It seems to me that Christians over get confused over what is elementary and what is beyond, what is maturity. Usually we think of the \u2018basics\u2019 as how you get saved, the news the Jesus died for you and you need to believe in him. The \u2018mature\u2019 things are harder doctrinal issues, textual criticism, or even more of the laws and rules that inform daily living.<\/p>\n
That model makes sense in terms of complexity, but it fails an important test: what Scripture says.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m referring to an interesting and informative passage in Hebrews. Let\u2019s take a look at Hebrews 6:1-2:<\/p>\n
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, <\/strong>\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Interesting. The \u201celementary doctrine of Christ\u201d is the foundation of three couplets: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, instruction about washings and laying on of hand, and resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.<\/p>\n
Whoa! Those don\u2019t seem elementary. Well\u2026 maybe not at first blush. But think. All of these are a revealing of your need<\/strong>. That\u2019s one of the very basic points of the Old Testament, and one of the very basic points of Christianity.<\/p>\n
You need to see<\/strong> your need for repentance from your own dead works, and you need to trust Yahweh, God. You need to see<\/strong> that you need cleansing, washing\u2026 you need healing, laying on of hands. \u00a0You need to see<\/strong> that resurrection will happen, and you face eternal judgment.<\/p>\n
These are all statements of your need. And you get that from the Old Testament.<\/p>\n
So what he\u2019s saying is \u2013 you precious people, you are caught in arguments about yourselves. Your own need. That\u2019s the basics. How good your work is, how sick you are, how much cleansing you need\u2026 even if there\u2019s a resurrection. You\u2019re focusing on you.<\/p>\n
And then he says \u2013 we need to leave that. You need to see your need and get deeper.<\/p>\n
You need to leave the elementary doctrine of Christ \u2013 elementary doctrine of MESSIAH, you know, your need for a Messiah\u2026 and into the specifics of Jesus.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what Hebrews is going after. Getting maturity is getting deeper into the realities of what Jesus Christ has done. Jesus is the incredible high priest according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus is the better blood, the better sacrifice, and he mediates a better covenant.<\/p>\n
These things are the \u2018going on to maturity.\u2019 If you see your need, if you\u2019ve had your eyes opened to the great need you have, the maturity is Jesus.<\/p>\n
Our maturing is not advancing beyond Jesus, needing him less and less as we improve in practical living. Our maturing is growing in our depth of understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done. Let\u2019s see our need\u2026 and dive into Jesus.<\/p>\n
3\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And this we will do if God permits.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It seems to me that Christians over get confused over what is elementary and what is beyond, what is maturity. Usually we think of the \u2018basics\u2019 as how you get saved, the news the Jesus died for you and you need to believe in him. The \u2018mature\u2019 things are harder doctrinal issues, textual criticism, or … Continue reading Elementary<\/span>