Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,Therefore 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,Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
6 sermons cite this verse
… and restore all the years that have been messed up. The Bible says in Hebrews 6 verse 1, Let us go on and become mature. This is God's goal for your third purpose. Let us go on to become mature in our understanding as strong Christians ought to be. Is it possible to grow old without growing up? Oh, baby. We all know people like that who grew old and never grew up. And they were still self-centered, self-serving, cranky, bitter as little old men or little old ladies. You can grow old and not ever grow up. This is the fundamental problem in our culture in America and literally all around the world today is we have an incredibly immature culture. It's full of spiritual babies. You say, why do you say it? Babies are self-absorbed. That's all they can think. They can't think about anybody else but themselves. Babies are self-absorbed. Babies are impatient. They want it now. They don't understand the difference between no and not yet. Babies cannot delay gratification. …
… for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 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 towards God. We do not outgrow the gospel, right? I've been a Christian most of my life and I need Jesus to save me today just as much as I needed him to save me the day that I walked forward and raised my hand and received him. Same is true for you. We do not outgrow the gospel. However, we should never be content to experience this sort of immature faith where we're always going in a circle. We're never learning. We're never growing. We're never progressing. We're just doing the same thing over and over and over year after year. I was working out last summer. I started working out because I hadn't been working out in way too long. You don't need to know how long, but I committed last summer, I'm gonna get in shape. …
… from our dead works it goes on to say in hebrews chapter six i'll maybe i should finish it 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 towards God. In other words, we've got to receive his forgiveness and move forward in freedom. Can I just encourage you, God has way more for your life than forgiveness. Forgiveness is just the beginning of your relationship with Jesus. Come on, he's got more grace, he's got more mercy, he's got more kindness, he's got more opportunity, he's got better relationships. He has more strength. He has more for your life. And if you stay as Jesus, as only the Savior of your life, you'll always be the victim in life. But God has called you to make him your Savior and your Lord. That means thank you for saving me. Thank you for your forgiveness. Every day I wake up thankful that you've forgiven me of my sin and my shame and my shortcoming and my mistakes so that I can actually walk forward in faith. Some of us, we worship salvation and not the Savior. But salvation was just the tool that God used to actually do what he came to do, was re-establish a relationship with God and us. Salvation was the tool. He said, I'm going to give you a free gift so we can have a relationship, so we can grow. I can develop you into the …
“Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” 1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem to be confirmed by the great Apostle, where, exhorting the Hebrew Christians to “go on to perfection,” he teaches them to leave these first “principles of the doctrine of Christ;” “not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God;” which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave these, that at first took up all their thoughts, in order to “press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes, is “within us;” and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” 3. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have “believed the gospel;” yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot “run the race which is set before us.” And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God. …
“Let us go on to perfection.” The whole sentence runs thus: “Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection: Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God;” which he had just before termed, “the first principles of the oracles of God,” and “meat fit for babes,” for such as have just tasted that the Lord is gracious. That the doing of this is a point of the utmost importance the Apostle intimates in the next words: “This will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance.” As if he had said, If we do not “go on to perfection,” we are in the utmost danger of “falling away;” And if we do fall away, it is “impossible” that is, exceeding hard, “to renew them again unto repentance.” In order to make this very important scripture as easy to be understood as possible I shall endeavour, I. To show what perfection is; II. To answer some objections to it; and, III. To expostulate a little with the opposers of it. …
and to work righteousness, to the utmost of the power you now have to abound in works both of piety and mercy: And, Secondly, continually to cry to God, that he would reveal his Son in your hearts, to the intent you may be no more servants but sons; having his love shed abroad in your hearts, and walking in “the glorious liberty of the, children of God.” 5. I exhort you, Lastly, who already feel the Spirit of God witnessing with your spirit that you are the children of God, follow the advice of the Apostle: Walk in all the good works whereunto ye are created in Christ Jesus. And then, “leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” go on to perfection. Yea, and when ye have attained a measure of perfect love, when God has circumcised your hearts, and enabled you to love him with all your heart and with all your soul, think not of resting there. That is impossible. You cannot stand still; you must either rise or fall; rise higher or fail lower. Therefore the voice of God to the children of Israel, to the children of God, is, “Go forward!” “Forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forward unto those that are before, press on to the mark, for the prize of your high calling of God in Christ Jesus!”