“Leaving the Principles of the Doctrine”
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Hebrew 6:1-3 “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”.
OPENING:- Let me first and foremost make this perfectly clear - the context of this verse suggests that we are to leave the principles of Christ's doctrines by building upward from the foundation and not forsaking it. When a natural foundation is laid, you leave that foundation by placing one brick at a time upon the foundation and building upward until you have a completed structure. You do not leave it by moving across town and building the walls some place other than where the foundation has been laid. Likewise, when we have a firm foundation laid, we should never leave it by separating ourselves from it but leave it by building continually up from it with knowledge while still being joined to it by the mortar of God's love.
In 1 Corinthians 3:10 says: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon." Not only are we to build upon the foundation, but we are to be careful of how we build.
It is important that we as Christians continue to grow in the Word of God and thereby learn and understand “The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ" and continually press toward the mark for the prize of the High calling of God.
Prayer:
UNDERSTAND: - Hebrew 6:1 says "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...
The Greek in Hebrews 1 says literally, "Therefore leaving the word of Christ of the beginning" The word ''beginning'' in Greek is ''arche. (ar-khay'); it means beginning, or origin.
Doctrine merely means a teaching, of which we all can use a little more. However, in this verse DOCTRINE is translated from the word LOGOS it is the only place where logos is translated doctrine. LOGOS conveys the thought and intent and is an outward expression of God Himself – and the word (LOGOS) became flesh – that is the outward expression of God – Jesus Christ.
Christ's teachings on the basics are what Hebrews is getting at. The basics are to be studied, fed upon as an infant would feed upon milk. Once the foundation has been laid you are to improve not only in your understanding but in your practice and attitudes concerning spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 13:11 says “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things”.
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions in a belief system. Doctrine is important. Without it we cannot be saved. Salvation is doctrine. Doctrine defines who we believe in, what we believe concerning God, and what He requires of us.
Doctrine is essentials to the faith and are non-negotiable: The deity of Christ, Baptism of the Holy Ghost, the death, burial and the resurrection, salvation by grace, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment
Doctrine is a mind thing because the answer to doctrinal questions often involves simply just memory. What does it mean to repent? What are the two natures of Christ? What is the Bible about? Are the Spiritual gifts still essential today?
These all are important questions and the answers guide our understanding. Our understanding is what guides our actions and words.
Doctrine is a mind thing. It is, in one sense, easier than those teachings of Christ that deal with the heart. Because with the mind you only need to understand. However; with the heart you need to obey. John 7:16 says “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me”.
The Doctrine of Christ is established not just in ‘Word’ only, but also in ‘Power’.
The way we can recognize those who are established in “The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ", is not just by their ‘Words’, but through the ‘Power’ they demonstrate by the Holy Ghost.
Let us go on to Perfection - is when your understanding of truth and your actions are one and the same.
The word for ''perfection'' or ''maturity'' in the Greek is ''teleiotes.'' It means "a perfecter" and comes from the Greek word ''telos'' which means to make perfect, to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, end, to accomplish.
This is the level of maturity that God wants from you and me: A perfect faith. The only way to perfect your relationship with God and improve your walk-in holiness is do it by faith and obedience to His word. This is a process and something that doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a 3-stage process. God wants us to progress beyond the principle foundations of the faith.
WHATCH THIS: - The number 3 in the Bible is very significant and means fulness. Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Past, Present, Future. Outer Court, Inner Court, Holy of Holies. Justification, Sanctification, Glorification. The 3 stages of life the aesthetic stage (infancy), the ethical stage (adolescence), and the religious stage (mature). David had 3 anointings 1st anointing to be King, 2nd anointing King of Judah, 3rd anointing King of all Israel, Joseph had 3 coats 1st coat his Isaac his father gave him, 2nd coat Potiphar gave him, 3rd coat Pharaoh gave him. On Calvary there were 3 crosses and 3 deaths, 1 died in sin, 1 died to sin, 1 died for sin.
