Hebrews 6:1, 2
Perfection
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, (Hebrews 6:1)
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:2)
Let us go unto perfection, this is where the Spirit of God wants to take us, He wants us to strive for the perfect will of God. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2) The Spirit of God brings before us this perfect will of God, and the apostle includes himself, let us.
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)(Ephesians 5:9) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:10)
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.(Ephesians 5:16) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.(Ephesians 5:17)
In Chapter 5 of the book of Hebrews we were brought from milk to meat, or to the strong word of God ministered by the Spirit of God. This was to bring us to a point where we would be able to discern between good and evil, and therefore, we stand examining good and evil by the Spirit of Christ, and now the Spirit of God takes us by His hand and wants to lead us unto perfection in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Spirit of God moves the apostle to include himself (Let us go unto perfection) with all the Hebrews, the Spirit of God also uses the apostle Paul as a great example to them in his faith and in his personal life as he followed after Christ. In Paul’s heart he was on the path to perfection.
Let us go unto perfection: Spiritual Progression
Many times in his other epistles he included himself with the other saints. Here in Hebrews 6:1 he simply says, let us go: we are to go on to perfection. This perfection is not in our salvation, truly God the Father sees us without spot in His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is speaking of spiritual progression which comes by seeking and following after the perfect will of God. In following God’s perfect will we learn of the Man in heaven for us, the Lord Jesus Christ. We see Him seated upon His throne, and the Spirit of God opens our eyes to the world to come. He proclaims the wonder of our inheritance with the saints in light; the breadth and the length, the height and the depth of God’s love towards us. The cross becomes the immeasurable symbol of the sacrifice of the Godhead at the cross of Christ. The Spirit of God carries us, He assures us, and establishes us in our own personal salvation in Jesus Christ. He then opens the mystery or the veil to the wonderful Body of God’s beloved Son which is made and will be conformed to the very image of Christ. And this is where all perfection lies in the very center or object of God’s love, His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us go unto perfection: Christ is our Urim and Thummim
Our Lord is the Minister of the sanctuary, He carries us on His heart as He ministers and intercedes for us. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28:30) The tabernacle was a type or a picture of the things that are in heaven, for Moses was told to make all things after the fashion (or pattern) of those things that God had revealed to Him; therefore, the priesthood of Aaron was also given as a type or picture of our great High Priest in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. When Aaron was fully robed in the garments of glory and beauty he bore the entire nation of Israel in the Urim and the Thummim, or lights and perfection on his heart. In the lights and perfection we see the perfect will of God for they spoke of things above and not of the things of the world. When Israel needed guidance they would enquire by the Urim and the Thummim. In the New Testament, God reveals the fullness of the Urim and the Thummim in Himself. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.(James 1:17) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18) In these two verses we are introduced to the heavenly Urim and Thummim that every good gift comes from above from the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only are these gifts of His goodness, but they are perfect as well. These gifts come from the divine sanctuary, the sanctuary above, and the Minister of that sanctuary is Jesus Christ, and consequently He is fulfilling the perfect will of His Father in His continuous ministry to the saints from His sanctuary. We see in the sanctuary the Temple of God, for all the treasures of eternity are in Jesus Christ. He transcends and illuminates His children, His light of perfection is His marvelous grace. This is the light of perfection with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. When Christ was manifested upon the earth, He came to fulfill the perfect will of God, so now, as He delighted on earth to fulfill the Father’s will so He delights in that will in the divine sanctuary above. This is a glorious Temple, a place of glory and beauty, and no matter how many times man pens of the glories and beauties of Christ the half will never be told for Christ is the Temple of God, in Him are hid all the treasures of the Almighty God.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.(Hebrews 10:14)
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;(Hebrews 8:1)
A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. (Hebrews 8:2)
As the Lord Jesus spoke in John’s gospel concerning the temple of His body, He declared to the Jews, and to His disciples, and to the world that He was the Temple of God. And that no one could destroy this Temple, that even in death He would raise it up the third day. Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19) Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (John 2:20) But he spake of the temple of his body. (John 2:21)
Let us go unto perfection: The Throne of Grace
We are to go on to perfection, so where do we find this perfection? At this present day it is not upon the earth for we live in a present evil world. When man speaks of his good works he is only judging them by the works of other men, and not by the divine goodness of God which is found in Jesus Christ. If we are to benefit from the Temple (who is our Savior and God) we must join Him where He is in heaven above.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) According to verse 4 of Colossians Chapter 3, Christ and Christ alone is our life, and that life is in heavenly things, and not things of the earth. As He sits upon the throne of grace we are exhorted by the Spirit of God to go to this divine throne of grace.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
Both Colossians Chapter 3 and Hebrews Chapter 4 take us to this throne of grace. In Colossians our affections are to be for the things in heaven, and things in heaven are centered on the One who sits upon the throne of grace. Although we cannot explain by the words of man the eternal purpose of God we are joined, and we are part of this marvelous Temple of God. As Christ is the Minister of the sanctuary He is there to minister and may I say, He has bonded Himself to the children which God has given unto Him. My words are feeble, hopefully, your hearts will feel the power and the majesty of our beloved Savior.
