Hebrews 6:1-3

DISCOURSE: 2289
GOING ON TO PERFECTION

Hebrews 6:1. 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, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.

IN arts and sciences of every kind, the greatest proficients feel a need of improvement: their very advancement only serves to shew them how little they know, and to increase their zeal in the pursuit of higher attainments. But in religion, every one thinks he knows enough, and is content with the progress he has already made. What we learned in our early youth serves, for the most part, as a sufficient stock to carry us on through life; and the habits which we have acquired in our place and station satisfy our minds, so that we are ready to ask, “What lack I yet?” But surely this is not right. If, as the Apostle John informs us, there are diversities of age and stature in the Christian life, and in the Church there are little children, young men, and fathers, it surely does not become us to remain all our days in a state of infantine weakness and ignorance, as if that were the full measure that God had authorized us to expect. St. Peter expressly tells us, that we should “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” And in the preceding context, the Apostle complains of his Hebrew converts, that “whereas, from the time since their conversion, they should have been qualified for teachers, they had need to be taught again the very first principles of the oracles of God; and were become such, as still had need of milk, rather than of strong meat [Note: Hebrews 5:12.].” But, as there were some of them who were no longer “babes, but had attained to full age, and by reason of use had their senses exercised to discern both good and evil,” he would, for their instruction, “leave,” as it were unnoticed, “the first principles” of the Gospel, and, by a fuller statement of its mysteries, “lead them on unto perfection [Note: Hebrews 5:13. with the text.].” Now, “this will we also do, if God permit.” My endeavour at this time shall be to shew,

I. What those principles are, the developement of which we shall at present wave—

The first of these is, “Repentance from dead works”—
[This is so plain a duty, that no one who has ever heard the Gospel can entertain a doubt respecting it. Sin of every kind must be mourned over, as deserving of death; and must be utterly forsaken, as an object of our most unfeigned abhorrence.]
The second is, “Faith towards God”—
[This also is required, as indispensably necessary to salvation. Not only must we “believe that God is, and is a rewarder of all who diligently seek him;” but we must believe that he is reconciled to man through the Son of his love; and that “of those who come to him in his Son’s name, he will never cast out one.” This is God’s promise in the Gospel: and we must believe “Him faithful who has promised.”]
The two which are next specified, namely, “Baptisms, and the Laying on of hands,” are not additional principles; but rites of the Jewish law, by which the two foregoing principles were prefigured—

[Commentators have tried to explain these two as additional principles; and have represented the “baptisms” as signifying the baptisms of John and of Christ; and “the laying on of hands,” as referring to the imposition of the Apostles’ hands on men, for the purpose of communicating to them the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or of ordaining them to the blessed office of the ministry. But they are no principles; nor should we attempt to explain them as such. They are explanatory of the preceding words. By “baptisms,” we understand the “divers washings” which were observed under the law [Note: Hebrews 9:10.]; which shadowed forth a cleansing from sin and dead works by repentance, or, as the Apostle expresses it, “the washing of regeneration:” and by “laying on of hands,” we understand the offerers of sacrifices laying their hands upon the head of their victim, in order to transfer to it their guilt, and express their hope of acceptance through it [Note: Leviticus 4:4; Leviticus 4:15; Leviticus 4:24; Leviticus 4:33; Leviticus 16:21.]. It was in this way that they exercised their “faith towards God.” Now, then, put these two into a parenthesis, as being only illustrative and explanatory of the former two, and all the difficulties, in which commentators have involved the passage, will vanish.]

The third principle is, “the Resurrection of the dead “—
[This, also, is an essential part of “the doctrine of Christ.” It was indeed, though not very fully, revealed under the law: but under the Gospel it is declared with the utmost possible clearness and certainty; so that it may well be said, that “life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel [Note: 2 Timothy 1:10.].” The resurrection of our blessed Lord is indeed the one foundation of all our hopes: and it has assured to us, beyond a possibility of doubt our own resurrection; seeing that Christ was the first-firsts” of the harvest that shall in due season be gathered in [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:20.]

The last is, “Eternal judgment”—
[Temporal rewards and punishments were chiefly insisted on under the law; but under the Gospel, we are taught to look forward to a day of future retribution, when “God will judge the world by that blessed Jesus, whom he has ordained” to that office; and will separate the wicked from the just; consigning the one to everlasting misery, and exalting the other to everlasting blessedness and glory [Note: Matthew 25:32; Matthew 25:40.]

The consideration of these principles we shall at the present wave—
[The importance of them cannot be doubted: for the Apostle speaks of them as a “foundation which he had laid.” And every minister must inculcate them, with all possible earnestness. In truth, unless his mind be continually under the influence of these principles, a man has not the smallest right to call himself a Christian. He may have been baptized; but he is no other than a baptized heathen, that has no part or lot in the Gospel salvation.]
Having, times without number, enforced these things on your attention, I now pass them over; and proceed to the more immediate object of my discourse; which is, to shew,

II.

What are those sublimer views which it is our high privilege to contemplate—

Of course, we cannot in one discourse enter at all fully into this subject: we can only give some faint outline of it; some hints, which may afford matter for your further meditation in secret.
By “going on unto perfection,” the Apostle meant that he would unfold to them the deeper mysteries of the Gospel, which it was of great importance to them to comprehend. These mysteries he unfolds in all the remaining part of this epistle. We shall comprehend them under two heads:

1. The “perfection” of Christ’s priestly office—

[The priesthood under the Mosaic dispensation was confined to the tribe of Levi. Of this our blessed Lord could not partake, because he was of the tribe of Judah. But a new order of priesthood was to arise, after the order of Melchizedec: and this was the priesthood to which Jesus was called. In all its offices it resembled the Levitical priesthood; by which it was, in fact, shadowed forth, in all its parts.

