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.
(24) But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
(25) Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
(26) But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
(27) Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.
1 Samuel 15:22 KJV
(22) And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
ii. “faith toward God”
1. Paul has already showed the necessity of faith.
2. The disobedient Israelites in the wilderness were not saved because of the disbelief.
iii. “doctrine of baptisms”
1. This is perhaps the most perplexing of the six.
2. This could be referring to Christian Baptisms.
a. The baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11).
b. The baptism of fire (Matt 3:11).
c. The baptism of John (Matt 3:16).
d. The baptism of Moses (1 Cor. 10:2).
e. The baptism of suffering (Lk 15:30).
f. The baptism of great commission (Matt 28:18-20).
3. This could be Jewish washings.
a. The obvious argument for this is the plurality of the word.
b. The first century Jews many time had in their home a miqva’ot.
iv. “laying on of hands”
1. The Apostles had the ability to transfer the gifts of the spirit by “laying on of hands”.
Acts 8:18 KJV
(18) And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
2. In the Jewish system the High Priest would lay his hand above the head of the sacrificed to bless it.
v. “resurrection of the dead”
1. In the Christian age the “resurrection of Jesus” is the fundamental doctrine in which we base our salvation upon.
a. Without the resurrection we have no hope.
1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV
(19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Little Philip, born with Down’s syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in leadership magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully.
The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought L’eggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table. Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether a flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh.
Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, That’s stupid. That’s not fair. Somebody didn’t do their assignment."
Philip spoke up, "That’s mine."
"Philip, you don’t ever do things right!" the student retorted. "There’s nothing there!"
"I did so do it," Philip insisted. "I did do it. It’s empty. the tomb was empty!"
Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class. He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg.
Source Unknown.
2. The Jews also taught a resurrection.
a. The Pharisees professed a belief in the resurrection.
Acts 23:8 KJV
(8) For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
b. Daniel looked for a resurrection.
Daniel 12:2 KJV
(2) And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
vi. “eternal judgment”
1. Jesus taught that there will be a great day of judgment.
Matthew 25:31-46 KJV
(31) When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
(32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
(33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
(34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
(35) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
(36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
(37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
(38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
(39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
(40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
(41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
(42) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
(43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
(44) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
(45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
(46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
2. Daniel taught the same thing in the Old Testament (Dan 12:2).
c. Problem (vs. 4-8)
i. “it is impossible”
1. This verse is clearly speaking of a Christian who has abandoned Jesus.
a. “once enlightened”
i. Justin Martyr shows that the early Christians used the word enlightened (illuminated) interchangeably with baptism.
But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation
(Justin Martyr. The First Apology of Justin. 65).
b. “tasted of the heavenly gift”
c. “partakers of the Holy Ghost”
d. “tasted the good word”
e. “powers of the world to come”
2. There is nothing we can say to this person that he doesn’t already know.
ii. “if they shall fall away”
1. It is clear from this verse that one can fall away and lose his salvation.
iii. “renew them again”
1. Once they stop hearing Jesus, they have left the protection of the Father.
John 10:27-28 KJV
(27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
(28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
2. Not even God can renew the person who retreats from Christ and enters back into the world, denouncing his faith, and surrendering to the devil.
a. God cannot lie (Heb 6:18).
b. Only those who have obeyed these fundamental truths and remained faithful until the eternal judgment will be saved.
2. The Promise for Progress (vs. 9-12).
a. Persuasion (v. 9).
i. “better things of you”
1. The author is convinced they will do the right thing.
2. He is referring back to verse seven.
Hebrews 6:7 KJV
(7) 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:
ii. “things that accompany salvation”
1. These things spoken of lead to salvation.
2. The writer expected three things from these Hebrew Christians.
a. Not to become “dull of hearing” (Heb 5:11).
b. Leave “the principles of the doctrine of Christ (Heb 6:1)
c. To “go on unto perfection” (Heb 6:1)
iii. “though we thus speak”
1. Paul is giving them a severe warning.
2. He is reminding them of the consequences of abandoning Christ.
b. Promise (v. 10).
i. God does not forget your labor.
1. In verse seven God bless the “ground” that brought forth a good crop.
2. What he is saying here is that God would be unjust for forget his promise.
ii. “shewed toward his name”
Matthew 25:40 KJV
(40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
iii. “ministered to the saints”
1. The Jerusalem church had been very benevolent before they were scattered by persecution (Acts 8)
Acts 4:32-35 KJV
(32) And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
(33) And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
(34) Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
(35) And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
2. Just as they had been helped by other brethren from other churches, they needed to minister to any saint who needed it.
Acts 11:29-30 KJV
(29) Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
(30) Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 KJV
(1) Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
(2) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
(3) And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
c. Perseverance (v. 11).
i. “diligence”
1. Paul wants them to continue with diligence there good works.
ii. “full assurance of hope”
1. They needed to be diligent until the end in order to gain a crown of life.
Revelation 2:10 KJV
(10) ……be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
iii. “unto the end”
1. The end of ones life.
Hebrews 9:27 KJV
(27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
d. Patience (v. 12).
i. “be not slothful”
1. This is just another way of saying “don’t give up.”
2. Do not become weary.
Galatians 6:9 KJV
(9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
ii. “faith and patience”
1. Faith coupled with patience assures us of the award of our hope.
2. Paul often speaks of faith, hope, and love.
a. Faith (v. 12)
b. Hope (v. 11)
c. Love (v. 10)
1 Corinthians 13:13 KJV
(13) And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
iii. “inherit the promises”
"Faith and holiness are inextricably linked. Obeying the commands of God usually involves believing the promises of God."
J. Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness, p. 145.
3. The Proof of Progress (vs. 13-20).
a. Partnership (vs. 13-15).
i. God’s Greatness
1. God keeps his promises.
ii. God’s Oaths
1. He swears by himself because there is none greater to swear by.
iii. God’s Word
1. God’s word is true.
b. Pact (vs. 16-18a).
i. Eternal counsel
1. God has always been keeping his promises
2. He kept his promise to Abraham after he had waited many years.
ii. Eternal truth
1. God’s word has been true even before the foundation of the world was laid.
iii. Eternal hope
1. Our hope is justified because God is unchangeable.
2. God cannot lie!
c. Pledge (vs. 18b-20).
i. Eternal securities
1. Our hope is an “anchor of the soul.”
ii. Eternal certainties
iii. Eternal priesthood.
1. He now begins a long argument for the Priesthood of Christ.
Conclusion:
1. In this chapter we have seen the importance to remain faithful.
a. The Peril of no Progress (vs. 1-8).
i. Pronouncement (v. 1a).
ii. Plan (vs. 1b-3).
iii. Problem (vs. 4-8)
b. The Promise for Progress (vs. 9-12).
i. Persuasion (v. 9).
ii. Promise (v. 10).
iii. Perseverance (v. 11).
iv. Patience (v. 12).
c. The Proof of Progress (vs. 13-20).
i. Partnership (vs. 13-15).
ii. Pact (vs. 16-18a).
iii. Pledge (vs. 18b-20).
In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies." A frothy question brought a profound answer. There are no instant heroes--whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. Growth takes time, and as I Timothy 3:6 and 5:22 point out, even spiritual leadership must be earned.
William C. Shereos.
2. In the next chapter Paul will continue in this vein.
