Going On Unto Perfection Part I

 

Going On Unto Perfection Part I

 

Hebrews 6:1

 

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,

In Hebrews chapter five verses 6 and 10, the Apostle had mentioned Melchesedec, a character from the Old Testament; and had lamented that he had many things to say concerning this man; but that the things he had to say were “hard to be uttered” in the presence of these Hebrews because they were “dull of hearing”. Then the Apostle gave the reason for their dullness, as it is written: “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14). It is sad that in our day most folks have no idea of the teaching of the scriptures, no idea of the doctrine of Christ: what they believe is what they have heard from parents, or grandparent, neighbors, or others; and yet they think themselves authorities on the ways of God. But as one Gospel Preacher said: now, the majority of the population is so ignorant of the scriptures and of the gospel that in a congregation, new to the preacher, he knows not where to start. Such was the case of these Hebrews. The writer of the epistle, therefore determines (by inspiration of the God Holy Ghost) that rather than going back to “the first principles of the oracles of God” he would go on unto perfection, not laying again the several foundational truths mentioned; and this we will, said he, “if God permit.”

As it is written: “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, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit” (Hebrews 6:1-3). It should be noticed that “the first principles of the oracles of God” (Hebrews 5:12): are, “the principles of the doctrine of Christ” (Hebrews 6:1). And by leaving these first principles it is not meant that we are to leave them as to neglect them and not believe them as though they are unimportant, but, that the writer, at this point will not teach them again; and, that we treat them as truth that is known, as it should be known, and we go on to the declaration of other things that are important to be known, not of the milk of the word, but of the meat of the word, of the doctrine of Christ, for Christ Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last of the book of God (Revelation 22:13).

The scriptures declare that those who have heard the gospel, and have not believed it are nigh to cursing: “it is written: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (Hebrews 6:4-8). In these verses: “the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed” is likened to him: “that received seed into good ground” who, hear the word and understand it; which also bear fruit, some an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty fold (Matthew 13:23). The good ground hearer is one who has been taught of God the Holy Ghost, whose heart is prepared to hear and value the word (Proverbs 16:1). “But that which beareth thorns and briers which is rejected” and is nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned: these persons are they who hear the word and do not obey it, placing no proper value on the word “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” (Ephesians 4:18), these “despise this word” (Isaiah 30:12) the word of truth, and because of this it is impossible that they should be renewed again unto repentance by that word which they have despised. But the children of God are daily renewed unto repentance, feeling their poverty of spirit, and being made to mourn over indwelling sin, who dwell in meekness because they are taught of the plague of their own heart, these hunger and thirst after righteousness, and because of their own weakness in spiritual things are merciful toward others (Matthew 5:1-7; I Kings 8:38).

In most instances where the gospel is preached, there are two kinds of hearers, some who believe, and some who believe not, as it is written: “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Acts 28:24-27). However the Apostle declares that the preaching of the gospel is always successful, for he saith: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (II Corinthians 2:14-17). The corrupters of the word of God are those who do not faithfully declare the word of God, but rather submit to whatsoever doctrine is popular at the time and location of their ministry: whether it be Romanism, Islam, free-will-works-religion, or whatsoever the false doctrine of their time and place may be.

Some are ordained to eternal life: “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:47-48). Some are appointed to disobedience: “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (I Peter 2:7-8).

The writers of scripture acknowledge that the faith of some; and the unbelief of others is ordained of God: some God foreknew, foreordained, or loved before, as Adam knew Eve, intimately with love that is full of blessings  (Romans 8:29; I Peter 1:2); but some He never knew, never loved, never chose in covenant grace, not that He did not know who they are, and all about them, but that they never were given covenant union in Christ (Matthew 7:21-23). But the Holy Ghost does not excuse the unbelief of those who do not obey the gospel. As it was in the case of the Pharisees: light and darkness are set before us; and men are commanded to follow the light but, men love darkness rather than light because their deeds of evil (John 3:19). The evil may be the murder of the souls of men by preaching a false doctrine as though it were without doubt the truth, because it is unquestioned by the most of the people of that particular time (Matthew 7:21-23): or it may be the evil of scandalous living.  In either case “the wages of sin is death;” (Romans 6:23). Next the Apostle leaves these troublesome things and goes on to something brighter.

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:9-12). Slothfulness in the things of God is intolerable and inexcusable, it shows that the heart has little esteem for the word of God. The hope that is set before us is an assured hope for the true believer: our hope does not rest on us or our performances. But our hope is built on Jesus Christ, for we are justified by His blood and righteousness; and not by our actions. We are not justified by our feelings, for, we may feel good or bad, as it is said: “feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving, our warrant is the word of God, it’s the only thing worth believing.

 

Those to whom it is given to truly believe the promises of God (through faith in the blood of Christ and patience of hope) inherit the promises. But those who are of the spirit of antichrist go out from us, as it is written: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction (anointing: writer) from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (I John 2:18-19). “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (I John 2:24-27).  AJ Ison

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.