GROWING INTO MATURITY IN OUR FAITH IN JESUS!
Hebrews 6:1 “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to MATURITY....”
Hebrews 6:1-3 goes on to mention what these “elementary truths about Christ” are, that we need to know and move on from. Let’s take a quick look at each of them!
REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS:
The word “repent” in the Greek is the word “metanoeo” which can mean to change ones mind from sin towards God!
(Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:12, Luke 15:7, Luke 24:45-46, Acts 2:38, Acts 17:30, Acts 26:20, Revelation 2:5,16, Revelation 3:3,19)
Repentance was preached before, during and after our saviour Jesus’ ministry on earth and is a necessary part of our salvation process!
FAITH IN GOD:
(See Ephesians 2:8-9, Mark 1:15, Romans 3:21-22)
We are saved by grace THROUGH FAITH in Jesus!! The word faith is the Greek word “pistis” and can mean one who has “a conviction of the truth” that God exists, that He is the creator of all things, that Jesus is the Messiah through whom we obtain salvation!!
INSTRUCTION ABOUT BAPTISMS:
Notice baptism is in the plural here? There is more than one baptism mentioned under the new covenant!!
The bible teaches us that when we first get saved and born again, we should be WATER BAPTISED!! (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:36-38, Acts 10:47-48)
WHAT DOES BAPTISM REPRESENT? (See Romans 6:3-4, 1 Peter 3:21)
The second baptism talked about by Jesus is THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! (Luke 3:16, Acts 1:4-8). According to what our saviour Jesus said in Acts 1:8, the baptism of The Holy Spirit is where the Holy Spirit COMES UPON US with POWER to empower us for ministry to serve Jesus and do His work!
LAYING ON OF HANDS:
(1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6, Acts 13:2-3)
According to these passages above, the laying on of hands by the elders of the church was one way christians could receive their spiritual gifting from the Holy Spirit! Laying on of hands was also done to anoint and commission for service as was done for Saul and Barnabas at the church in Antioch in Acts 13:2-3)
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD:
1 Corinthians 15:12-58 tells us why it is so important that Jesus was raised from the dead because if He wasn’t, then there is NO LIFE AFTER DEATH, and our faith is futile! We are then still in our sins with no hope!! But praise be to God that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead and is THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE! (John 11:25-26)
ETERNAL JUDGEMENT:
Hebrews 9:27- “Just as man is destined to die once and after that to FACE JUDGEMENT,”
The bible talks about 4 DIFFERENT JUDGEMENTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE, firstly starting with the family of believers (1 Peter 4:17)!!
1.THE BELIEVERS JUDGEMENT: 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15- (Bema seat of Christ) This is in regards to us receiving our REWARDS. (This judgement is not a matter of heaven or hell as the believer in Jesus is saved by Jesus’ grace through faith and not by works- Ephesians 2:8-9) This judgement could be in regards to how faithful we lived as Christians for Jesus on this earth.
2.THE JUDGEMENT OF THE NATIONS- Matthew 25:31-46 (The sheep and the goat judgement, the judgement of the living!)
This seems to occur at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus comes to the earth and defeats the anti-christ and false prophet. This could be what happens during Jesus’ THOUSAND YEAR REIGN on the earth!! (Revelation 20:1-6)
This could be the judgement of those who are LIVING and still alive at the end of the tribulation period!!
3.THE JUDGEMENT OF SATAN AND HIS ANGELS- (Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 1 Corinthians 6:3)
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 reveals to us that the SAINTS with JESUS (christians/followers of Jesus) will be the ones to judge the world and angels!! Therefore, the believers judgement is assumed to have already happened before the judgement of the nations and angels!!
4.THE FINAL WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT OF THE UNGODLY DEAD: (Revelation 20:11-15)
This is where death and hades are brought before the White throne of God and whoever’s name was not found written in the book of life, they were thrown in the LAKE OF FIRE (final hell), THE SECOND DEATH! Death and hades were thrown into the lake of Fire!!
These are the elementary teachings (milk drinking) about Christ that we need to learn and move on from!!
Q. DO YOU KNOW THE ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS ABOUT CHRIST?
Q2. ARE YOU TEACHING THESE ELEMENTARY TRUTHS TO OTHERS? (Whom can you now meet up with to disciple and teach these elementary truths in the faith to, so that you can grow up and mature in your faith in Jesus?)
God bless!!
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