"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 towards God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." Hebrews 6:1-2
We are told that we are to leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ? Wow, can you imagine standing up in church today and saying let’s leave the doctrines of Christ and move on to perfection? I believe the congregation would pick up stones and bring to a swift end such heresy. Yet our Father had it written hundreds of years ago. Stop and really think about it, why did the Holy Ghost have this written?
Look at what our Father was saying here in Hebrews: the Hebrews were continuing to lay the foundation of repentance from dead works. Think of today’s church. Most people don’t believe that they actually can walk without dead works; the foundation of their freedom in Christ has never been laid. How many alter calls have you seen where the preacher goes beyond calling the lost to calling anyone who has fallen short that week? I was involved in a Bible Study where the preacher actually would start the studies with reading a verse, than follow it up by asking who failed at it. There is little hope to be found in religion that dead works can be done away with on this earth and perfection can be obtained. This is because religion focuses on us, not on Jesus; the One Who will bring perfection to us. When you look at Jesus, perfection is easily accepted, because the burden of perfection has been cast on the One Who it should be. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
Next look at faith towards God, this is considered a beginning principle of Christ. Our Father says let’s move on past faith to perfection. Let’s move on past baptisms; let’s move on past the laying on of hands, and move past eternity? These principles are the main focuses of church and obviously they were over a thousand of years ago as well. But there is more and our Father wants us to go there.
Perfection is Jesus, plain and simple, Jesus is our example of perfection. So let’s consider Him, let’s move on towards His standard. The first thing to remember is our example of perfection repeatedly said that it was God within Him doing all of the works. They talked about the miraculous works that He did and Jesus said that it was God within Him Who did the works. They called Jesus good, and He said none was good but God. Jesus, our example of perfection, was perfect because our Father made Him that way. He never spoke of Himself as the Author of perfection. He never spoke of His own efforts allowing Him to be perfect. He was perfect because God made Him that way, and God made Jesus that way by making Him from Himself! The two were and are One! Now, who are we one with? Who are we born of? Whose body are we? Who gave us a new heart? Whose Spirit abides within us, and Whose mind do we now have? Whose seed are we born from? When we are born again, we were born just as Jesus was, of a woman and of God! Jesus is perfect because of God, and God loves us just as He loves Him!
So as we are considering Jesus, ask yourself this question: is He repenting from dead works? No, so we too can move past that, because as He is so are we in this world! “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him; For in that He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:9-11
Is Jesus laying a foundation of faith towards God, no way, it’s settled and complete. There is no question to Jesus that God is it; He is the way, the answer, and the provider, God is the All! “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 We can actually live as Jesus, never having any doubts about our Father. We can have perfect and complete faith, just as Jesus, because He has given it to us!
Now what about laying on of hands? Go and read the Gospels and see what you find. Not only did Jesus do it, He commissioned and empowered His disciples to do it. “And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8 Just something God showed me once, Jesus gave the twelve the power to do all of this and Judas was one of the twelve! These things are so controversial in so many churches, yet they aren’t with Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, our standard of perfection!
Next, what about baptisms, you think Jesus is up in Heaven wondering should they dunk or sprinkle? Should they say in Jesus’ Name or in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost? Jesus has moved on to perfection, He never left it; He has always been perfection. So what does perfection say about baptism? “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining in Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” John 1:32-33 “I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 16:7 Water has nothing to do with the perfect baptism, that was what John the Baptist was doing, Jesus baptizes with the very Spirit of God, the very Spirit that gave Him all of His power!
The principles of Christ are the foundation of perfection, without them we could never move on. But they are a foundation to be built upon, not dwelt upon. Consider Jesus the High Priest of our confession of faith, consider how He is, Who He is, what He is, consider His perfection, this is what we should be moving on to. You ever see a house that got started and then stopped, and all that is sitting there is a basement? If an unfinished basement sits for anytime at all it quickly becomes an eyesore. God willing we will move on to perfection, and if you read His Word you will see that He is not only willing to move us on, He is able, and we will!
