Scripture: Hebrews 6: 1-12
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.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6\ and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Consider:
Can you remember your earliest Sunday school teacher? How about the lesson you learned? I’m guessing it was something very basic…God loves you. We begin our faith journey with the most basic (but I would argue most important) knowledge base. But the writer of Hebrews reminds us that if we are following God’s call, we don’t get to stay there. The writer urges believers to “leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity,” but this call assumes something important: you must first have a beginning.
Our journey toward becoming more like God starts with foundational truths—faith, hope and love to name a few. These are not shallow or disposable lessons; they are the soil in which mature faith grows. Skipping the basics doesn’t make us advanced—it makes us unstable.
Paired with the expectation that the foundation is key comes the secondary warning…If we stop moving forward, if we stop learning and growing and assume we know all we need to know, our hearts can grow dull and unresponsive. God invites us to keep walking, keep learning, and keep responding. Growth requires perseverance and lifelong learning.
We all want to be considered mature (I think). But in order to be truly mature, we must do the learning and living and growing that comes with a journey…our faith journey. And that journey toward becoming more like God is lifelong. Start where you are, stay rooted in the basics, and keep moving forward. With patience and endurance, the seeds of faith will bear fruit.
Respond:
Set aside a few minutes today to revisit one “basic” truth you learned early on (e.g., “God is Love” or “Love your neighbor”). Ask yourself: “Where is this hardest for me to believe or practice right now?” Maturity often grows in the places where the basics feel the most difficult.
Pray:
Lord, thank You for the simple truths that started my journey. Don’t let me settle for a dusty faith; give me the hunger to grow. Open my mind as I revisit what I know, and help me apply these old lessons in new, mature ways. Keep me moving forward. Amen.
