Time To Build On The Foundation

A friend told me a few days ago that he had purchased a book on framing. He is planning to help his son with a backyard building project and hopes that the book will give him further insight into this task. I wished him good luck and told him I would be quite useless in this regard. I also asked him what kind of foundation they would be building upon. He said they were using concrete pilings instead of pouring a concrete foundation. I smiled and again wished him well, because I have no skill in laying a basic foundation, let along going beyond that to the task of framing the building.

The apostolic writer of the Hebrews uses the analogy of building to describe the Christian's life. Time to get beyond the foundation, he writes.

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. - Hbr 6:1-3 ESV

Notice his use again of the word therefore. That word comes up again and again and again. He makes a point and then builds upon it, like a master framer. Its almost as if he's saying, "Time to put up another stud or building stone in this building. Or did you forget that we've already worked on the foundation?

Notice his seven points (BTW, seven is always a critical number in the Bible) :

1. leave the elementary doctrine of Christ
2. repentance from dead works
3. faith toward God
4. instruction about washings
5. the laying on of hands
6. the resurrection of the dead
7. eternal judgment

1. The elementary doctrine of Christ is where we start, the beginning, the foundation upon which we build—and in this case our entire future, not merely an earthly shelter or house. So a quick comment on each of his points. And always keep in mind that he's talking about something dynamic, living—your personal relationship with God. He's saying again, "Time to grow up! Time to move on toward the plan and purpose God has for your life. That's what should be happening if you have a true and alive relationship with Jesus as your Savior."

2. Repentance from dead works. Are you still there trying to prove yourself to God? Are you still desperately hoping that He will overlook your past failings? So often, for instance, we try to get God's attention by sending a big check to some homeless shelter. I personally get so disgusted by the tactics of some of those places. One sent me a bright shiny dime pasted to a card, as if to tell me that I have to add to this and send some more money. Otherwise I'm not a good Christian. I threw the whole letter, dime and all into the trash. I will NOT be shamed into proving that I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. I will not!

3. Faith toward God. Faith is not the mere gathering of information. It is not an intellectual exercise. I read that even the demons believe (James 2:19). James' point is that their lives are not transformed and changed. They remain in rebellion. They remain centered upon themselves. They continue to use others and care nothing about the harm they are doing. Like their leader, Satan himself, they simply devour you, eat you up and move on (1 Peter 5:8). Plenty of examples of people like that in the Bible, people who act like the demons. Jesus points us to the Pharisees

who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." - Mar 12:40 ESV

The Apostle Paul warns,

But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. - Gal 5:15 ESV 

4. Instruction about washings. My oh my, but the Old Testament is packed full of instructions about ablutions or washings of face, feet, hands, babies, clothes, floors, ones entire body, food, when to wash, how to wash and on and on and on. Read, for instance, the list of things that Aaron and his sons were to do as they went about their duties as priests  (Exodus 29-30; 40:12; Leviticus 1:9-13; 6:27; 11:25-40,  Numbers 19:19, etc.). The list seems endless. What was it all about anyway? We'll be getting to it later in this letter (Hebrews 9:9-10). Basically all these washings were parables, symbols, proverbs, illustrations. They were not ways by which God's wrath over sin was appeased. There is but ONE WASHING (or baptism if you prefer the Greek word): the washing of Jesus to which we were joined when water was poured over us. Paul puts it this way:

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. - Rom 6:4-5 ESV

5. Laying on of hands. This is not and never has been something that has to do with receiving supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit as those of us in the charismatic movement talk so much about. The key to unlocking this reference is the Day of Atonement in the annual liturgy of the Old Testament people. We read about sin, blood, the death of goats and bulls on that Day in great detail in Leviticus 16. A bull had to die. A goat had to die. Then the blood of the bull and goat were sprinkled on the horns of the altar all around. Then a remaining goat was sent out into the wilderness, to Azazel, after Aaron had laid his hands on it.

"And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. - Lev 16:20-22 ESV

All this pointed very vividly to Jesus who was dragged out of the city to shed His blood for us all.

6. The resurrection of the dead. When Jesus went to the grave site of his dear friend Lazarus, Martha confessed her faith in the Biblical teaching that the dead shall rise on the last day. Some like the Sadducee party denied this teaching, but it is clearly taught in many places. Some believers worry that on that Great Day we will have somehow prove our worthiness, somehow give evidence that we've lived a good enough life after our Baptism so that we may be allowed into heaven. But that is not so for us believers. For us all is completed, finished, over, done, complete, even as Jesus said, "It is finished"(John 19:30). Our sins have been atoned for by Jesus' death on the cross and we have already been raised with Christ. We now await the completion of this great wonder. So Paul teaches,

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. - Col 3:1-4 ESV

7. Eternal judgment. This is a continuation of theWord's teachings about the resurrection. Jesus spoke about that final Day when the angels will gather all mankind to stand before His throne and then the sheep and goats will be separated. This too was clearly taught in the Old Testament.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. - Ecc 12:13-14 ESV

All this is foundation stuff. It is the beginning. Lets not go back again and again and again to these basics. This is kids' stuff. It is time to move on, time to do some framing of this building. We have the Book and in that Book is this great letter. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings and move on.