Let us go unto perfection: Beyond the Cross
There are many today who do not see beyond the cross. The cross of Christ (in His finished work) was the end of sin, the flesh, death, and the devil; And it was also a starting point of faith: faith is the gift of the seed. The good ground is the Lord Himself, for He declared to the Father in John 17:10, And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. Christ is the good ground in us, Christ bestows His saving faith on His own, and this is where the Spirit of God gives us our starting point. Paul proclaimed that starting point is in the gospel of Christ, and this is the spiritual progression that Paul wants us to see. He wants us to understand the totality of the race that we are in. This is the race to perfection. This course is narrow with many pitfalls. The roaring lion waits in many places to frighten, and to overthrow the Christian with the things of the world. In all this, Christ continues to minister from the heavenly sanctuary. My peace give I unto you, Be still and listen to the Spirit’s small voice. The world tries to overthrow and mock the faith of the believer, but our faith is settled in heaven with the Lord of glory Jesus Christ. We battle against the flesh, our own flesh being our biggest foe, and therefore, we must battle and walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Let us go on to perfection.
Let us go unto perfection: The One and Only Foundation
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, (Hebrews 6:1) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:2)
There is a wonder in the Spirit’s voice here, for He leads us through the doctrines of both Old and New Testaments teaching us of the new and reminding us of the old. This is a reminder that the eternal word of God is settled in heaven in the Temple of the Word, who is Jesus Christ. As the Lord Jesus is holy so the divine Word within Him is holy. Every line and every precept leads us through the mist of His glory unto perfection. He is the Word of God, the Word of purity, it is He Himself who has been tried seven times in the furnace of fire. And He remained pure and perfect in all His holy perfection. He was tried on earth to reveal this very perfection, for in Him was no sin, no dross, no imperfection. He revealed to man the complete and infallible righteousness and holiness of God and brought all the counsels of God together in glory and beauty on the cross of Calvary. In that same righteousness and holiness He ministers from the sanctuary of heaven to His own.
In verse 1 of Hebrews Chapter 6, the word ‘not’ is very important. 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.
It is important for us to realize not only in the depth, or the breath, or the height, or length of our salvation that in the course of our life we cannot lay a second foundation. Repentance towards God in the work of salvation is a one time experience or act for the child of God in the progression of salvation. You cannot lay that foundation more than once. Even in the realm of man’s building and construction, there can only be one foundation. It is required for each and every structure, and all is built from that one foundation.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (Ephesians 2:19)
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20)
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (Ephesians 2:21)
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.(1 Peter 2:6)
One should remember that we live in the age of concrete, in the old economy there was no concrete, and they built using stone. There was a chief corner stone, all was keyed from that stone, the level of the entire building depended on that one stone. The measurements of the structure, and the completion of the plan depended on that one stone; that one stone carried the mark of the entire building. In many cases there was a descriptive number or name, and some particulars of the building placed upon the corner stone: What are these wounds in thine hands?
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zechariah 13:6)
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.(Zechariah 13:7)
This chief corner stone dictated the trueness of the whole foundation.
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.(2 Timothy 2:19)
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.(Proverbs 10:25)
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.(Isaiah 28:16)
This is a foundation that no man or group of men can dig up or destroy with their deceptive lies, for this foundation is settled in Jesus Christ in heaven forever. The world will never admit it and the five major cult religions won’t admit it: that our salvation is not built on man, nor is it built by our ourselves, but it is God’s foundation, and His corner stone, Jesus Christ. Think of your salvation as the Spirit of God has given in the word of God: your building needs a foundation and that foundation is Jesus Christ. Everything has to be built by Him, and on Him. He is the corner stone of that foundation. This is the teaching of the apostles and it is tried and proven in the word of God, and clarified by the Spirit of Christ.
