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Hebrews 6:1-3 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, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (3) And this will we do, if God permit. (KJV)
As we discussed last week it was needed that one be taught again the first principles of the oracles of God. Now today we are talking about moving past the first grade and graduating to a deeper more mature knowledge of God. The reason one has to learn again the first principles is that they need to be reminded of the spiritual implications of the doctrine of Christ, and not to hold to the outward rituals any more. Simply put what you see here in the first two verses refer to things of the old law, rituals and such that no longer have any reason to be continued in, being the fact that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sin and completed the work that was needed to reconcile us to God. What we basically see in the first three verses is that in order to move forward, which we will do as God permits or gives liberty (which knowing the truth sets one free), one needs to leave the works of the law dead and buried. What Paul was seeing, and what many of those in the early Church were dealing with, was people who were still trying to keep the old law and the works of it in play; which when you try to combine the two doesn’t allow for the growth that is necessary. Galatians 2:16-18 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (17) But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. (18) For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. (KJV) Actually, in order to move forward one has to make it simpler; which comes down to faith in what Jesus Christ has accomplished on our behalf, and not what we think still needs to be accomplished on His. If I start rebuilding something that was destroyed for good reason, being the old law and its ordinances, I have now transgressed and gone backwards instead of forward. While many claim to have known the Lord for a long time, the reality is that many are still stuck in neutral or the first grade, because rather than realizing it is faith that is pleasing to God they still try to access Him and establish a relationship with Him based on their works and not on His completed one. Colossians 2:14-15 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (15) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (KJV) You know, the Lord took these ordinances and the handwriting of the old law out of the way for good reason, because it was working against us and not very edifying. Isn’t this life enough of a challenge trying to walk in the Spirit without adding a bunch of laws and rituals the Lord eliminated for our benefit? So rather than making things complicated Church, get rid of the excess baggage and keep it simple; a simple faith and belief in what the Lord is asking of you, and not what man keeps saying is important. The Lord spoke in parables and used analogies of things in this realm that had a spiritual meaning, so now it is time for you to discern what the meaning is spiritually and operate in that realm. Hebrews 9:7-10 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: (8) The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (9) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (10) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (KJV) You know folks, when I was in first grade I did things more because I was told what to do, not because I knew better. But as I grew and matured I was able to decide and discern for myself what was best for me, and what I was best suited for, although I didn’t always make the wisest choices. Carnal ordinances, certain foods and drinks, and washings which would definitely come under the term water baptism, were all imposed unto the people until the time of reformation which took place once the Lord paid the price for sin and released us from these old stale harsh rituals and doctrines. Once you have been released from this ball and chain, why would anyone desire to go back to it again, trying to build a foundation on something that was destroyed and nailed to a cross? Again, how much would you benefit from going back to the first grade and trying to learn from that literature? Now that the way into the holiest of holies has been made available for us by the blood of Christ and not the works of the law, why do so many hold more to the old rather than to the new? You have a clear path to the throne of God so that you can boldly go before Him and get the things you need which are spiritual on a daily basis; why would you make it more difficult and complicated than what the Lord made it? In fact the Lord laid down His life so that we could have a clear path; so by adding all this other stuff to His simple terms and conditions of salvation, are we not telling Him He didn’t do a complete work? Ephesians 2:13-18 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (KJV) Right now you have an open door in Christ to walk out and graduate from the old, and move on to perfection (maturity). That partition that has kept us stagnant and stuck in the old has been knocked down, and now we are able to leave these first principles of how the Lord was introduced to the people by the law behind us, and now move on to a deeper understanding having our spiritual eyes enlightened by the truth which sets us free. A basic summation; we have been reconciled to God, and that peace you have experienced and should be continuing in, is a result of faith and not of works, so that none can boast. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 7:9-10 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (KJV)
