Dakota Community Church
October 19, 2008
Foundational Truth 1
(Week 2)
Introduction & Review:
While evangelicals are over 50% more likely to give "ideal" answers to the questions about what churchgoers believe on 12 historical doctrines, one out of three of their responses differ from what Protestants historically have believed. According to a LifeWay survey, only 54% of churchgoers have what B&H Publishing Group President Brad Waggoner considers a "high view" of Scripture. Another 18% somewhat agree the Bible "is the written Word of God and is totally accurate in all that it teaches." 58% strongly agree "eternal salvation is possible through God’s grace alone; nothing we can do can earn salvation." Waggoner observes, "The fact that so few regular churchgoers have an accurate biblical understanding and conviction about salvation says we are a long way from where we need to be. We diminish our emphasis on doctrinal truth to our own harm. We are like the captain who is unconcerned about the leak in his ship. While it may not seem like a big deal at the time, eventually it will sink the ship." The study also showed a majority of Protestant churchgoers believe a person can find eternal life in religions other than Christianity. One in three churchgoers disagree strongly with this, while another 8% somewhat disagree. Close to a third of churchgoers cannot strongly affirm the Trinity or the resurrection.
- The Shape of Faith to Come, Brad J. Waggoner, B&H Publishing Group, 2008
Let’s begin our study of foundational truth by reading Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3
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.
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, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
So the question is why are we teaching on these foundational truths the author says to leave behind and go on to maturity?
1. Christians are to grow up spiritually.
The author is frustrated with his audience because they have refused to grow up. A significant amount of time has passed, they should be teaching others but instead they need him to teach again the “elementary truths”; the stoicheia in the Greek, which literally means the A, B, C’s.
1Peter 2:2-3
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Now that we are saved by faith we are to feed on spiritual milk and grow up in our salvation.
Many people refuse to do that.
1Corinthians 3:1-3
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
Here we see a refusal to mature in Christian behavior. They are “brothers” but they are behaving like mere men being jealous and quarrelsome and “worldly”.
Ephesians 4:11-13
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 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.
This time we see a need for maturity in “knowledge of the Son of God”.
There is no threat of a loss of salvation; there is no hint of an earning of heaven, there is the expectation of growth like any father expects of his son or daughter.
Example:
My sons have of course grown up wearing the PK label. I have certain expectations of them because they have grown up with my input in a loving home environment. They have not known abuse, they have never been called stupid or inferior, Kathy and I have tried to guide them lovingly in the way.
I expected and let them know that I expected them to be kind and accepting of peers and classmates who were victims of rejection.
It was not a law. They were never in danger of losing their positions as sons of Dan. I was pleased when they did it and saddened, even disappointed when they did not. It is an indicator of maturity which I want for each of them. God wants his children to mature in this fashion as well, not as a requirement of salvation but as an evidence of its reality.
We cannot grow up spiritually until the foundation is in place.
There are certain truths that should and must be understood because solid growth is not possible without them.
You may long for a Master bedroom on the third floor with a balcony overlooking the yard; you cannot build the third floor bedroom first.
So let us follow the early Church in laying a solid foundation upon which maturity can be built. What are these foundational truths that the early church considered “basic Christianity”?
2. Repentance from acts that lead to death.
The Christian life begins with repentance!
This is not a popular idea these days because we are so focused on everybody’s goodness but the Christian life does not begin until we repent and recognize our need of God.
The Greek word here is metanoia which means literally a change of mind. When we come to God we repent and change our minds about God, about our fellow man, about life, and about ourselves.
Matthew 21:28-29
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ’Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. (KJV= Repented)
2Peter 3:8-10
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
So the Christian life begins with repentance; but what is meant by “acts that lead to death”?
This may be a reference to actual sin which is a killer.
James 1:13-15
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
It may also be a reference to man made attempts to win God’s approval by observance of the law.
Romans 8:1-3
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.
To the Hebrew life was a series of ritual observances that do not; indeed cannot, bring life because the sinful nature makes it impossible for man to fulfill.
If you are going to go this route you will have to ask yourself eventually, “Have I done enough?” The truthful answer to this question will always be “NO WAY”.
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Once we become conscious of our sin we can see our need of a savior and repent from all these acts or “works” that lead only to death at which time we will find salvation through the next foundational truth.
3. Faith in God.
In repentance from dead works we change our minds and leave our old life behind as we simultaneously receive new birth and new life through “FAITH IN GOD”.
Romans 3:20-24
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
We now have a righteousness (right standing with God) that comes through faith in God.
The author is saying that until this truth is so deeply understood that there is no hint of you thinking that your works are earning you salvation or someone else’s lack of works are costing them their salvation, until this truth is that deeply ingrained, you cannot go on to maturity in Christ.
Why not? Because your religion isn’t Christianity if it doesn’t count on Christ for salvation.
Are you the central figure of your faith or is Christ?
Isaiah 64:4-5
How then can we be saved?
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
It isn’t that there isn’t life to build and maturity to attain once we are in Christ, it is just absolutely essential that we understand this foundational truth.
I want to close today with a poem
Love Bade Me Welcome
Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.
"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord, but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.
-- George Herbert (1593-1633)
– Anglican rector of the parish church of Bremerton, near Salisbury.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
