“Moving Forward?”

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. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Heb 6:1-6

Having the fundamentals of the faith, is not the same as having the fruit of the faith, the fire of the faith, which illuminates Christ , by our life, and gives glory to God, through the ministry .

You can teach the faith, and perish. You can learn the faith and perish. You can even defend the faith, as you pretend to know it, and still perish with the devil. James 1:22

Not because God doesn’t keep those He calls, preserves those He quickens, He does. But such as are called? And are preserved in Christ, by the power of God, do so , by a vital living faith, which perserveres in it‘s calling and nature. And that perseverance looks like Vs 9-12.

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

You see then, that faith is dynamic. It is just like it’s object, Our Savior, who moved in loving service to theChurch ofGod, all the way to the end!

There is no tension at all between faith and obedience for the one who has a living faith. For him, the one with out the other is ridiculous! “Our Lord,” says he, did not sit around and pontificate. He preached and he served. “So shall I,” says a vital living, faith which is growing, not away from the fundamentals, but through them! Growing up into him, in all things! Eph 4:15

The difference between Vs 1-6 and 9-12? The former were initiated into the doctrine of Christ. The other the life of Christ, through the doctrine. It’s called the life of service. It’s called following Christ.

The warning then, is that there is no stagnate Christian, you will either go on in the things of salvation, as you have been called to perfection in Christ, or you will retreat into argumentations, conflicts, debates, excuse, and ultimately an abandonment of Christ, back to the world, or false religion. Go, grow or die!

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