Scripture Daily

Context No. 1918 of 4322 · Hebrews

Context · Reflection

Hebrews 6:1-8: in context

1Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, 2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3This will we do, if God permits. 4For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. 7For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; 8but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

The writer to the Hebrews urges his readers forward: leaving the elementary teachings about Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of the first principles. He does not despise the foundation, repentance, faith, the basic doctrines, but he does not want them to remain forever at that beginning. There is more, a maturity to grow toward; and he calls them to press on to it, rather than remaining perpetual beginners in the faith.

The call is to grow up: leaving the elementary teachings, let us press on to maturity. The writer is concerned that his readers might remain forever at the beginning of the faith, endlessly relaying the same foundation, never growing beyond the first principles into maturity. And he calls them forward, to press on, to grow, to move from the milk of beginners to the solid food of the mature. This is a needed word, because spiritual stagnation is a real danger. It is possible to become a Christian and then simply stop growing, to remain year after year at the same elementary level, knowing only the basics, never maturing in understanding, in character, in depth of relationship with God. We can settle into a permanent spiritual infancy, content with the milk, never pressing on to the solid food, never growing up. And the writer will not allow it; he calls his readers to press on. Growth is expected; maturity is the goal; the Christian life is not meant to stall at its beginning but to press forward. This searches our own walk. Are we growing, pressing on toward maturity, deepening in understanding and character and love; or have we stagnated, remaining at the level of beginners, content with the basics, no further along than we were years ago? The call is to press on, not to lay again and again the same foundation but to build on it, to grow up into Christ, to become mature. By this time, the writer says elsewhere in the letter, you ought to be teachers, yet you still need milk; and he calls them to grow. God's desire for us is not perpetual infancy but maturity; and the call of this passage is to press on toward it, to keep growing rather than settling into a stagnation that never advances beyond the beginning. Let us press on to maturity, the writer urges; and the Christian life, rightly lived, is one of continual growth toward it, not a stalling at the start.

Am I growing, pressing on toward maturity in understanding, character, and love, or have I stagnated at the level of a beginner, content with the basics and no further along than I was years ago, and can I heed the call to press on to maturity rather than settling into a spiritual infancy that never advances beyond the start?

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