Hebrews 5:11-14
11 Of whom we have many thi
ngs to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of
hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk,
and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 6:1-3
6 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,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and
of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Note: When you talk about growing up spiritually in the life of the believer, there must be an
objective. And that objective or goal is to reach perfection, although we know ultimately
perfection will not be reached in this life. But I believe there is a level of perfection that comes
to us in stages that can be and must be reached by every believer, and it begins with salvation.
Let's look at a few definitions: i
n verse 14, the word sense in Greek means to discern, and
exercised means to train. Put it all together, Paul is saying that the word of God will take every aspect of your sensory mechanism, eyes, ears, nose, touch and expose it, and train it to discern evil and good. You have to understand all evil is not readily discernable with the senses. Remember the tree of good and evil that Adam ate; the enemy bates humanity with evil that is camouflaged with good.
With that said, Paul is trying to tell us if we as believers develop as we should in the early stages of our Christian walk, the proper foundation will be laid in our lives. So that we can build a spiritual house with the meat of God's word. Heb. 6:1-3 He lists those foundations. Now they must be laid before you can build, but the foundation is also material used in the building.
I. FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE
The first foundation is something that is very lacking in the church and is not used properly.
Repentance is not a tool that should be used, say, as the Catholic Church uses it. (Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. You're simply religious and your life has not changed you still live like a sinner, but because of religious practices, you simply repent because you have been taught that god will hear you or a man can free you. But the bottom line is true repentance is only good in the life of a believer, one who is born again and making an effort to live right.
In Greek, it’s a compunction for guilt, something that happens before you confess, and that's a strong uneasiness caused by guilt. A pricking of one's conscience and this will happen even if you don't hear the word preached by the spirit. But it takes the preaching of the word to lay this foundation.
A Constance preaching, hearing, and obedience to the word will keep your conscience tender so that you repent quickly. Not just to repent or confess because you got caught, but growth is shown when you feel the pricking of the Holy Spirit to repent, not because you were confronted by someone.
You also have Christians who were pricked to salvation and got saved but didn't keep their spirit or conscience tender by repenting and obeying quickly when they heard the truth. And a good foundation was not laid.
Mark 4:15
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard,
Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
This same word is in the geek. is used to refer to what should initially be laid or the type of
repentance at the new birth (regular repentance should be a part of your life; this is why it's a part of your foundation, whether you are aware of sin in your life or not. Because you are not perfect, you can rest assured you are missing it somewhere.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive
that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye
were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of
the world worketh death.
Paul writes to this church concerning the wrong in their lives and when they heard the truth,
also implying they acted on it, were pricked to their hearts, producing a Godly sorrow. The
phrase godly sorry worketh means that it keeps the spirit tender or the foundation
strengthened because it constantly brings you to repentance. Which is a strong uneasiness that produces a confession of one's sins.
II.REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS
Let me ask you a question, what happens when a foundation is not laid well or begins to
devolve? (You've heard that the cross and the blood of Jesus will save you, and set you free, from sin, sickness, and worldly sorrow. Then Satan comes and attacks your foundation, which is an attack against the seed that brought repentance that brought salvation.
Paul gives us examples of a dissolving foundation::::
2 Timothy 2:14-25
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive
not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and
overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth
them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and
of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified,
and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call
on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Take a look at this spiritual truth that Paul wrote to Timothy; It is words that laid the
foundations for your life. Whether they came from you or someone in your life. However,
hearing and doing wrong words dissolve your foundation.
Pay close attention to verse 25; a person that dissolves his or her foundation must have a
sovereign act of God which is more grace for them to get their tender conscience back, which brings conviction. (It's sovereign because God only gives his grace to the humble).
Hebrews 12:16-17
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold
his birthright. (lets say it a different way what will you give in exchange for your soul)
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was
rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Why didn't Esau receive God's grace? Well, there was something going on inside him that only our father could see. But because we know the scriptures, we know a major thing was working against him: his lack of Humility. Listen, being Godly sorrowful, and sorry for yourself is two different things.
Repentance, which is a strong uneasiness caused by guilt, Esau could not find it because he
shipped away at his conscience, which was caused by his disrespect for the things of God.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR FOUNDATION
Are you letting your foundation dissolve, are you building upon that foundation with the wrong
substances?
1 Corinthians 3:9-10
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building (Look at the complexity of your relationship with God, firstly you are working with him in this building, secondly what you are building God is not only watching over it to keep it pest free he is enjoying or desire your fellowship in the same way you enjoy a garden.)
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid
the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon.
If you manage to keep your foundation and everything you build on it or offer to God is not
accepted or burned, you will still be saved. But if you lose your god sorrow that keeps one of
your many ingredients of this foundation solid, you're in trouble, and that is repentance.
