Hebrews 6 :1-3
“Therefore 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, and of faith in God, instructions
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.”
To start off – the point to these verses is not so much the 6 “elementary teachings that we should have already had, but that they are foundational and they are elementary!!
How many of you after being taught something, would think – “I wish I had been taught that when I was younger!”
I know I have. Since I have been mentoring, I have noticed that there has been some lack off elementary teaching in men’s lives. It is what I have come to call cracks in the foundation. Either
some of these have been learned over the years and some missing or none have been learned.
This is not my idea! This is in the Word of God stating that these 6 principles we should have had been taught from the beginning.
Foundation – themelios comes from another greek word tithemi which means – “to place purposely, with care and precision!!!!!!
1 Cor 12:18
“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”
This talks about us being set in the body of Jesus!!! A foundation is layed the same way.
We are about building God’s house!!!
Proverbs 24:3,4 says
“By wisdom a house is built, through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
Knowledge – gaining of facts
Wisdom – application of the facts
Understanding – when to apply the facts
Example:
- Hammer, Nails, Wood, level
- Philippians 4:19 – “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
In chapter 6 verse 1 the very first word is “Therefore” a very important word because it is a pivotal word that means that what is about to be said, is connected to what has been already said,
so let’s go back and see what was previously said!
Hebrews 5:11-14
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In 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! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
If you are feeling like you are being yelled at, then maybe you are!!!!!!
Maybe it’s time to grow up!!! Ouch!!!!
Maybe God is calling you out of the boat and do some walking on the water!!
I don’t think God is yelling at anybody but He does want us to grow up!!!!
As far as the teacher side of this verse, you may say “I’m not a teacher” I beg to differ with you!!!!
Mentoring program needs YOU!!!!!
Everybody can mentor just like everybody can teach!
Problem with the mentoring program is that there isn’t enough people to mentor.
But I don’t know anything about mentoring!
How many of you knew how to be a good husband or wife or parent before you made that commitment?
In verse 11 it says that we are slow or in some versions dull in learning. In the greek these are defined as slothful and lazy, how does that happen?
Well I think it comes down to choice. If you feed on milk long enough, your system can’t handle stronger or meatier food, there is no challenge to your system.
The verses also say that the mature are constantly training themselves, slow, dull lazy people don’t do that.
The word leave in 6:1 does not mean separate yourself from it permanently but in the greek, the picture that is being painted here is one of a classroom where the teacher has taught the student,
then tested them and has received a passing grade, that student is free to move on. So the mature person is in constant motion of some kind all the time.
1Corinthians 13:8-13 says
“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease, where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
This is what is known as the Love Chapter!
I have always been taught that this is in the far future when we see Jesus in person, not on this earth, and I still believe this.
But I also believe that these verses also speak to us here and now.
Just like John 17:3 says “Now this is eternal life; that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent”
The “then I shall know fully” is the potential as a mature person.
Ephesians 4:11-16
“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be
evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service so
that the whole body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness
of Christ.”