It’s Elementary, My Dear Saints!
“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV
Greetings, Everyone!
As a child, I enjoyed reading detective stories, and as I got older, I started listening to old radio shows like The Whistler and Suspense from streaming services. The stories from the books and the shows always left me on the edge of my seat as I tried to solve the case before the investigator. When the investigator breaks down the case details, I sometimes forget the most essential information: what was the motive? Why do people do what they do?
This reminds me of Hebrews 6:1-2 (NKJV), “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of the laying on of hand, of resurrections of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” So, what was the writer trying to say to its readers? The fundamental doctrines of religion taught in the Old Testament were created to prepare the Israelites for the coming of the Messiah. This was during the period of Judaism and was at a time of spiritual infancy. However, Christianity represents total growth and maturity.
The foundation has been laid; it’s time to build upon it. According to Paul (Eph. 3:2-6), what mystery was being revealed to him by God in his ministry to the Gentiles? The mystery was that the Jews and the Gentiles were equal in the body of Christ. The apostles and prophets were being made aware through the Holy Spirit. Not even the saint from the Old Testament knew about it. God’s grace was known to them, but not that the Jews and Gentiles would become joint heirs. God’s word is amazing, and we can learn more from it.
So, over the next six months, let’s look at the six fundamental teachings: repentance from dead works, faith in God, the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, resurrections of the dead, and eternal judgment. Just like a detective case, what is our motive? We aim to mature from spiritual infancy to represent Christ with growth and maturity. Join me as we continue to learn and hear from God.