Suppose your building is seven stories high, you cannot go back to the foundation and make repairs, or replace that foundation. This is exactly what God the Holy Spirit wants you to behold that all things must be in Christ Jesus. You cannot return back to the beginning or start, repentance towards God is a one time act. It is impossible to repeat.
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Hebrews 12:16) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Hebrews 12:17) Ask Esau the next time you meet him, I have met him many times and under many different names. Esau sought repentance with tears, however, his repentance was in the wrong direction, he was sorry for his own loss, and had no understanding of the total depravity of his own being. He was climbing the wrong tree looking for salvation, but not saving salvation from the Person of God. He wanted to be saved from his earthly plight of selling his inheritance. This is why you meet so many who do not have a sure foundation in Jesus Christ. Even though Jacob was a scoundrel God documented His love for Jacob, and His hatred for Esau, As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.(Romans 9:13) I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, (Malachi 1:2) And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. (Malachi 1:3)
Let us go unto perfection: What We Were Before and What We Are Now
Yes, God hates the sinner! And He also hates the sinner’s sin! Don’t be fooled by modern anemic or diseased theology. Adam’s sin brought sin into the world. It brought sin into his heart, into his soul, and into his spirit. This sin created within Adam an enmity against God which is hatred! On God’s part there was a spiritual rip in His creation. Sin had come into His world and taken possession of His creature (that being Adam). Sin also tainted the visible and material creation of God. All living creatures came under the shadow and power of sin. Would you still like Adam? I don’t think so. Because God is holy and righteous He would not and could not turn His back on sin. He had no choice according to His righteousness: He must hate the sinner and his sin! Adam hated God! God in turn hated Adam (all Adams); which continued after Adam was driven out of the garden. It continued in Adam’s first son Cain. Cain slew his brother because Cain had enmity or extreme hatred in his heart towards God. This hatred and enmity has gone on through the children of Adam to this present time period, and will continue on to the close of the history of mankind.
When we are saved our divine Savior takes us out of the world that we have known all our life. When we were born we were depend on our mothers and fathers; and along the way in our history we became dependent on more of the children of men. We were depended upon our boss, in many ways dependent upon our country, we were dependent on the laws of men, however, in our salvation the Lord Jesus tells us through His word to forget the things that are behind. And to what . . . go on in the path of dependance upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes, the world will make fun of you, and persecute you, religion (if you are following Jesus Christ) will deny you. You will be shut out from their society, but remember their societies are built on man, and by man, and not by the Lord Jesus Christ. When you hear a statement, examine it by the word of God. If Adam and all his descendants have inherent sin or the DNA of sin how can not God hate them.
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (Ephesians 2:11) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
If we reflect on who we were and who we left behind we were alienated from God, and we were without God in this world. But God declares that those in Jesus Christ are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Those in the world of evil, the children of Adam, have the same enmity and the same heart of Cain. In Cain’s punishment he was driven out to the land of Nod. His soul, his spirit, his being were totally alienated from God. The root of hatred within Cain against God brought forth the murder of his brother.
Any angry crowd today with hatred in their hearts, if they are left uncontrolled, will boil themselves to a point of injury, and murder any who they randomly select. They don’t even recognize their own hatred within, however, the crowd’s hatred manifests itself even unto death: this is the true state of the mind of man. Cain recognized his plight, he knew the position that he was in, and he declared to God that his punishment was too great. The sinful creature dared to tell his Creator that He was wrong, and today, the sons of Cain still cry out, The punishment is too great, and that God has no right to judge the sinner! They take their doctrine of man to the point of blaspheme by suggesting and stating that, God loves the sinner, but hates sin when both sin and the sinner are one and the same. They are completely ignorant of the doctrine of sin. In the doctrine of sin, sin destroys every part of relationship that Adam had with God. After sin there was nothing in Adam to recognize the goodness of God, and because of sin in Adam there was nothing that God could recognize in the man called Adam. Every aspect of salvation was completely taken out of the hands of man because of sin. God placed salvation in the divine hands of Christ, and Christ will not surrender His authority to the thoughts and whims of mankind.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:49) We should examine this man in this verse, this is the same heart that will cry out, Lord, Lord, and the Lord Jesus will declare, I never knew you. (Matthew 7:21-23) This man, however, will begin to state all that he has done in the name of the Lord. This type always leaves out repentance towards God. They always leave out the foundation of God in Jesus Christ. They add to and build on their own assumptions. Here is a man who builds without a foundation, the waters and stream comes and wash his house away, and the ruin of his house is great. He neglected to build on a firm foundation, and nothing that follows will give stability and strength to his house. Many might have looked at the house, and said, What a beautiful house, truly a great work and look at the architecture, how marvelous. And they would say to that man, Can we have your plan? This is exactly what the world religions do today, and in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we find the ruins of mans religion in the destruction of Babylon the Great, for it has no foundation.
