Understanding the New and Living Way - Part 6

Understanding the New and Living Way 

Hebrews chapter 6

A Call to Spiritual Growth

Continuing our Bible Study from Hebrews chapter 5 v 11 - 14

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.  You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

Many times, people want to hear something new, we want the meat, but we must remember that even when we are eating solid food, we still need a drink to help wash it down.  Without the correct 'milk' or basic teaching of the Word of God, we may choke on the 'meat' or the solid food of the Word of God.  God is not the author of confusion, but many perish because of the lack of knowledge.  Hebrews is full of warnings and instruction and here again we see a warning, it is a good thing for the heart to be established in the knowledge of Grace, and to be grounded and rooted in the knowledge of God.  

Every concept that we have in our lives - comes from the precept -or basic understanding or belief that we have established in our hearts.  Therefore if the precept or basic understanding is wrong - our conception of things will also be wrong.  This is where mis-conception comes from.  So it is vital that we are established in God's ways, not man's, religion or our own ways.

Hebrews 6 continues v 1 -12

 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

7 When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. 8 But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

9 Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

I am blown away by what Hebrews chapter 6 lists as the Oracles of God or the basic things about God's Word.  

Repentance of Sins

Faith

Baptisms

Laying on of hands

Resurrection of the Dead

Eternal Judgement

If these are the basic things, that we should be able to understand and to teach to others, then I am afraid to say that most of the church world today is greatly missing out.  Most people could tell someone about the first listed here - Repentance of Sins - but that's where it begins to fade away.  I firmly believe it is time to return to the Word of God. 

Here in chapter 6, we see another warning, we cannot turn our back on God or to what Jesus has done.

Aaron's 2 sons, died because they offered strange fire, they did their own thing and dishonoured God's way.  That is why we must seek to understand this New and Living Way, this new Testament in Jesus' Blood that we have been brought into.  We must have a correct understanding and insight to this Grace of God in which we have been brought into.

Please note that it ways 'Those who have been enlightened' - in other words they know and understand consciously the things of God.  It is not an easy thing to turn away from God - it is a conscious choice or decision.  We make mistakes, we fall, we fail many times - but we are learning and growing.  This scripture is not talking about us being perfect by our own works, it is clearly saying that it is dangerous to know God - and to experience his Truth and his Spirit - and then to consciously turn away from Him.  

The warning and instruction that runs through the Book of Hebrews is 'CONTINUE'.  Don't look back, keep your eyes on Jesus.  Our confidence is in Jesus Alone.

I would advice you to read carefully and prayerfully though the books of Kings and Chronicles.  Many of the kings refused to follow God's warnings and instructions, causing the people to sin.  You will see how merciful God was.  You will see, that success often brought pride, but when the Lord sent his word through the prophets, some repented and some didn't.  God was and is still, slow to anger and full of mercy and compassion, he knows our weaknesses, BUT - if we continue to do things our own way - we will find it leads to destruction - BUT if we listen and continue to follow God's way we will find his Life and Love made evident in our lives.

Here are some scriptures to meditate on.

2. Colossians 1:10-11 “so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God. You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy.”  

5. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”

 1 John 2:6 “The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.”

Hebrews 10:22 “let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 12:2 “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.”

Luke 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

1 John 1:6-7 “If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Galatians 5:16 “I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”