Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
Hebrews 6:1-3[1]
If your life is anything like mine, it’s pretty dull. Every day is pretty much like the one before. Yes, there are a few little things that make each and every day a little bit different. But everything’s mostly normal in life.
Even my doctor appointments are the same. I walk into the waiting room and check-in. Then starts the flood of questions that we’ve all become accustomed to. You know what I mean. It’s the same question that everyone asks when you first arrive.
Have you moved?
Is your address different?
Did your phone number change?
Have you replaced your email address?
Are there any changes to your insurance?
How about your supplemental insurance, did it change?
Any major complaints?
If you’re like me, everything’s the same. Nothing’s changed. I sound like one of those Christmas toys that just repeats the song over and over again. Except, instead of a song, I just keep saying no. No. No. And no again. At the end of all their questions I usually say something like, “So, I’m pretty boring. Aren’t I.”
Don’t you wish that there was some kind of button that you could press to tell people that everything’s the same? That nothing’s changed. You made the decision to keep things the way they are and you’re not going to change your mind.
The writer is telling the Hebrews that they also have to keep saying no. No to all the nonsense and noise about going back to the old days of sacrificing for their sins. They need to put this kind of thinking behind them. They need to send it away and then keep it far away from them.
It’s more than just a suggestion. It’s more than some good advice. It’s more than one of three steps to a happier life. No. It’s as serious as it can get. It’s a command. They are to not only turn away from it, but then they are to go in a completely different direction. They are to completely abandon this and go on with the truth of the good news about Jesus.
And as they say no, they have to leave it behind and go on to something else. They need to make up their mind once and for all about Jesus and move on from there. They can’t keep going over and over the same old questions.
There comes a time to cut ties with the old ways. The old thinking. The old habits. But you can’t go on until you’ve left the past. If you keep hanging onto what you used to believe and do, then there’s no hope of starting anything new.
The writer is commanding the Hebrews to abandon the questions about Jesus that have been answered over and over again. They have all the information and teaching that proves Jesus as both fully God and fully man. That his once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross paid for all sins. He wants them to move away from the elementary teachings about Jesus so they can move on to maturity.
So, what is maturity? It’s where we build our entire lives on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Think about it this way; because we’re totally forgiven, how should we respond in worshipping and loving God for all he’s done? And, because we’re totally forgiven, how can we love and serve the people around us?
When the truth of our total forgiveness sinks in, everything changes in life. In Jesus, we’ve been changed from sinners and his enemies[2] into his sons and daughters[3]. God’s Holy Spirit now lives in us, never to leave[4].
As we move forward into these truths, about how God had done and accomplished all this and more, how can we not change? Everything’s new. Our approach to how we live our daily life will be different. Instead of seeing how we’ve got to keep working to get better and better, we can respond to the grace and love of God.
The writer is begging the Hebrews to come to the place where they stop looking over their shoulder. To leave their past of trying to fix themselves behind and move forward once and for all. Walking in Christ each and every day[5]. It’s a decision that’s right in front of us. A choice that God so desperately wants us to make that he sent his son to do everything so we can make this once and for all choice to follow Jesus.
Noodling Questions
How has God’s forgiveness in Jesus made everything the same?
Why doesn’t God’s forgiveness change? Go up and down?
Explain how once-and-for-all forgiveness can revolutionize your life.
[1] Unless otherwise noted, all Bible references are from the New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
[2] Romans 5:8-10
[3] John 1:12,13
[4] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[5] Colossians 2:6 NASB
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