Let us go unto perfection: Going On From the Foundation
Now the foundation of repentance towards God is a sure foundation for that foundation is in Jesus Christ in whom are all the divine counsels of God both yea and Amen. He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luke 6:48) Let us now examine a man with a firm foundation, a sure foundation. He built his house on the firm foundation of repentance towards God. He dug deep into his soul and spirit, he pondered in his heart line upon line, and precept upon precept. He diligently searched, and the Spirit of God tried him, and this man finds a foundation and lays that foundation A Rock which is Jesus Christ. There is only one rock of salvation, it is the tried and polished stone that is in the heavenly Zion Jesus Christ. You probably didn’t notice that the man who had no foundation that there was no flood, but just a stream; however, that man who had his foundation upon the Rock was tried by all the vicious hatred from the world. This man, as Noah, had to endure first a flood, and then the strong blast of the stream. This stream and flood beat violently upon his house, nevertheless, the foundation of God stood firm. And that man could say in his soul, his heart and in his spirit, The Lord stood with me. The house didn’t even shake as the foundation of God stood sure all because of the divine stone, the polished stone, the tried stone. In the first man’s house we see no foundation, it was merely a stream that destroyed it, but the house on the foundation of God endured all that was thrown up against it. This is the foundation that cannot be shaken because when one has true repentance towards God he has a sure foundation.
And he only has to lay this foundation once. He lays this foundation of repentance towards God from his old life of dead works. All the works of men before salvation are dead, as you were in Adam, you were dead in trespasses and sin, but now you have received the gift of faith from the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not my faith, nor the faith of religion, nor the faith of the world. It is the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.(Galatians 2:20)
The doctrine of faith has been so abused by the modern religions of men. Faith must come from above, it cannot be achieved by works of man who has been alienated from God. Whether they are works of religions or good works in the world, God cannot recognize them because of sin. When one speaks of man’s good works he is usually gauging it by the good works of others. Man is stating his own definition of good works, however, Adam is not capable of understanding the goodness of God unless he is born again. Remember that Cain brought the works of his own hands just as the man that build a great house without a foundation. Cain was rejected because he first rejected the approach and true path to God. In all the children of Adam they are all rejected because of their link to the sin of Adam. Everyone’s genealogy goes back to Adam, and Adam took all flesh down with him in sin.
This is a side note: because of the genealogy of Adam and our present link to him we have man trying to break that link. The evolutionist and the (falsely so called) scientist wants to break that link for they refuse to recognize that they themselves are dead in trespasses and sin. The ecclesia wants to tell of a sinner who God does not hate, but they are wrong. They deny the facts of Scripture and are deceiving, and being deceived, in their own man made theology.
