Moving Forward To Spiritual Maturity Series

Moving Forward to Spiritual Maturity

Hebrews Chapter Six

Introduction:

1. In chapter five Paul showed us the Priesthood of Christ.

a. Imperfect Priesthood of Aaron (vs. 1-4).

i. Selected from men (v.1).

ii. Sympathetic because of his own weakness (v.2).

iii. Set apart by God (v.4).

b. Perfect Priesthood of Christ (vs. 5-10).

i. Divine appointment (vs. 5-6)

ii. Deliverance (vs. 7-8)

iii. Designer of salvation (vs. 9-10)

c. Perfecting of the Saints. (vs. 11-14).

i. Spiritual ignorance (v. 11)

ii. Spiritual immaturity (vs. 12-13)

iii. Spiritual maturity (v. 14a)

iv. Spiritual discernment (v. 14b)

2. In this chapter he will exhort the Hebrew Christians to move on to spiritual maturity.

Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle’s nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That’s when the mother eagle begins "stirring up the nest." With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior.

Today in the Word, June 11, 1989.

1. The Peril of no Progress (vs. 1-8).

a. Pronouncement (v. 1a).

i. “Therefore”

1. The Apostle here is drawing your mind from the previous statement in chapter five

a. The illustration:

i. Milk vs. Solid Food

ii. Babes vs. Mature

2. Those who want to be “mature” must go beyond Judaism.

ii. “principle of the doctrine of Christ”

1. “leaving” is the word that someone uses when they don’t want their lover to go (Please don’t “leave” me!).

2. “principles”

a. These “elementary teachings” (ASV) are going to be explained in the next few sentences as six foundation teachings.

b. The principles mentions point to what he ment in 5:12

Hebrews 5:12 ASV

(12) For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

3. What are the principles?

a. Elementary Christian doctrines?

b. Elementary Jewish doctrines?

4. Elementary Jewish doctrines point typically to Christ and his Church.

a. The writer is encouraging them to leave Judaism for a better covenant.

5. If he is speaking of Christian Fundamentals then he is simple encouraging them to get past the basics.

iii. “let us go on unto perfection”

1. If they remained where they were, they were in real danger of losing their salvation.

iv. “not laying again the foundation”

1. He is now going to list six principles.

2. The Old Testament was our “school master.”

Galatians 3:24 KJV

(24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

“The Old Testament Scriptures and institutions, rightly understood as preparatory for the coming of Christ, formed an unbeatable foundation for life and belief. On these beginnings a man could build for time and eternity. “Foundations” and “elementary teaching about the Christ” are two different figures of speech for the same thing.” (Reese, Gareth L. New Testament Epistles. A critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Scripture Exposition Books. P.84)

b. Plan (vs. 1b-3).

i. “repentance from dead works”

1. Repentance is a basic doctrine in both the Old & New Testaments.

2. Repentance is propelled by the attitude of the heart.

3. “dead works”

a. This expression is used only in the book of Hebrews, and is found in 6:1, and 9:14.

b. It seems these works were “dead” because the Christian that practices them were only going through the motions.

c. “Dead works” demand repentance.

d. There are many Old Testament examples of this.

Amos 5:21-27 KJV

(21) I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

(22) Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

(23) Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.