"Let Us Go on" -- Building Upon the First Principles

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 toward God, principles...: Or, the word of the beginning of Christ Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. - Hebrews 6:1-2

    Be sure you understand what the Holy Spirit is urging us to do here. He is not telling us that we are to forsake the first principles of the gospel, forget the first principles, deny the first principles, or cease to preach the first principles. Rather, we are to build upon them. We lay these first principles in our hearts as the foundation of all that we are and have in Christ. Then, we go on to build upon that foundation. What are these “first principles of the doctrine of Christ”?

    The Holy Spirit here identifies six specific things as first principles. They are “repentance from dead works.” -- In Philippians 3:4-8, the apostle Paul exemplifies what this is. It is repentance from the dead works of religion. We must constantly cast off the filthy rags of self-righteousness, repenting of our sin and our righteousness, clinging to Christ alone for our entire salvation (1 Cor. 1:30-31). -- “Faith toward God” -- This is the faith of God’s elect, the confession of every true believer. There is no faith toward God except that which is the faith of Holy Scripture (Rom. 4:23-5:1). As we received Christ, so let us walk in him (Col. 2:6), growing in our dependence upon him. -- “The doctrine of baptisms” -- Many suggest that the "doctrine of baptisms" has reference to the ceremonial washings of the legal dispensation; but that does not fit the context, and seems to make the passage irrelevant to believers today. The word "baptisms" is used here in the plural because the doctrine of baptism in the New Testament is twofold. (1.) At the inauguration of Christ as King over Zion, the church and kingdom of God was baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). (2.) Believers are buried with Christ in the waters of baptism, professing faith in him and identifying themselves with him and with his people in this world. -- “Laying on of hands” -- This refers to that special power given to the apostles of Christ, by which they conveyed to others the apostolic gifts of the Spirit (Acts 8:17; 1 Tim. 4:14). In the early church, when deacons and preachers were ordained, the presbyters laid hands upon them (Acts 6:6; 13:3). Paul warned Timothy to exercise great caution in laying hands upon men (1 Tim. 3:13-18). -- “Resurrection of the dead” -- The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again (1 Thess. 4:13-18). When he appears there will be a great, general resurrection. After the resurrection, “eternal judgment” -- Yes, God has, indeed, appointed a day when he will judge the world by that man who died at Calvary and sits now upon the throne of glory (Acts 17:31; Rev. 20:11-12)

    These are “the first principles of the doctrine of Christ.” This is where we begin in Christ. We must always continue to believe, preach, and rejoice in these things. But we do not need to prove these great, foundation truths over and over again. Rather, we are to build upon them. These things are the foundation upon which we build and grow in the knowledge of Christ, in brotherly love and spiritual unity, and mature in conformity to our Savior. May God ever give us grace to build upon these first principles, for Christ's sake.