Hebrews 6:1-3

[readywriter]

'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.'
(Heb 6:1-3)

Hello there,

Am I correct in thinking that this list of doctrines which the writer is saying the Hebrew believers were to 'leave', were themselves 'foundational', and, 'the principles of the doctrine of Christ'. Looking at them, the list includes:-

a) Repentance
b) Faith
c) Baptisms
d) Laying on of hands
e) Resurrection
f) judgment everlasting

'Repentance' and 'Faith' are internal and doctrinal.
'Baptisms' and 'Laying on of hands' are external.
'Resurrection' and 'Judgment everlasting' are future.

* Looking at the majority of threads which occupy the forums I have visited, these categories, in various forms, are what occupy the subject matter of most threads in the Bible study sections. Does this mean that the majority of believers attending are content to remain babes, do they not want to go on unto 'perfection' or full growth?

* Each of these subjects require careful consideration, and cannot be dismissed until an understanding of them is firmly established: and it would seem that 'going on,' is subject to God's permission ('if God permit'), for the believers to whom this epistle was originally sent: and if you read on you will understand why?

* Does anyone have anything to say concerning this passage of Scripture?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[HTacianas]

'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.'
(Heb 6:1-3)

Hello there,

Am I correct in thinking that this list of doctrines which the writer is saying the Hebrew believers were to 'leave', were themselves 'foundational', and, 'the principles of the doctrine of Christ'. Looking at them, the list includes:-

a) Repentance
b) Faith
c) Baptisms
d) Laying on of hands
e) Resurrection
f) judgment everlasting

'Repentance' and 'Faith' are internal and doctrinal.
'Baptisms' and 'Laying on of hands' are external.
'Resurrection' and 'Judgment everlasting' are future.

* Looking at the majority of threads which occupy the forums I have visited, these categories, in various forms, are what occupy the subject matter of most threads in the Bible study sections. Does this mean that the majority of believers attending are content to remain babes, do they not want to go on unto 'perfection' or full growth?

* Each of these subjects require careful consideration, and cannot be dismissed until an understanding of them is firmly established: and it would seem that 'going on,' is subject to God's permission ('if God permit'), for the believers to whom this epistle was originally sent: and if you read on you will understand why?

* Does anyone have anything to say concerning this passage of Scripture?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

That is in fact a list of the elementary doctrines of Christianity. And they are more or less in order.

But the context of "leaving" those principles is merely a figure of speech on the part of the writer. As if to say in a US history class, "leaving aside now the Declaration of Independence, and the Revolutionary War, and the Constitution, let us move on to the War of 1812. And God willing, we will". Hebrews 6:1-3 is written in the form of a lecture to the audience. The writer wishes to leave aside the elementary principles and move on for the sake of discussion. It in no way is meant to imply that anyone is to literally leave aside anything at all. I cannot stress that enough.

In probably the last month alone I have seen at least four people in this forum say that we are to leave aside the elementary principles of Christ. That is a complete misreading of what it says.

 

[readywriter]

That is in fact a list of the elementary doctrines of Christianity. And they are more or less in order.

But the context of "leaving" those principles is merely a figure of speech on the part of the writer. As if to say in a US history class, "leaving aside now the Declaration of Independence, and the Revolutionary War, and the Constitution, let us move on to the War of 1812. And God willing, we will". Hebrews 6:1-3 is written in the form of a lecture to the audience. The writer wishes to leave aside the elementary principles and move on for the sake of discussion. It in no way is meant to imply that anyone is to literally leave aside anything at all. I cannot stress that enough.

In probably the last month alone I have seen at least four people in this forum say that we are to leave aside the elementary principles of Christ. That is a complete misreading of what it says.

Thank you very much for your input, @HTaciarias.

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[readywriter]

'Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,
let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of rep!entance 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.'
(Heb 6:1-3)

Hello again, @HTaciarias,

Yet what is to be gone on to here is, 'perfection,' (or maturity), If it were simply a matter of moving on in an address to another area of discussion then why would God's permission be required or in doubt? Or, is this latter point like saying, "I shall see you tomorrow, God willing"?

Is it also that God would know if they could indeed 'bear' further instruction at this point in time. I think of the Lord's words in John 16:12-15:-

'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:
for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I,
that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.'

Looking at my Bible's marginal notes, I see that the word, 'leaving' has the meaning of "having left". They had left the principles of the beginning of Christ, and were being borne along by the Spirit into further truth.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[HTacianas]

'Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,
let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of rep!entance 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.'
(Heb 6:1-3)

Hello again, @HTaciarias,

Yet what is to be gone on to here is, 'perfection,' (or maturity), If it were simply a matter of moving on in an address to another area of discussion then why would God's permission be required or in doubt? Or, is this latter point like saying, "I shall see you tomorrow, God willing"?

Is it also that God would know if they could indeed 'bear' further instruction at this point in time. I think of the Lord's words in John 16:12-15:-

'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:
for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I,
that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.'

Looking at my Bible's marginal notes, I see that the word, 'leaving' has the meaning of "having left". They had left the principles of the beginning of Christ, and were being borne along by the Spirit into further truth.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

The "god willing" in Hebrews 6 is where we get the saying "God willing". It's found also in James:

Jas 4:15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

If you look at the entirety of Hebrews you'll see that the audience had not been "borne along by the Spirit into further truth". It was the opposite. They had not progressed at all, that's why the writer said:

Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Heb 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Paul used the same analogy:

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

 

[Jonaitis]

Yes, these subjects are considered "milk" in principle, because these doctrines are (or should be) fundamentally understood by a new convert.

"You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
– Hebrews 5:12-14

Holiness and discernment are traits of maturity (see chapter 13). It is the progress of these principles, without which, many professors tend to fall away from. They may talk of and emphasis these rudimentary truths, but their progress will be plain to all in their life and doctrine.

 

[readywriter]

@HTacianas
@Jonaitis

Thank you both for your responses.

With respect, I do not believe that, 'leaving' is a figure of speech, I also do not believe that the words, 'if God Permit' and 'God willing' should be considered lightly, but that He, Who knows the heart, would allow them to progress to the meat of the Word when they were able to bear it, and not before.

I agree that the Hebrew believers, who were the recipients of this epistle, were being urged to go on to maturity. They were to leave the word of the beginning of Christ, and move on to perfection. The gospel records are the beginning only, there is so much more from the risen Christ, which they needed to hear, and receive by faith; that they may grow in grace and truth and in the knowledge of Him.

Thank you both for your input.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Dan Perez]

@HTacianas
@Jonaitis

Thank you both for your responses.

With respect, I do not believe that, 'leaving' is a figure of speech, I also do not believe that the words, 'if God Permit' and 'God willing' should be considered lightly, but that He, Who knows the heart, would allow them to progress to the meat of the Word when they were able to bear it, and not before.

I agree that the Hebrew believers, who were the recipients of this epistle, were being urged to go on to maturity. They were to leave the word of the beginning of Christ, and move on to perfection. The gospel records are the beginning only, there is so much more from the risen Christ, which they needed to hear, and receive by faith; that they may grow in grace and truth and in the knowledge of Him.

Thank you both for your input.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

I do agree that LEAVING is not a figure of speech .

When I looked up the Greek word LEAVING is a transliterated in the second AOTIST TENSE , ACTIVE VOICE and is a PARTICIPLE and the Greek word LEAVING is not Permanent ..

LEAVING has many meaning when looking at G863 .

I say that HEBREW was written to Israel , period .

dan p