The Tabernacle/Temple consisted of three main parts: the outer court; the inner court, and the Holy of Holies. The general congregation was restricted to the outer court. The priests had access to the inner court. But only the high priest could go behind the veil that separated the inner court from the Holy of Holies. This was the place where the presence of God was manifest. For the purpose of this message I want you to picture in your mind the 3 sections of the Tabernacle/Temple as the Outer Court (Infancy Stage), the Inner Court (Adolescence Stage), Holy of Holies (Mature Stage).
During these times of the Temple/Tabernacle in order to qualify for the privilege of meeting with God, the priest had to undergo certain rituals of purification. Today, we qualify to be in God's presence not based on rituals but based on our righteousness in Christ Jesus. We are all called to intimate fellowship with God and relating to Him through prayer is our birthright as adopted sons of the Father.
In order to go from Outer Court/Infancy, to Inner Court/Adolescence to Holy of Holies/Maturity and communing with God at the deepest level requires that we be transformed.
We must realize that there is a level in God that goes beyond religious experience and culminates in a relationship with God. We must go from believing that this journey is about what church we attend, what we wear to the service do I wear a suit or if I wear jeans, who is leading worship, what type of music is played, we must move from the doctrines of baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment and move into perfection.
One of the problems in Christendom is too many people think that those times when they were touched deeply during a high point in a service or when they were slain in the Spirit during worship is all there is, they say things I have and I am sure you have as well said things like we shouted up a storm in church today God showed up and showed out and although that is part of the experience, it does not constitute the total meaning of a spiritual encounter or maturity with God.
We cannot minimize spiritual maturity by relegating it to a mere song that is sung, or to whether everything in the service has gone according to plan. Spiritual maturity involves living lifestyle in accordance to the Will and Word of God that is pleasing unto Him.
Mark 1:17-20 says “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him”
Jesus is saying the same thing today: "Come after Me and be My disciples, and I will make you fishers of men. Come after Me so that I can get rid of everything I see in you that doesn't match the principles of My kingdom."
Jesus did not save you so that you could go to church, sit in a pew, shout, jump and sing in the choir. He didn't bring you into God's kingdom to have a "Christian" experience. He brought you into this heavenly realm to become a fisher of men.
Understand God did not deliver you from addictions, from perverse lifestyles, from the spirits of depression and oppression just to enable you to sit in a cozy building wearing a nice suit wondering when are they going to call me to lead the song, do praise and worship, teach a lesson, or preach, wondering when are they going to notice me. If you have that mindset you are not ready to be called on for anything, because it’s not about you it all about God. God drew you into His house to disciple you so that, in turn, you will make disciples.
I remember one time I had someone tell me that they were just waiting for the moment they were sitting next to me in the pulpit, I said to them you’re not ready, you’re are missing the point, it’s not about sitting next to me in the pulpit it’s about winning souls to Christ, it’s about being a fisher of men. When I was a child I would stand in front of the mirror and act like I was preaching because that what I saw my father do, but I wasn’t ready I saw the glory and preaching looked glamorous to me but I didn’t know what was involved. I could say Jesus Loves this I know but I had to go from the principles of the doctrine unto maturity before I was ready to literally follow in his footsteps.
The outer court is infancy of spiritual growth, it is the principles of doctrine. In the outer court there is blood and sacrifice, there is excitement and music, dance and enjoyment, there’s baptism and all of that is good. It’s emotions and feelings and there is nothing wrong with that especially if you never have experienced that before but there must be a point when you tap yourself and say there’s got to be more. However, there should come a time when you ask yourself there’s got to be more than just coming to church, there’s got to be more than just shouting, there’s got to be more than a song and a dance. There’s got to be more than what I have been doing.
It is here that you start to build upon the foundation that is laid. You find yourself losing your taste for the shallow and superficial and moving away from those entangled in the appearance of spirituality and religiosity. You have become discussed with the church as usual. You want to go behind the veil. You are experiencing growing pains growing spiritually, leaving infancy pressing on toward maturity, you are leaving the outer court and entering the inner court moving toward perfection/maturity.
