Scripture: Hebrews 6:1-8 (ESV)
"Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."
The writer of Hebrews picks up on the same thought he finished chapter 5 with. At some point we have to move beyond the basics of faith and press on to maturity. Now he does this in a couple of interesting ways.
The passage begins with a call to leave behind the elementary teachings about Christ—repentance from dead works, faith toward God, instructions about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Now these are fundamental things Christians have to get right. In fact if you “move on” from these truths by leaving them behind you haven’t grown - you have fallen away from the faith. These are basic Gospel truths, but Hebrews emphasizes the need to build upon them. When you build a building, you don’t just lay the foundation over and over, you actually have to eventually get on with building the building. So too believers are urged here to build on the foundation of their faith, to actually apply it to their lives.
When we lay the foundation over and over, end up with spiritual stagnation. Many of us can become so comfortable with the basics and fail to grow spiritually... And worse still if we reject the truth of the Gospel all together. So how do we guard against this? How do we make sure we keep growing?
We follow the path Jesus laid out for us as the author and perfecter of our faith. Look at his life. When he was challenged, he referenced Scripture. When he needed strength, he prayed. When he was tired, he had compassion on the crowds and served them. Follow in Jesus’ footsteps and you will grow.
Because growth is a choice to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart. And if you water the crop of seed planted in your heart you will grow. If you neglect it, you risk weeds and thistles growing.
Which will you choose?
Prayer:
Lord, help me to move beyond the basics of my faith and grow towards maturity. Give me the desire to delve deeper into your Word and the wisdom to apply it in my life. Protect me from complacency and guide me towards bearing fruitful, lasting growth. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Reflect on your spiritual journey and identify areas where you can deepen your faith. Commit to studying a challenging book of the Bible, join a Bible study group, or engage in a new form of ministry that stretches your understanding and application of God’s Word.
Moving Beyond the Basics