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Would you please interpret the first part of Hebrews chapter 6?
Here go my interpretation on Hebrew 6:1-8.
"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 laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and
have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word
of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew
them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the
Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in
the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by
whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns
and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be
burned."
< Vs. 1-2 >
God want to establish perfect faith in the elementary principles of Christ
in today's Christians as well as the Hebrew believers in Jesus.
Some of them were once enlightened, and have tasted the true gospel, and
received the remission of sin, and therefore received the Holy Spirit,
but later fall away from the true faith. They kept entertaining a doubt
against the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
Thus, the Bible clearly declares that the elementary principles of Christ
(the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward
God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection
of the dead, and of eternal judgment) should be settled firmly in
every believer's heart.
Here we should pay attention to the fact that these elementary principles
are the element of the true gospel from the Early Church.
And among them are the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands.
This is the definite evidence that the gospel of the water and the Spirit
is the gospel the Apostles and the disciples of that age had preached.
Those who have conviction in the true gospel do not have any doubt on
the elementary principles of Christ, rather they stand firm on the gospel,
and go forward to the life of faith, the life of perfection. Human deeds
cannot be perfect, but when we believe in the true gospel of the water
and the Spirit, then we can be perfectly sinless by faith.
That's why God asked Abraham, "Walk before me, and be thou perfect"
(Gen. 17:1 KJV). This means to have perfect faith that make you perfectly
sinless.
< Vs.4-6 >
But if one betrays the true gospel after having faith in it, then there
is no way to be saved again. That's just God's will. His love is so great
and perfect that His fury on his opponents is also great and cold-hearted.
Therefore, Song of Solomon 8:6 states:
"Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame."
Hebrews 10:26-7 also says the same warning: "For if we sin willfully
after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains
a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and
fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."
You may now have faith in the knowledge of the truth, that is, the gospel
of the water and the Spirit. Then, what does it mean, "sin willfully"?
We must know that sin can be classifies into two categories: "sin which
does not lead to death" and "sin leading to death" (1 John 5:16).
We sin everyday. Those are the "sin that does not lead to death," and
the Lord has already blotted out all those sins. But the "sin leading
to death" is the sin of the blasphemy against the Spirit. It is written,
"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Matthew
12:31).
The Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus is the true Savior, and He witnesses
the gospel of the water and the Spirit through the born-again saints.
In short, if one denies the true gospel after hearing its entire contents,
then the person is now committing the sin of the blasphemy against the
Spirit. Unfortunately, there are people who betray the gospel when they
face some troubles on account of the gospel.
If one denies the true gospel willfully even though he knows it to be
true, can this person be forgiven of such a sin by God? God clearly declares
eternal condemnation on such a sin.
I hope this answer would quench your spiritual thirst. But most of all,
I wish you to stand firm on the gospel of the water and the Spirit, the
original gospel that our Lord Jesus has given us from the beginning.
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