To preview Hebrews 6, this chapter shows the urgency of enduring with faith in Jesus. It warns us not to claim allegiance to Christ without actually possessing this allegiance, urging us to repent of actions which lead to death (vv. 1–8). It points out evidence of real salvation, calling us to continue in our commitment (vv. 9–12). It provides encouragement to those who genuinely profess faith in Christ, encouraging us to endure patiently in receiving the promises just as Abraham had (vv. 13–20).
Chapter 5 of Hebrews concludes by pointing out the immaturity of the readers. Verse 6:1 describes what a mature believer must leave behind in growing beyond immaturity. In starting chapter 6, linking the concluding parts of chapter 5 with this new section in chapter with the “therefore,” the author urges the readers of the letter to leave the basic fundamentals and “go on to maturity.” The lesson of the paragraph (Heb. 6:1–3) is clear: “You have laid the foundation. You know your ABCs. Now move forward! Let God carry you along to maturity!”
1 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, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. (ESV)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Believers must move beyond the basic spiritual practices to grow closer to God and have a deeper relationship with Him
- We must escape the mindset of halfhearted commitment and must be fully committed to God. Our faith cannot be in works or effort but in the life and provision of Christ
- God must help and He alone can help us achieve the goals of maturity with Him.
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 1–2: Somewhat surprisingly, despite the author’s estimate of their spiritual state, the author declined to go over old ground. Instead, the author urged them to go beyond “the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.” To have reviewed the fundamentals would only have left them where they were. The author preferred a radical process and decided to pull them forward as rapidly as the writer could. Indeed this was the solution to their problem. If the audience progressed properly, they would avoid the danger of “laying again a foundation of repentance.” If, as verses 4–6 go on to warn, they were to “fall away,” then a foundation would have been laid for a new repentance, but such a repentance is “impossible” (cf. vv. 4, 6). So advancing forward was their only real remedy. Another way to view this phrase is these believers were to move beyond the initial understanding of Christianity with some similarities to Judaism. They were also to go on to maturity. They must desire the growth which only God could ultimately give them. They must escape from the doldrums of halfhearted commitment.
The expression “dead works” occurs again in a context where it seems to refer to the Levitical ritual in 9:14. Here it would be appropriate in the same sense since many of the readers had been converted to Christianity from Judaism. The rituals they had left behind were lifeless ones, incapable of imparting the experiences of life they had found in Christ. The author implied that they should not return to these dead works in any form since to do so would be to build again a basis for repenting from them—though such repentance would not be easily reached, however appropriate it might be. We cannot remain in a life of sin and disobedience. The readers of Hebrews may have dallied around with sin and may have avoided full commitment to Christ.
But the foundation they would lay in the unhappy event that they fell away would involve other fundamental truths. These are enumerated in the words, “and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” The author clearly implied that all these matters belong to the “elementary principles” (5:12) on which the readers gave every indication of wavering. It is likely that each of them was a point at issue in one way or another in the readers’ confrontation with those of other persuasions. The return to ordinances, whether in normative or sectarian Judaism, would only be a return to “dead works.” One who took that backward step would need to be taught all over again that acceptance was obtained by “faith in God,” not by rituals.
Moreover, the significance of the various “washings” meaning baptisms which Christianity knew (John’s baptism, Christian baptism proper, or even Spirit baptism) would have to be relearned as well as the basic facts about “laying on of hands.” Hebrew people often used ritual washings as a part of their spiritual routine. Perhaps the readers of Hebrews had lingered too long in reflecting on the importance of ritual washings in living the Christian life. In alluding to washings and laying on of hands, the writer may have been consciously countering sectarian teachings which may well have offered initiations of their own involving “baptisms” and “laying on of hands.” If the sectarians or others, in addition to offering their own initiatory rites, likewise denied the normal Christian eschatological expectations (cf. 4:1, 8–10), then the fundamental doctrines of “the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment” would also have been at issue. To abandon their Christian profession and “fall away” (6:6) would be to abandon all these doctrines. Whatever the readers had previously learned, they would be giving up. In this sense the foundation would have been laid for relearning them all over again, though the writer held out little hope in their subsequent statements for such a process to take place.
Also, the writer of Hebrews wanted the readers to move beyond the elementary truths. Judaism had some of these same doctrines, and probably the readers did not differ greatly in their beliefs from non-Christian Jews. They were called to a mature understanding of Christian distinctives. They may have tried to live with a minimal Christian commitment to avoid alienating their friends. They needed to leap into the deep water of obedience and understanding.
To sum up, the author lists six items in three couplets that they call “the elementary doctrine of Christ.” First, “repentance from dead works” refers to a change of mind about the demands of the Law of Moses (9:14). Even though the Law was good (1 Tim 1:8), it was weak because of the weakness of our sinful nature (Rom 8:3). Instead of involving themselves in dead works, they must respond in faith to God’s provision in Christ.
Second, what is needed for salvation is not lifeless works that cannot save, but faith directed “toward God.” The first couplet included repentance and faith.
The second couplet of doctrines described external rituals. The third item, “Washings” or Baptisms refers either to the various baptisms in the NT (the baptism of Christ, of John, of believers, and the spiritual baptism of believers), or the various ritual washings practiced by the Jewish people.
The fourth item, in the Book of Acts, the “laying on of hands” was used to impart the Holy Spirit or conferring of special gifts (Acts 8:17-18; 19:6). It was also used for ordination for ministry (Acts 6:6; 13:3). This practice is also found in the OT in commissioning someone to a public office (Num 27:18, 23; Deut 34:9) or in the context of presenting a sacrificial offering to the Lord (Lev 1:4; 3:2; 4:4; 8:14; 16:21).
The third couplet focuses on resurrection and judgment. The fifth item, “resurrection of the dead” refers to the resurrection of all people at the end time (Rev 20:11-15). The resurrection is an OT teaching (Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2) which was widely taught in first-century Judaism, especially by the Pharisees. To Christians, belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus was (and still is) essential, for without His resurrection there is no forgiveness of sin (1 Cor 15:12-17).
The sixth and final item, “eternal judgment” refers to the belief that everyone will be judged by the Great Judge. The Scriptures indicate that there are two judgments: one for believers, in which Jesus determines every believer’s reward (1 Cor 3:12-15), and the other a judgment of condemnation on unbelievers (Rev 20:11-15).
Verse 3: What the writer wanted them to do was to press forward. But the author was perfectly aware that this required more than the writer’s effort to challenge their readers to make progress. God must help and He alone could help them achieve these goals. The writer had said, “Let us … go on to maturity” (v. 1), but in a spirit of dependence on divine aid the writer then added, “And this we will do if God permits.” Using “we,” the author includes themselves. They needed to remain committed Christians and move toward maturity in teachings with a Christian distinctive. God wanted the maturity of His people. They needed God’s help because this maturity would not come automatically. They must follow God’s conditions. They were called to consider those conditions carefully. The phrase “if God permits,” that is, Lord willing (Jas 4:15), indicates the imperative of God’s empowering if it is to happen.