Word for the Week...NOV 21---27 / 2005

(v.1)"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 towards God.(v.2)Of the Doctrine of Baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of eternal judgement."

 An old Bible College Lecturer one said...'A text taken out of context is a pretext for disaster ! ".The key word to bear in mind here is 'perfection', or rather 'maturity', (N.I.V.).The main points to consider are as follows...

[1] The gist of this passage is all about advancing beyond the elementary truths concerning Christ, towards completeness, or full growth.(' teleiotes '-Gk.).     

[2] The six items mentioned form three pairs: the first in each pair refers to our emergence from a negative situation, the second speaks of our entering in to positive things.

[3] Repentance is a turning away from 'dead works'.i.e. those works in obedience to the Mosaic Law, which were valueless in obtaining eternal salvation.(Gal.3:11).In fact any work of the flesh can never put us in right standing with Almighty God.(Phil.3:3-9, Matt.5:20.).

[4]   Faith is that spiritual sense that God grants us, compared to our five natural senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell, enabling us to believe things which we cannot apprehend by natural means.(2Cor.5:7).

[5] Baptisms are separations from and terminations of those negative things of the old creation, in order to make way for the new.(2Cor.5:17).

[6]The laying on of hands is the Identification and fellowship with Divine things.(Acts 8:17).

[7] The resurrection of the dead is the emergence from death.(John11:43,44 & John 20:9).

[8] Eternal judgement is the entry into eternity and eternal destiny.(Rev.20:11-15).

Knowing our Foundations are secure, we need to go on to the maturity God desires us to have, in willing co-operation with The Holy Spirit.(Phil.2:12-13.).

May The Lord Bless you. 

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