Before salvation a sinner is completely blocked by sin, he has the sentence of death upon him and is alienated from the Person of God. It is only by a divine miracle that any man can be saved. The sinner who is dead in sin must be born again to the new man in Jesus Christ. It is only Christ and Him alone who can be the catalyst of the new birth. He gives His own faith and His faith (that is God’s faith) is met with God’s grace, and only then can God recognize a sinner saved by grace, and only then can the new creature experience the divine love of God upon him. The new born is a new creation, and from here we begin a growing process and progression in the faith that was given to us by Jesus Christ. He has set us free from sin and death. We are still in the flesh and this is where we must separate the old creation, for all things have become new. God has given us a new course, this is His divine course for each and every one of us. Each child, however, is different in his path of life, and that path is never in opposition to the will of God.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
The Spirit of God wants us to realize that God cannot deny Himself, if He has begun a good work in you (His work) He will fulfill that work. God is not experimenting with you, He is moving you and leading you by His determinate counsels. Your salvation is established in Him! And He has established that salvation before the foundation of the world for the Lord knows His own. All His children have been given to the Lord Jesus by God the Father. In Christ we are embraced and placed in the bosom of the Father with Christ. And who can separate us from the love of God.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Romans 8:36)
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (Romans 8:38)
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
Let us go unto perfection: Alienated From God to Sons of God
In Chapter 8 of Romans, we must see the work of the Spirit. For He instructs us that we have passed from the flesh to the spirit. We have come from a being under the condemnation of God to a new creation no longer under condemnation. We have come from walking in the flesh, and now we walk in the Spirit. We were alienated from God, and now we are the sons of God through adoption. We are children and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. And this brings us to our own being, for we moan within ourselves waiting to be delivered into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ moaned within Himself at the tomb of Lazarus over the plight of mankind, death was present, but so Life was also present in Jesus Christ. And out of death, came the sweetness of honey, and Lazarus came forth at the command of God in a new life given by the power of God. Even death itself bowed to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only man in his sin who will not bend the knee. The very creation moans waiting to wit the adoption of the sons of God. Paul speaking of those who were dear to him stated that we moan within ourselves waiting for that complete liberty of the sons of God.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:16)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22)
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
Let us go unto perfection: To Glorify Him
In these verses in Chapter 8 of Romans, the Spirit of God reveals to us the things that we should press onto, and the things that we should press for: we press on to perfection not to glorify the world, nor to glorify ourselves, but to glorify the Son of God. As we fulfill our lives we have been taken out of the world in the sense that we are in Jesus Christ, and He is in heaven. In the new creation we have been sent into the world by the Father, therefore, we have been taken out of the world by the Son of God to glorify Him now on earth, and later to glorify Him in heaven itself. There is a life story of all mankind, or the history of mankind, there is a life story of each individual, and there is a life story of every one who is in Jesus Christ. The difference with the one in Christ is that this life story is written in heaven, and this story will be for all eternity. There is an outline in Romans Chapter 8 of the divine story that those who are saved in Jesus Christ can find as an example and a confirmation: the one who has the Spirit of Christ is victorious in Christ, is confident in Christ, is assured in Christ, and is determined in Christ.
Let us go unto perfection: Grow Up and Go On
In our study of Chapter 6 we began with the first two verses because of the divine doctrine that is mentioned as a foundation for the faith of every believer. 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, (Hebrews 6:1) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:2) We have the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of repentance, and in the shadows the doctrine of faith towards God. We also have the doctrine of baptism, this takes in the baptism of John, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost after the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are reminded of the doctrine of the laying on of hands, this was the early practice of the apostles as they were directed by the Holy Spirit of God. As time went on and the Church corrupted itself with ungodly practices the Holy Spirit was grieved and departed: taking the glory of God from within the boundaries of the professing Church. We also have the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead: this is a consistent doctrine both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament for our Savior in Himself is both the resurrection and the life. Lastly, which comes last in the history of mankind is the eternal judgment at the great white throne and judgment seat of Christ. All those who have continued in the path of enmity against God and hatred for His Son will be judged and cast into the lake of fire. All these doctrines and truths are part of salvation, what we are brought into and what we have escaped from.
In Chapter 2 of the book of Hebrews, the apostle states, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;. We are bound by the miraculous work of the Lord Jesus Christ to be a testimony for Christ, and in that testimony we must learn Christ. The Lord Himself told us to learn of Him. Christ has put Himself in the divine position to be our divine Teacher, not only by His gifts, but by His personal teaching in the quiet room of our heart. This teaching is for every believer through the Spirit of Christ. And I believe this is where the apostle wanted the Hebrew believers to go on to, let us go on to the mystery of the body of Christ which was hid from the foundations of the world. Let us go on with the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ. Let us go on in a new life that God has given us. Let us perfect that life so that it is well pleasing to our Father. Let us go on to the heavenly Jerusalem and embrace the glories of heaven.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
The Spirit speaketh expressly to the children of God, we must grow up — no more milk — but the sincere word of God ministered by the mind of Christ through the Spirit of Christ, and in this let us go on unto perfection. Amen.
© Copyright 2017, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)