Foundational teachings Based on Hebrews 6: 1,2

Foundational teachings

Based on Hebrews 6: 1, 2.

The writer of Hebrews was disgusted with milk drinking Christians. He wanted them to grow into mature meat eating ‘teachers’. Meat does not mean mutton; it means solid food, which requires chewing. Mature believers discuss the Scriptures and dialogue for clarity. They do not just swallow it like mother’s milk. There are six foundational principles, that serve as launching pad for further maturity, Yeshua Himself being the foundation. (Heb. 5:12; Acts 17:11; 1Cor. 3:10-17; Eph. 2:20)

1. Repentance from dead works: Jews and Gentile unbelievers sought salvation by offering dead, sacrificial animals and by keeping other religious rituals. Both John and Yeshua preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is nigh.” Idols include more than statues and images; everything that takes precedence over God is an idol. Idols reside in human hearts. Being sorry for our past sins and cutting all umbilical connection with them is the first foundational principle of Christianity. (Mat 3:2; 4:17; Ezek. 14:3-11; Luke 24:47; 1 John 1:7-9)

2. Faith in the Living God:  Repentance must be followed by converting our hearts from the temple of the idols, to the temple of the living God. Our hearts and our mouths must resonate with our faith, to secure our salvation. Faith is believing in the promises of God. Professing and acting on those promises affirm our loyalty to Him. (Act 20:21; Eph 2:5; Rom 10:9,10)

3. Doctrins of Baptisms: Jews and Gentiles practiced many forms of purification, ablution, sprinkling and washing etc. The Hebrew word for baptism (Tabal’) means neither total immersion nor sprinkling but “dipping”, as when a priest dipped his finger in a bowl of blood to sprinkle it to sanctify the altar. Repentance and confession of faith are not negotiable whilst baptism is not obligatory, “salvation is by grace through faith and not by any kind of works... for the just shall live by faith”. Like the converted thief on the cross beside Yeshua, millions of unbaptized believers will be in heaven, hence the church must not be legalistic by reducing it to a ritual. But whenever possible, like Yeshua, we should be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. (Rom 1:17; Eph. 2:8; Gal. 2:16)

4. Laying on of hands: In the OT, a sinner laid his hands on the sacrificial animal for his own atonement. In the NT it is transferring, 1. Blessing (Mat.19:13); 2. Healing (Mark 7:32); 3. Impartation (Acts 8:16,17; 19:6); 4. Ordination (Acts 6:6; 1 Tim 4:14); 5. Apostolic commission (Acts 13:3) 6. Stirring up gifts. (2Tim. 1:6)

 

5. Resurrection: The assurance of life after death separated Christians from the heathen, who had neither hope nor future. Both Sadducees and Athenian intellectuals rejected it. Christian foundational doctrine is that those in Christ will rise up to eternal life, whilst sinners will go to eternal damnation.(Acts 24:15; John 5:29)

6. Eternal Judgment: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10)