MOVE FORWARD TO MATURITY

Passage: Hebrews 5:11-6:8

Key verse: 6:1a

NIV

Warning Against Falling Away(A)

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths(B) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!(C) 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,(D) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature,(E) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(F)

6 Therefore let us move beyond(G) the elementary teachings(H) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a](I) and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b](J) the laying on of hands,(K) the resurrection of the dead,(L) and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting,(M) we will do so.

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(N) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(O) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(P) 5 who have tasted the goodness(Q) of the word of God(R) and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.(S) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God(T) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.(U) In the end it will be burned.

Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 6:1 Or from useless rituals
  2. Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
  3. Hebrews 6:6 Or age, 6 if they fall
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Warning Against Apostasy

11 About this we have much to say, and it is (A)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again (B)the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need (C)milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is (D)a child. 14 But solid food is for (E)the mature, for those who have their powers (F)of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore (G)let us leave (H)the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance (I)from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of (J)instruction about washings,[a] (K)the laying on of hands, (L)the resurrection of the dead, and (M)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do (N)if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those (O)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted (P)the heavenly gift, and (Q)have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and (R)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and (S)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since (T)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For (U)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But (V)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, (W)and its end is to be burned.

Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms (that is, cleansing rites)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Growth through constant exercise (5:11-6:3) Christians should grow in spiritual wisdom and holiness to the level of being able to teach others. This comes through constant practice of obedience to God's word, which will help us become more and more discerning of good and evil. If we neglect this, we'll have to go back to the basics again. Faith is like a living seed; unless it grows, it dies. 2. warning (6:4-8) If we hear God's word and know what we should do to please God, but deliberately reject it, then we are in danger of crucifying Jesus again and becoming thorn-bearers instead of fruit-bearers. No one can snatch us out of Jesus' hand (Jn 1 :28); but we should be aware of the seriousness of falling away.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your good desire for me to become mature. Help me keep growing in discernment.

One Word: Move forward to maturity