Christ the True and Better
The True and Better High Priest
Maturity in Christ
Hebrews 6:1-8 pt.5
READ: Hebrews 5:11-14
Basic truths of Christian faith are to be known and understood not repeated over and over again for the believer as if needed to ensure one’s faith. Every believer must press / move to a deeper understanding of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 - until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[e] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Hebrews 6:1-3 - “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go (press, move) on to maturity, not laying again a foundation (beginnings, first principles, system of truth) of repentance (metanoia: change the mind) from dead works (life lived destitute of power, inactive, inoperative, fruitless) and of faith toward God,(the conviction that God exists and is creator of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation) 2 and of instruction about washings (baptism), the laying on of hands, (blessing given in ceremony, ordination) the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.”
The doctrines of renewal (renewing the mind continually) and regeneration (to make alive that which was dead) are only done by the power and work of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to be made alive in Christ to be brought back to death and corruption and to have our minds changed and continually renewed in the truth to return to knowing nothing of His goodness.
Hebrews 6:4-6 - “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened (saving knowledge), who have tasted (experienced) the heavenly gift,(eternal life) and have shared, (partake) in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted (experienced)the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, (Revelation 21:3 - to have hope in the promise of heaven and Revelation 20:14-15 - to understand the judgment of God in Hell) 6 and then have fallen away, (reject or willingly denounce what you once had) to restore (renew, renovate) them again to repentance, (going back to where it all began) since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm (put to open shame) and holding him up to contempt.”
The person whose heart receives the Gift of salvation produces the fruits of faith in their life; the person whose heart did not receive the Gift of salvation continues to produce bad fruit. “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” - Matthew 13:23
Hebrews 6:7-8 - “For land (ground suitable for growing) that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop 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, and its end is to be burned.”
- My translation: verse 7 - The ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and is tilled, producing fruit and herbs, receives a blessing from God. verse 8 - If it produces thorns and thistle, even though the rain has fallen on it, that ground is worthless and cursed, its end is to be burned.
