Seek Perfection

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
 
ONE of the challenges of teaching and preaching in a church is the different maturity levels within a congregation. Some will be new believers who need to hear and know the elementary teachings of Jesus. This relates to Jesus’ incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Each believer’s elementary knowledge must include the gospel truth that Jesus is the one atoning sacrifice for the sins of all who believe.       
   On the other hand, a long-time believer does not need to hear this repeatedly. To leave behind the elementary teachings does not mean we forget them. But mature believers must use these teachings as steps toward a firm faith resistant to temptation and false teachings. To go on to maturity is Hebrews’ exhortation that Christians seek a perfection of their faith in God. It is a striving toward completeness of understanding the Triune God. We do not simply say, “Jesus is my Savior.” But we confess this with the understanding of the Father’s, Son’s and Spirit’s work of salvation on our lives. We know how to defend this truth. Our faith leads us to sacrificial living when we are mature enough to understand the depth of Jesus’ submission to the cross for our souls.
   The Christians who had come from Jewish teachings, learning the law and the ways  of the Levitical priesthood, were holding too tightly to those “old covenant” or elementary ways.  The foundation of repentance in that system was the sacrifice of animals and offering grains. The priest laid hands on a goat once annually to atone for Israel’s sins. The Christian Jews needed to let go of that method. Holding too tightly to the old would keep t hem from the new. Tragically it would keep them from eternal life. God gave the worship laws as a foundation of redemption pointing to Jesus. Now that Jesus is our Redeemer, they are no longer valid.
   The Christian church is anchored in the Old Testament and is baptized in the New Testament. As a ship raises anchor to sail, our faith must raise from the basic teachings to move into a future toward perfection in God’s Word. Our future is Jesus’ redemptive power to overcome the world. If Christians only look back at what God has done, we will not gaze forward to understand and know God’s plan for our future.
   A mature faith understands why the world is as it is. And a mature faith knows the way the world will be under God’s redemptive power.
   A mature faith is God’s gift to the faithful. He promises when we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) Seeking God is growing toward God. Seeking God is maturing in God. God permitting, we will do so.