( HEBREWS 6:1-3 )

THEREFORE LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, LET US GO ON UNTO PERFECTION, NOT LAYING AGAIN THE FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE OF DEAD WORKS, AND OF FAITH TOWARD GOD, ( 2 ) OF THE BAPTISMS, AND OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, AND OF RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND OF ETERNAL JUDGMENT. ( 3 ) AND THIS WE WILL DO, IF GOD PERMIT.

I sought to show in the last two lessons that the term ( repentance from dead works ) is having to continue to confess the same sin time after time. When we, as born again believers have God’s Spirit within our hearts he helps us to daily, weekly monthly and yearly turn from ourdelves to a ( vessel fit for the Master’s use ).

Last week we looked at this: ( Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ ), ( let us go on unto perfection ). I shared with you how that Jesus Christ lived in the time of the law. His death on the Cross ended that period of time. I’d like to show you something that many never consider.

Let’s use Abraham and the thief on the cross as examples. Where did they both go when they died and, why? Abraham lived 430 years before the law was given. Yet he believed. The thief on the cross lived at the same time Jesus did. ( Luke 23:43 ) We can also mention Lazarus in ( Luke 16:19-31 ). First, Jesus told the thief this: ( today thou shalt be with me in paradise ). We see in ( Luke 16 ) that Abraham and Lazarus was already there.

I say all this to make the point that something changed when Jesus died on the cross. He was the perfect lamb that was sacrificed by God the Father. Every person that believed before the crucifixion went to a place called paradise until the perfect sacrifice was made. I argue that the thief on the cross stayed in paradise a shorter time than any other person.

If we look in:

( Matthew 27:51-53 )

AND, BEHOLD, THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS RENT IN TWAIN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM; AND THE EARTH DID QUAKE, AND THE ROCKS RENT; ( 52 ) AND THE GRAVES WERE OPENED; AND MANY OF THE BODIES OF THE SAINTS WHICH SLEPT AROSE, ( 53 ) AND CAME OUT OF THE GRAVES AFTER THE RESURRECTION, AND WENT INTO THE HOLY CITY, AND APPEARED UNTO MANY.

We know that God didn’t have to do this however, he wanted to show the change to the people in Israel. As we look at these verses in ( Hebrews 6 ); all that we see is concerning the nation of Israel. If we take it a step farther. notice this:

( Acts 1:8 )

BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH.

When I seek to teach this, I always make the point that the four gospels reveal Jesus Christ in four different lights. ( Matthew ) reveals Jesus as the King of the Jews. ( Mark ) reveals Jesus as the servant to man. ( Luke ) reveals Jesus as the Son of Man and ( John ) reveals Jesus as the Son of God.

That; in itself can be a whole different study but, the fact is that Jesus offered himself the the Nation of Israel first. In the verses we are studying, when the Apostle Paul says ( leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ ). He then list the things that are part of that doctrine. The things he mentions were things that would help Israel to know that he was the King of the Jews, that he was ( God in flesh ). We, as believers today just have to understand how each thing he mentions is defines or, how they seen it. I’d like to try in this lesson to do just that.

Since we have already looked at ( repentance from dead works ) and how it relates to us, let’s look at the next phrase: ( FAITH TOWARD GOD ). To help you see what is actually being said here; it will probably take this whole lesson if I choose to teach it all the way through. When looking at this and, to understand the spiritual aspect of what is being taught, we must understand this very important fact. The Nation Of Israel are an earthly people with earthly promises. Born again believers are a spiritual people with spirtual promises. When the Apostle Paul is teaching in Hebrews, he is teaching ( members of the Nation of Israel ) that are now ( Members of the bnody of Christ ) as well.

There’s a tremendous spiritual lesson to be learned here if we can grasp it! You were born a physical being with a physical mother and father. If we would like to put the word ( faith ) here we can. From the time you were born until you reached a level that you could walk away from you mother and father, your faith was completely in their ability to look after you. They provided you clothes, your food and the place you lived. Can we say that: ( at some point ) you left the ( doctrine ) of your parents? You moved foward and placed you faith in your own ability to provide for yourself.

That fact had nothing to do with how much you loved your mother and father did it? If they were good parents, they laid out good principles for you to live by and, moved foward from living under their wings.

