Hebrews 6

 

Mike Barnett, Feb 14, 2007

 

 Hebrews 5:11-14 says:

 

11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

 

Hebrews 6:1-20 says:

1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.

 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because[b]to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

 7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

 9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The Certainty of God's Promise

 13When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."[c] 15And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

 16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

1. To mature spiritually in Christ a Christian must go beyond “milk” teaching which is a metaphor for the doctrine of salvation and eat “meat” which is a metaphor for the doctrine of sanctification. 5:11-6:3

·        Salvation is the gift of being saved from sin by grace through faith – this is milk teaching!

Ephesians 2:1-8 says:

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

·        Sanctification is the responsibility of becoming more like Jesus in character, thought, speech and behavior – This is meat/solid food teaching!

1 Peter 1:13-16 says:

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action: be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all that you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

·        The author of Hebrews is using the analogy of a baby needing milk in the early stages of development, but as he/she grows the young child will need to transition from milk to solid food for nourishment - Likewise the Christian will also need to transition from drinking spiritual milk to eating spiritual meat to keep growing in Christ.

  • In this passage, the foundation of repentance and faith has been laid – this is the milk.

 

  • If the preacher’s hearers stay at this foundational level too long they will never inhabit the house of the victorious Christian life.

 

  • V. 2 continues with more “foundational” teaching appropriate for the new convert.

 

  • Baptisms and laying on of hands were practiced in the early church and should be practiced today.

 

  • The elders of the church laid their hands on those newly baptized and prayed for them.

 

Acts 8:17 says:

 

17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

 

·        The Jews were used to baptisms and water based rituals from the Old Testament.

 

·        Jews also believed in baptism or “washings” and sometimes practiced the laying on of hands.

 

·        Some Jews believed in the resurrection and judgment.

 

·        However new converts in Christ received distinctive teaching on each of these subjects.

 

·        For example the laying on of hands represented the gift of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost.

 

·        Likewise the Resurrection of the Dead was a fundamental teaching that distinguished both Judaism and Christianity from the surrounding pagan world.

 

·        Needless to say the Jews were already exposed to many of these doctrines because they existed in some elementary form in Judaism.

 

·        One doctrine that was completely new was salvation by grace through faith – AND NOT BY WORKS.

 

·        Salvation by grace though faith in Christ is an elementary “milk” teaching because God does all the work in saving and redeeming a person’s soul! V. 2

 

·        Obviously these converted Christians who came from Judaism struggled with salvation by grace through faith – perhaps because they were used to working for their salvation.

 

·        The “laying on of hands” where Christians receive an anointing from God is elementary “milk” teaching because God does all the work in calling, anointing and empowering the “Christ follower” for ministry. V. 2

 

·        There is no Christianity without the belief in the resurrection of Jesus and for the believer one day when Christ comes again – this is considered to be an elementary  “milk” teaching because God does all the work in resurrecting the dead. V. 2

 

·        Both believers and unbelievers will be judged for their life lived here on earth which will determine whether they live in Hell or Heaven for all eternity – this is an elementary teaching because God does all the work in judging humanity in the last days. V. 2

 

·        In general, “milk” teachings in the Bible are those doctrines where God does all the work. V. 2

 

·        Repentance, faith in God, and baptism are choices the believer makes but still are considered to be elementary, “milk” teachings because God does all the work in convicting and guiding the young believer to make the right choices. V. 2

 

John 16:5-15 says:

 

5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

 12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

 

 

·        In general, meat/solid food teachings in the Bible are those doctrines where the believer has responsibility to do at least part of the work like denying self and following Jesus!

 

·        Obedience is a choice and the Christian who is choosing to obey God is eating solid food/meat!

 

·        The believer who is not obeying God’s Word, but is listening to God’s grace is drinking in milk!

 

·        “If you love me, you will obey what I command”. John 14:15