Moving On to Maturity
In Hebrews 6:1, the NKJV says, “Let us go on to
perfection.” Many other modern
translations probably convey the meaning more clearly by using the word,
“Maturity.” So, the NIV says, “Therefore
let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward
to maturity.”
Let us start with the subject of what this verse does not
mean before moving to its actual meaning.
When the writer commands believers to leave behind or move beyond the
elementary doctrines concerning Christ, he does not mean that we are to move on
to something different. We do not become
Christians one way and then remain Christians in an entirely different
way. No, we are converted by faith, and
we continue in our salvation by faith.
Justification (being made “right” with God) and sanctification
(progressively becoming holy) are both by faith. The Scripture says in multiple places that
the just shall live by faith. Salvation
is from faith to faith. Faith in the
beginning; faith in the end; and faith everywhere in between. One does not move beyond salvation by grace
through faith. One does not move beyond
Christ.
Heb 6:1 is an exhortation to Christians to grow in their
faith and in the Faith. To do so, we
must move beyond the elementary teachings of Christ in the sense that we must
build upon the foundational principles that we have learned in our walk with
the Lord. We should not become stagnant
by only teaching and discussing the same old things all the time. We should be able to build upon the simple
Gospel message that we heard in the first place. We do not move beyond the Gospel, but we can
progress much farther in our understanding of that wonderful message. We can grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord.
Why is Christian growth necessary? Well, for one, it is commanded by the Lord
all over Scripture. This is His will for
us. The Lord is pleased and glorified by
our continued progress in the faith.
Also, continued growth ensures the believer that he/she is not going to
apostatize, that is, turn away from so great a salvation. As move grow in our faith, we grow closer and
closer to the Lord and farther away from the world. We move more and more into grace and farther
away from Hell as we mature in our relationship with Christ.
Thus, my ministry in the church, from the pulpit, and online
(progressandjoy.org, Midweek eBulletins, Facebook, etc.) is, “For Progress and
Joy in Christ.”