life will always remain foundational. They are what the whole of the Christian life is built upon.

A foundation serves the purpose of building upon it. The foundational truths of the Christian life are to be built upon. In other words, there is to be a leaving of the foundation and progressing further and upward.

In our modern times, children learn to read by the method of phonics. As for me, I learned to read from Dick, Jane, and Spot. There was, “See Dick and Jane. See Spot run. See Spot bite Dick and Jane.” First I learned a few words and then I learned to put those few words into short sentences. But over time I left Dick, Jane, and Spot and moved on to other words and larger sentences.

The foundational teachings and truths will always be the foundation of our faith, however, as we grow spiritually we move further in our knowledge of spiritual truths.

B) The Process of Spiritual Growth

There is the leaving that speaks of progress, but there is also the process that is seen in words “let us go on to perfection” (Vs. 1). As we saw, the leaving involves a change in place or location. There is a moving from one point to another point. We “go on.”

What we go on to is “perfection.” The word “perfection” does not mean “perfect” as we might think. I have met a few church members who thought they were perfect and heard of those who believe you can get to a place of perfection.

The word carries the idea of becoming mature. Philo of Alexandria divided his students into three different classes, those just beginning, those making progress, and those beginning to reach maturity. The third class he addressed by the word used in our text for perfection.

He certainly didn’t imply that certain students knew all there was to know. The idea is that they have progressed to level of greater knowledge and maturity in their knowledge. We would put them into the categories of elementary, high school, and college.

There are levels of maturity but it is a process in which each level is attained. They didn’t have Junior High when I was growing up, so we went to elementary school (grades 1-8), then high school (grades 9-12) and ultimately to college. The final stage was reached and completed after at least 16-years of education.

The aim of spiritual growth is “perfection,” or becoming a spiritually mature Christian. It is a process whereby a Christian is constantly and continually growing. The truth of the matter is that a Christian never completes their spiritual education. There is no such thing as obtaining a BSM (Bachelors of Spiritual Maturity). Growth at any level is a process.

3. THE CONDITIONS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

As we saw in our last study, one is either going forward or backward. It is told that on his pocket Bible, Cromwell had a motto written in Latin, qui cessat esse melior cessat esse bonus,” translated means, “he who ceases to be better ceases to be good.”

When we cease to grow we begin going backwards. This was in the mind of the writer when he spoke of “not laying again” the foundational teachings and truths of the faith. He was saying, “Don’t back up in your Christian life. Keep going forward!

To keep growing requires from the believer:

A) Our Hunger to Grow

In verse 3 the writer says, “And this we will do.” The writer was expressing his confidence that they would “go on.” There would be a desire and hunger on their part to grow spiritually.

If a person does not have a hunger to grow, there will be no growth. A sad day in any believer’s life is when they become content with where they are in their Christian life.

Edmund Burke said, “Nothing is so fatal to religion as indifference.” There is nothing that will stymie spiritual growth as the lack of desire to grow.

A.J. Gordon said, “If the doctrine of sinless perfection is a heresy, the doctrine of contentment with sinful imperfection is a greater heresy.”

B) Our Help to Grow

Another condition for spiritual growth lies outside of ourselves. The Christian life is the very life of Christ in us. His life in us is essential to spiritual growth. The writer concluded verse 3 with the words “if God permit.”

Adam Clarke translates the words, “God being my helper.” We did not get in on our own and neither do we go on without God’s help. Without God’s help it will be impossible to grow and continue on in the Christian life.

In Hebrews 13:6 the writer declares, “The Lord is my helper.” The Lord not only helps us in the time of need, He also helps us to grow spiritually. As we depend on His help, He enables us to be what we should be and do what we should do.

There was an old farmer who, in the prayer meetings of his church in describing his Christian experience, always said: “Well, I’m not making much progress, but I’m established.” One spring when the farmer was setting out some logs, his wagon sank in the mud in a soft place in the road, and he could not get out. As he sat on top of the logs viewing the situation, a neighbor who had never accepted the principle of the old farmer’s religious experience came along and greeted him: “Well, Brother Jones, I see you are not making much progress, but you’re established.”

How about you? Are you making progress?

Endnotes:

1. The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2.

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