Paul like many of the other disciples found a new life in Christ through belief in Him and the completed work He accomplished. But as we will see in his writings, and if you notice especially with the early Church, something had been choking the life back out of them; the freedom they found in a simple belief in Christ was getting complicated by the old law and rituals that many were still hanging onto at the time. 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (KJV) We should no longer be relying in ourselves, in any works of the law, or in carnal ordinances that we think will draw us closer to God; rather our attention needs to be in the spiritual realm if we want to experience this new life in Christ. God is a Spirit; so now the only way to worship Him, is in this realm of spirit and truth; only the Spirit which gave you life and brought you back from the dead is able to sustain this life, and bring you to a mature perfect understanding of God through Christ. Your ability to be an effective minister can only be accomplished by teaching others to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. Galatians 4:9-11 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. (KJV) Once you have been set free and delivered from the bondage of death, it is vital that in order to maintain a quality life in Christ it can only be done in the Spirit, and not by turning back and trying to rebuild a foundation off dead vain works. Having watched the world spend the last few months caught up in worldly holidays where people claim certain days are holy or special to the Lord, we can see that there is nothing new under the sun; same devil and his cheap distractions, just different disguises over the years. If you try to return to these weak and beggarly things you will find yourself becoming weak also. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV) You have been set free and are now partakers of the divine nature in Christ. Having spent many years in the past partaking of the forbidden fruit of this world, once you are able to experience this new life in Christ, and the abundance of love, joy, as well as the peace of God that goes beyond our understanding, don’t let it be stolen from you again by falling from grace into a bunch of dead end vain doctrines and works of man. There is no law, no boundaries anymore to those in Christ. What once kept us bound and limited in the realm of the flesh is done away, and now we have access into this unlimited realm of peace and joy, which is unattainable by the works of the law. So stay away from these dead end doctrines which claim that we still need to do rituals in order to maintain our walk with the Lord, or you will find this love you were once experiencing growing cold. Hebrews 9:8-12 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (9) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (10) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (11) But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (KJV) If you take the time to read the book of Hebrews you will see the writer gives us a good illustration of the difference between the old law and the new. What we see here in verses 8-12 is quite similar to what I still see going on today. Mankind keeps seeking perfection through the works of the law, continually doing things over and over again thinking it will draw them closer to God. As you notice in verse 10, these ordinances were in place until the time of reformation, which was accomplished for us when Christ Himself entered into the Holy place to deliver the sacrifice for mankind which was accepted by our Father. So no matter what disguise you put on these carnal ordinances and washings (water baptism being a prime example), as long as you keep turning back to these dead end works you will not be able to grow and mature in the Lord. Rather than being set free you bring yourself back into the bondage of the weak and beggarly elements again. So people, Church, either Jesus Christ did a complete job on our behalf or He didn’t. And every time you try to walk a spiritual path and incorporate the works of the law in it, you end up with a little spiritual leaven in the bread of life which is unacceptable to Father. Hebrews 10:1-2 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. (KJV) When you walk with the Lord and continue in the liberty in Christ you find that there are no gray areas with Him, no shadows of darkness; your path and the light within you gets brighter and brighter, illuminating this path of life and any obstacles in its way. We see again that the true worshippers were once purged, cleansed from sin, because of their faith in Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on our behalf and not by some unfinished works that they think they still need to do. Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (KJV) You want freedom? Do you desire righteousness? Do you wish to continue to be justified in the sight of our Lord? Then you need to continue in the liberty in Christ and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage; and this will only be accomplished in the realm of the Spirit. Now that you have been set free, stay set free indeed. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (KJV)
Paul realized, as you also will, that in order to be strong, you have to become weak. Paul who was well versed in the old law found out that he could not rely on what he learned in the past, but would have to be re-taught all over again how to walk in the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. (KJV) When someone posts an ad for a job opening they look for the most qualified person; however, when God posts openings for His kingdom, His calling is not based on an outward pedigree, it’s just the opposite; and change came in my life when I looked in the mirror and realized how weak and pathetic I was. By getting out of the way I was able to give the Lord something to work with. 2 Corinthians 12:6-8 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (KJV) I used to think that if I studied more and tried to come off as bullet proof to others that it would make me more effective in the Lord; but every time I reverted back to works, just the opposite happened. I found out what doesn’t work, and that is anything outside the realm of faith in what our Lord has done, and not what I think I am doing on His behalf. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (KJV) I found that when I am open and honest with people I can relate much better with them so that they don’t feel like they are weird or ungodly because of things they have done in their past. In fact, the more I come clean with God and His people, the more they will open up. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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