Study Notes

Hebrews 6:1-2

Review

The author of Hebrews wanted to take his readers into some really deep historical, prophetical, and typological teaching. But because they had stopped growing in their faith, become "dull of hearing," he didn't feel he was able to. He said,

Hebr. 5:12 ...Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

He decides to delve into that deep, meaty teaching in chapter seven, but first spends chapter six telling them that they need to progress in their walk, to make sure that they don't fall away.

6:1-2 Elementary Teaching

These Hebrews had been Christians long enough to know the basics of Christianity, the "elementary teaching." The simple facts are that if we are Christians, we have repented, we have put our faith in Christ's death, we have been faithful to be baptized, and we are walking with God. One day, we will die and then stand before God.

Press On To Maturity

These Hebrews knew this. And it was long since time that they move into even deeper study, even more maturity. It was time to learn the fascinating truths about the depths of God's plan and the Christ following the eternal order of Melchizedek. So the author doesn't want to go back to milk. He doesn't want to cover the foundational stuff again.

Laying A Foundation

Those first-century Jews who had become Christians had a huge advantage over we who are American Gentile Christians. They had a foundation in the Word of God. They knew the Scriptures, and had grown up knowing and living their Jewish heritage. Then, when they became Christians, that foundation was built upon. And because their culture gave such weight to the Word, they didn't complain about long Bible studies or missing the football game to go to church. In fact, we read,

Acts 5:42 ...every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus the Christ.

The foundation was deep and wide. The basis of their faith had been well established. But compare that to us today. I find that most Christians are largely ignorant of even the most basic concepts of Judaism and Old Testament teaching. And even regarding the New Testament, they lack proper Bible teaching. As a matter of fact, if you think about it, this list that the author calls elementary teachings, simple milk, are really heavy topics that most of us don't understand fully: Repentance from dead works, faith toward God, instruction about washings, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

So, with that in mind, I have decided to devote the next six weeks to the study of these six topics. These are obviously essential, elementary, and foundational teachings that we must have a grasp of before moving on to the deep truths that the author is about to present.

Repentance From Dead Works

The first of these "six glasses of milk," as I call them, is "repentance from dead works."

Working For Heaven

If you ask people whether they believe they're going to heaven, the majority of them will say, "Yes." If you press the issue and ask them why they think they are, their response will usually fall somewhere along the lines of, "Well, I'm a good person. I try to do good things and be nice."

If you asked a Jew the same question, you would also probably get an affirmative answer, with a similar response to your inquisition. "I'm going to heaven because I am obedient to God's Law. I observe the Sabbath, follow kosher rules, and do what I should."

Nearly everyone on earth believes that heaven is attained by being good. You remember that a rich young ruler even approached Jesus saying,

Mark 10:17-18 ..."Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

The man thought that by doing good he could get eternal life. But Jesus pointed out that only God is good. That's why the Bible says,

Isa. 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

The good works that people do are not impressive to God. None of them can qualify for gaining eternal life because none of them can erase sin.

Nullifying Grace

You see, when a person says "I'm going to heaven because I'm a good person," they are blaspheming the work of Christ. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin. To buy our way into heaven. If that could have been accomplished by us doing good, then Jesus suffered for no reason. If we say, "I'm good, so I don't need the cross, we are completely cancelling out the gift of love that God gave to us. Paul said,

Gal. 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

That's what many of the Jews failed to realize. They had the Law, but it was supposed to point them to Christ, not make them prideful about being perfect. Paul put it this way,

Rom. 9:31-32 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at {that} law. Why? Because {they did} not {pursue it} by faith, but as though {it were} by works...

Only By Faith

It's got to be by faith. Only by receiving God's grace through faith can we make it to heaven. As the book of Ephesians states,

Eph. 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Our Good Works

Notice now the place of good works - they are not dead works, by which we think we're earning favor with God. They are God's works that He sets up for us to do. Jesus said,

John 6:27-29 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, {even} God, has set His seal." They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

This is the only work that we need to worry about - simply believing in God. If you do that, you will naturally walk into the good works that God prepared in advance for you to do. That's why, by the way, James pointed to works as a demonstration of faith. He wrote,

James 2:17 ...faith, if it has no works, is dead, {being} by itself.

If you are saying, "I believe in God," but you're not doing good works, then something is wrong. Because if you're truly walking with Him, you are doing good works.

So, may we repent of doing things to gain God's favor, realizing and recognizing that He already loves us. May we simply walk in close relationship with Him, and trust that when a door of opportunity is opened for us to do good, that we say, "Thank you Father, for preparing a good work in advance for me to walk into."

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