We are told that we are to leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ? Wow, can you imagine standing up in church today and saying let’s leave the doctrines of Christ and move on to perfection? I believe the congregation would pick up stones and bring to a swift end such heresy. Yet our Father had it written hundreds of years ago. Stop and really think about it, why did the Holy Ghost have this written?
Look at what our Father was saying here in Hebrews: the Hebrews were continuing to lay the foundation of repentance from dead works. Think of today’s church. Most people don’t believe that they actually can walk without dead works; the foundation of their freedom in Christ has never been laid. How many alter calls have you seen where the preacher goes beyond calling the lost to calling anyone who has fallen short that week? I was involved in a Bible Study where the preacher actually would start the studies with reading a verse, than follow it up by asking who failed at it. There is little hope to be found in religion that dead works can be done away with on this earth and perfection can be obtained. This is because religion focuses on us, not on Jesus; the One Who will bring perfection to us. When you look at Jesus, perfection is easily accepted, because the burden of perfection has been cast on the One Who it should be. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
Next look at faith towards God, this is considered a beginning principle of Christ. Our Father says let’s move on past faith to perfection. Let’s move on past baptisms; let’s move on past the laying on of hands, and move past eternity? These principles are the main focuses of church and obviously they were over a thousand of years ago as well. But there is more and our Father wants us to go there.
Perfection is Jesus, plain and simple, Jesus is our example of perfection. So let’s consider Him, let’s move on towards His standard. The first thing to remember is our example of perfection repeatedly said that it was God within Him doing all of the works. They talked about the miraculous works that He did and Jesus said that it was God within Him Who did the works. They called Jesus good, and He said none was good but God. Jesus, our example of perfection, was perfect because our Father made Him that way. He never spoke of Himself as the Author of perfection. He never spoke of His own efforts allowing Him to be perfect. He was perfect because God made Him that way, and God made Jesus that way by making Him from Himself! The two were and are One! Now, who are we one with? Who are we born of? Whose body are we? Who gave us a new heart? Whose Spirit abides within us, and Whose mind do we now have? Whose seed are we born from? When we are born again, we were born just as Jesus was, of a woman and of God! Jesus is perfect because of God, and God loves us just as He loves Him!
So as we are considering Jesus, ask yourself this question: is He repenting from dead works? No, so we too can move past that, because as He is so are we in this world! “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him; For in that He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:9-11
Is Jesus laying a foundation of faith towards God, no way, it’s settled and complete. There is no question to Jesus that God is it; He is the way, the answer, and the provider, God is the All! “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 We can actually live as Jesus, never having any doubts about our Father. We can have perfect and complete faith, just as Jesus, because He has given it to us!
Now what about laying on of hands? Go and read the Gospels and see what you find. Not only did Jesus do it, He commissioned and empowered His disciples to do it. “And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8 Just something God showed me once, Jesus gave the twelve the power to do all of this and Judas was one of the twelve! These things are so controversial in so many churches, yet they aren’t with Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, our standard of perfection!
Next, what about baptisms, you think Jesus is up in Heaven wondering should they dunk or sprinkle? Should they say in Jesus’ Name or in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost? Jesus has moved on to perfection, He never left it; He has always been perfection. So what does perfection say about baptism? “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining in Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” John 1:32-33 “I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 16:7 Water has nothing to do with the perfect baptism, that was what John the Baptist was doing, Jesus baptizes with the very Spirit of God, the very Spirit that gave Him all of His power!
The principles of Christ are the foundation of perfection, without them we could never move on. But they are a foundation to be built upon, not dwelt upon. Consider Jesus the High Priest of our confession of faith, consider how He is, Who He is, what He is, consider His perfection, this is what we should be moving on to. You ever see a house that got started and then stopped, and all that is sitting there is a basement? If an unfinished basement sits for anytime at all it quickly becomes an eyesore. God willing we will move on to perfection, and if you read His Word you will see that He is not only willing to move us on, He is able, and we will!
No comments:
Post a Comment