The next level, the next stage is The Inner Court. The Inner Court is a place of prayer and where you will receive your spiritual assignment and the power to walk it out. That’s the more you have been desiring. In the inner court there is light which is knowledge you are developing more of an understanding of who God is. In the outer court I was reacting to what I felt now in the inner court I am reacting to what I know. When I was a child I would testify and Thank God for being a lawyer in the court room and doctor in the sick room and never experienced anything like that at all, but when I went through some stuff, when I began to move from infancy to maturity my testimony changed and became You don’t know like I know.
In the inner court there bread which is the Word of God, for the Bible says man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, now I search the scriptures for myself and God reveals Himself to me and I am able to understand more because I am moving toward maturity. In the Inner court there is the altar of incense which is prayers or communication with God. In the outer court when the church beat started – you know the church beat – I would get excited and react accordingly, you know what I mean, you can have a 2 year old and turn on some music and they will dance. In the outer court, in infancy when the beat came you moved, but once you get into the inner court where there is knowledge, bread, and the altar of incense communication I don’t need the beat I can look at the stars in the sky and declare the heavens declare Your Glory. I understand Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think according to the power that worketh in me”. I can say like David said in Psalm 27:4 “One thing that I desire of the Lord and that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple”. I am growing up spiritually, I’m leaving the principles of the doctrine, I’m not in the outer court anymore, I’m now in the inner court and I can say like Paul said in Philippians 3 13:14 “Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. Now that I am maturing something down on the inside moves not because of a beat but when I think of the goodness of Jesus all He has done for me, when I think of Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory”.
When you move from the outer court to the inner court your prayer changes. Understand anyone can pray, but not everyone is equipped to make effective intercession. Going to church is easy anyone can do it that is infancy the outer court. But when you move to the inner court you can stand in the gap for someone's life? Can you command healing and deliverance of someone? You can pray deliverance from addiction and release the power of God in someone's life?
It's about snatching others from the fire of destruction, for Jude 23 says “And others (mature one) save with fear pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted with flesh”.
When God calls you to Himself, He empowers you to grow to maturity. The process brings you through not only the outer court, inner court, and finally the Holy of Holies. In this three-step process, you will also encounter the power of the three altars, remember 3 is the number of fullness.
1st there is an altar of stone, this is represented by the Outer Court, here there is sacrifice, here flesh is crucified, repentance is done, and your growth process begins.
The 2nd altar is the altar of brass this is where your flesh and your will struggles against submission to the Word. Galatians 5:17 says “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”. This is also the outer court, but you are beginning to grow.
3rd is the altar of gold, which is the place where you enter a deep relationship with God. It's where you lay yourself down and let God have control. At this altar, the Lord is working with you and teaching you how to lay down the earthly desires and pick up His ministry that he has for you to accomplish. Here perfection/maturity is being developed and your flesh doesn’t struggle so much against the Word as you learn to let go and let God. The altar is where we die, and Christ begins to live through us.
Hebrew 6:1-3 “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”.
Verse 3: "This we will do, if God permits."
If God permit - This is not to be interpreted as if God was “unwilling” that they should make such advances, or as if it were “doubtful” whether he would allow it if they made an honest effort, and their lives were spared; but it is a phrase used to denote our “dependence” on him. It is equivalent to saying, “if he would spare their lives, their health, and their reason; if he would continue the means of grace, and would impart his Holy Spirit; if he would favor their efforts and crown them with success, they would make these advances.” In reference to anything that we undertake, however pleasing to God in itself, it is proper to recognize our entire dependence on God; James 4:13-15 says “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that”.
Conclusion: - Total perfection will not be achieved until we are glorified. When this mortal has put on immortality and this corruption has put on incorruption. 1 John 3:2 says “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”. Until then lets us the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”.
Until we have reached perfection let us continue to press on to perfection.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