In many cases; we are people that have lost all concepts of what our physical and spiritual lives are all about, that is; as far as this world is concerned. Do you realize that we as people become ( physically responsible ) and spiritually resonsible ) somewhere around the age of twelve? Along that age is the age that our parents and the Holy Spirit should be able to begin to let us start to become responsible on our own.

Therefore, when we look at ( faith toward God ) what are we seeing and what is the Apostle Paul saying to the Hebrew believers? To answer this we must watch things as it unfolds in the ( Book of Acts ). If we can understand that the ( Book of Hebrews ) is directly tied to the first ( Hebrew children ) that received God’s Spirit on the day of Pentecost it might help to enlighten us on what he is actually saying.

For instance: In ( Acts 2 ) we see where the new believers sold all that they had and brought the money and gave it to the Apostles. Why did they do that? And, why don’t we do it today? When the Hebrew believers did that; they were showing their ( Faith Toward God ) the only way they knew how. They truly believed that Jesus Christ was going to return at any moment! Remember how he took ( two fishes and five loaves of bread ) and fed the multitude? In their minds, when he returns he will supply all their needs, he’ll be their King and ( by Faith ) he will do what God the Father has always done.

Can you see a picture there of how a child never gets away from the fact that their parents have to suppy their every need? The Apostle Paul is telling the Hebrew believers that they have to leave that aspect of ( Faith toward God ). They are now ( spiritual children ) with ( spiritual promises ). They are just exactly like any Gentile believer once that have experienced the new birth.

Here, I’d like to make a point; you prove me wrong. Once we leave the gospels and the ( Book of Acts ) which is a time of transition from the ( Age of Law ) to the ( Age of Grace ), I’d like for you to show me one time where any person is raised from the dead. If I’m not mistaken, we don’t even see anyone that is healed. We can see in the ( Book of James ) healing mentioned but, ( I believe ) that spiritual minded people understand what he is saying.

The whole point is that there’s a great difference in a believer having faith in the spiritual aspect of their lives and the physical aspects of their lives. That is what the Apostle Paul is seeking to teach the Hebrew children.

There’s so many things that can be taught here as it relates to our physical and spiritual walk through this life. God desires for us to understand how much he loves us and all that our relationship ( by faith ) has to do with him. I love using this verse of scripture:

( Romans 8: 28 )

AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.

Just how much do you love him? How willing are you to be ( called according to his purpose ) and not your own? That is the question! God desires to bless us physically ( according to his purpose ). His desire is to bless us spiritually ( according to his purpose ).

The book of ( Ruth ) has only four chapters. I often refer to that book when teaching these things. If you will read it you will see that Ruth was gleaning in Boaz’s field. She was working, seeking to feed her family. Boaz loved her! He told his reapers to ( leave her ) ( handfuls on purpose ). I believe that God does us the same way. When we are willing to do spiritual work for our Lord, seeking nothing in return then; God will physically give us blessings because we are seeking to do his ( spiritual will ). That doesn’t mean we are perfect, but it does mean we are willing. As a ( well known sinner ) it is my desire to seek to do ( God’s spiritual will ). Because of that fact, God blesses me physically in small ways.

God never asks us to die physically for him but, to live physically for him. He does desire that we be willing to die physically for him if that time should come. I’m going to give you this verse and I’ll close for this week’

( 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 )

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s supper. ( 30 ) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

In the Old Testament the Hebrew children wandered for 40 years in unbelief, they all died in that unbelief but Joshua and Calab. Moses sent out twelve spies to spy out the land. Only two of them returned with the faith that God would help them take that land, ( Calab and Joshua ). Many people that say they believe cannot grasp this aspect of their spiritual walk. They live in the same kind of unbelief. That’s what he is saying in these verses.

Our spiritual walk by faith must be a walk to we are willing to be used of God, even in sicknes and death if necessary. However, when we live a selfish physical life void of true faith then it creates a situation where we are often ( sick and many even die ). This has nothing to do with salvation, not in the verses we are speaking of but, it has to do with our willingness to grow to spiritually mature believers.

We must understand the difference in our physical walk and our spiritual walk as it relates to the faith we say we have. When the Apostle Paul was teaching the Hebrew Children, that’s what he was saying. There’s a difference in ( faith in God ) physically and, ( faith in Jesus Christ ) spiritually.

Until next week!

Marsall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7