Our blessed Lord, as our great High-priest, offered himself a sacrifice to God. He was to expiate the sins of all mankind. Not all the cattle on a thousand hills were sufficient for that. But “a body was prepared for him” for that end; a body “like, indeed, unto sinful flesh,” but altogether “without sin.” This body he offered upon the cross; as the Apostle says, “He offered himself without spot to God.” In reference to this, the Baptist pointed him out as “The Lamb of God that should take away the sins of the world:” and even in heaven he appears “as a Lamb that has been slain,” and receives the adorations of all his redeemed people, on a perfect equality with the Father: “they sing, day and night, salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.”

The high-priest, having offered the sacrifice, carried its blood within the vail, and there sprinkled it on the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat. Now, our blessed Lord was both the Sacrifice and the Priest who offered it: and having offered his own blood as an atonement upon the cross, he rose from the dead, and “entered with his own blood into the heaven of heavens,” there to present it unto God in our behalf [Note: Hebrews 9:12.]. With that blood he sprinkles, as it were, the mercy-seat of the Most High; and God the Father, beholding it, is pacified towards us; or, as St. Paul expresses it, “He is reconciled towards us by the blood of the cross [Note: Colossians 1:20.].”

Whilst within the vail, the high-priest covered the mercy-seat with clouds of incense: and this also our blessed Saviour does, by his continual intercession. “He appears in the presence of God for us,” as our all-prevailing Advocate and Intercessor: and by his intercessions, founded on the merit of his own sacrifice, he obtains for us all those supplies of grace and peace which our daily necessities require: for “Him the Father heareth always.”

Having fulfilled these offices within the vail, the high-priest came forth, clad in all his splendid garments, to bless the people. And so will our great High-priest come forth, in his own glory, and in all the glory of his Father, to complete the blessedness of his redeemed people. To all of them he will say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”]

2. The “perfection” of our privileges, as secured by it—

[This also the Apostle unfolds, though, alas! we have only time to specify one or two particulars. But through our great High-priest we receive a full and perfect and everlasting remission of all our sins. The forgiveness obtained by the Levitical sacrifices was only temporary. The very services by which it was obtained were only “a remembrance of sins” still unforgiven. But, “through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, we are sanctified once for all;” yea, “by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified [Note: Hebrews 9:13; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14.].” God himself engages, by covenant, and by oath, that “our sins and iniquities he will remember no more [Note: Hebrews 10:17. compared with Hebrews 8:10; Hebrews 8:12.].”

Through him, too, we are admitted into the immediate presence of our God. Not a soul was admitted into the holy of holies, except the high-priest; nor he, except on one day in the year. But “into the holiest of all have we access by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail: and having him as our High-priest over the house of God, the Apostle says, “Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience [Note: Hebrews 10:19.].” There is not a sinner in the universe who may not thus come to the very mercy-seat of our God, where he shines forth in all his glory, provided only he come in the name of Jesus, and pleading the merit of the Redeemer’s blood.

The highest possible elevation, too, of which our nature is capable, is vouchsafed unto us through the intervention of our great High-priest. We are every one of us made both kings and priests: for in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female: all are on a level in this respect: all are partakers of the same privileges: all are now “a royal priesthood [Note: 1 Peter 2:9.]:” and all shall ere long join in that triumphant song, “To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen [Note: Revelation 1:5.].”]

What now shall I say, as an improvement of this subject? I will say,
1.

Press forward for higher attainments in knowledge—

[Do not imagine that you know enough of the Gospel: there are in it unfathomable depths, which even the angels in heaven are continually “desiring to look into.” See what was St. Paul’s prayer in behalf of the saints at Ephesus, whom he speaks of as eminent for their “faith in the Lord Jesus, and their love to all the saints:” “I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead [Note: Ephesians 1:15.].” Let this be your prayer for yourselves, my beloved brethren, however advanced ye be in faith and love. In truth, it is by your increase in knowledge that you are to increase in grace: for it is by your “comprehending with augmented clearness the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, by comprehending this, I say, ye are to be filled with all the fulness of God [Note: Ephesians 3:18.].”]

2. Press forward for higher attainments in holiness—

[“This I wish, brethren, even your perfection [Note: 2 Corinthians 13:9.].” Rest not satisfied with any thing short of a perfect transformation into “the Divine image, in righteousness and true holiness.” Make this the ultimate object of your knowledge; and employ your knowledge for the production of it. St. Paul’s prayer for his brethren at Colosse will serve you as a model for your prayers, and as a standard for your endeavours: “Since the day I heard of your love,” says he, “I do not cease to pray for you, and to desire, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light [Note: Colossians 1:9.].” You will scarcely think yourselves so advanced as the Apostle Paul: yet what does he say of himself? “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded [Note: Philippians 3:12.].” Mark, I pray you: it is to those who are perfect, that he gives this advice. What advice, then, must be given to those who are so far from perfection as we are? Will it become us to stand still? I charge you, brethren, to indulge no listless habits, no self-complacent thoughts. Take this holy Apostle for your example: “Let your conversation be in heaven, whither your Lord and Saviour is gone before [Note: Philippians 3:17; Philippians 3:20.];” and rest not till you are changed into his image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of your God [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.]