Developing the character of obedience to the call of God and His direction in your life is the hallmark of Christian maturity. However, it is very difficult if not impossible to be obedient to the Lord Jesus if you have doubts about your salvation, God’s love for you, or whether you have been forgiven and accepted. If these foundational or elementary principles are not firmly established you will, in all probability, find it difficult to hear from God and to fully trust Him.
Hebrews 6:1-3 makes it clear that there are elementary principles and then there are deeper things of Christ! We are challenged to not settle for just the basics but to advance to the issues that produce maturity in Christ.
The Amplified Bible puts it this way. “Therefore, let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of (1)repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of (2)the faith [by which you turned] to God. With (3)teachings about purifying (baptisms), (4)the laying on of hands, (5)the resurrection from the dead, and (6)eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.] If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching]”. As you can see from this scripture you cannot stay in spiritual kindergarten and expect God’s best!
Now, what is the difference between elementary and advanced principles? Elementary has to do with foundational truths about what Jesus Christ has purchased for you through the Cross. Advanced principles are the truths that require a foundation to build upon (I recommend you read Matthew 7:24-28). It is like learning the letters of the alphabet before learning how to write a sentence. Once you have grasped the elementary principles you will be ready to go on to the advanced principles.
The advanced principles in Christ will enable you to stand with confidence in every situation or circumstance. Jesus died on the cross so that you would have eternal life; He also died for you so that you could have a life of meaning and purpose that would bring honor (or glory) to Him.
So, what am I saying, the fullness of knowing Christ is not in salvation alone, but in His salvation and His purpose for your life. Your purpose in life is to become more like Jesus in every area of your life. In other words, it is about character! The elementary things spoken of in Hebrews do not define you, they are simply the initial stages of growth in Christ. You are defined by the decisions you make or your character, that is, who you really are when no one is looking.
Before we jump into the “deeper” things of Christ we should take a brief look at the elementary things mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-3. These are truths that must be settled once and for all. We cannot grow unless the foundation has been set. Once we have a solid foundation we can then build upon it.
If you are not sure you are saved, not sure you are forgiven, not sure of going to Heaven, not sure if you are loved and accepted by God then your foundation has not been established. The Bible describes a person who is not sure as “double-minded”. Listen to what James 1:6-8 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways”.
Only you can decide to live your life by faith and not by emotions and the circumstances of life. Let your decisions and behavior demonstrate that you are believing God and His Word.
Here are the six areas mentioned in Hebrews 6 that we should not be “double-minded” about. Let’s lay the foundation and then build on it!
- Repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism or legalism)
- Saving faith [by which you turned] to God.
- Baptisms or washings
- The laying on of hands
- The resurrection from the dead
- Eternal judgment and punishment
In the coming weeks, I will attempt to show how when we are confident in each of these areas we will be able to build a life of love, peace, joy, and purpose.
