The Principles of the Oracles of God

How many of you believe the church is stronger today than 20 years ago?

Is the problem getting better or worse?

The writer of Hebrews is dealing with Christians that have problems:

In Hebrews 2:1 he said, Pay close attention to the message you’ve heard lest you drift away. Forgetfulness.

Hebrews 2:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

In Hebrews 3:1 he said, Consider Jesus.

Hebrews 3:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

In Hebrews 3:8 he said, Don’t harden your hearts like Israel did in the wilderness.

Hebrews 3:8 (KJV 1900)

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

In Hebrews 3:12 he said, Take care, lest you have an evil heart of unbelief.

Hebrews 3:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

In Hebrews 4:1 he said, Fear, lest you fail to enter God’s rest.

Hebrews 4:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

In Hebrews 4:11 he said, Be diligent to enter God’s rest lest you fall by disobedience.

Hebrews 4:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

And in Hebrews 4:14 he said, Hold fast to your confession.

Hebrews 4:14 (KJV 1900)

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

These Christians have tasted of Jesus Christ. They have experienced Jesus Christ, but yet they were wanting to forsake Jesus and give up and turn back to Judaism.

The author is trying through all of these urgent admonitions to help them realize the superiority of Jesus Christ.

Now, He finally gives the diagnosis. Now he tells us what’s wrong.

Hebrews 5:11–6:2 (KJV 1900)

11 Of whom we have many things 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.

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,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

To the saved Jews, he is saying, “You’ve done the right thing. You don’t need to go back. You don’t need any of the trappings.”

To the intellectually convinced Jews who have not received Christ, he is saying, “Come on. Don’t stand there in neglect. Don’t let yourself get hard. Come on and receive Jesus Christ. Come all the way to salvation. Don’t just … don’t just get up to the edge and think it’s right and believe it. Commit yourself to it.”

And to the third group, he’s simply sharing with them the facts of the new covenant, that they might be exposed to the truth.

Which one are you this morning?

Are you one on the verge of giving up on Christ and Christianity?

Are you one testing the waters of Christ but not willing to commit?

Or are you one that is fresh and new needing exposure to Christ this morning?

Why are you here this morning?

As a church and as individuals, we need promise inheritors, people who at rest in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

All of the Old Testament pictures and types are fulfilled in Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

The writer is trying to convince the readers to let go of the shadows and the types and take the substance, the reality of Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament is important, but its purpose is to point to Christ.

These Jews are like so many Christians today, We have a bunch of knowledge but very little application.

Remember, God existed before Moses.

How many of you know of Melchisedec?

Do you know that he was a priest?

Do you know that he was before Moses?

Do you know that he was before the law?

Do you know that he was during the time of Abraham?

Do you know that Abraham paid a tithe to Melchisedec?

Let’s check ourselves and our society for immaturity.

Signs of Immaturity

Hebrews 5:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

Dullness of Hearing

They have the problem of dullness of hearing.

Hebrews 6:11–12 (KJV 1900)

11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

“Be not slothful” = same greek word as “dull of hearing”

Do you have full assurance of hope?

Dull of hearing is not an ear problem, but rather a heart problem.

We have a society today that is not eager or diligent to embrace the promises of God and turn them into faith and patience.

We have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward the Word of God.

Our Sunday School is very little in attendance. Do you realize the hours and time of study our teachers put in to bring a lesson and many Sundays it is just to a few or none at all.

We have a very short attention span, a lack of focus.

The promises come to the ear but there is no passion of the heart, no embracing of our love, no cherishing or treasuring, therefore, there is no faith and no patience.

Dependency upon Teaching

Hebrews 5:12 (KJV 1900)

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.

Diet of Infants

Hebrews 5:12–13 (KJV 1900)

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.

Discernment of Infants

Hebrews 5:14 (KJV 1900)

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.

The first principles of the oracles of God.

Need Milk - unskilful in the Word of Righteousness.

Strong Meat - full age, the ability to discern both good and evil.

Solution for Maturity

How do we fix this?

Hebrews 6:1 (KJV 1900)

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,

Remember, Immaturity is not a physical problem.

Deaf people can be great hearers and Blind people can be great see-ers.

The problem is a failure to make use of the word being heard to nurture faith and bear the fruit of obedience.

Dull hearing is passive and lazy and does not reach out and grasp the promises of God and embrace them.

Passivity produces perpetual babies.

Strengthen our Discernment:

Hebrews 5:14 (KJV 1900)

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.

Substitute our Diets:

Hebrews 5:13 (KJV 1900)

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

How do you make solid food palatable and digestible?

You become mature on milk.

But we again, are not talking about physical maturity but mental maturity.

Hebrews 5:14 (KJV 1900)

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.

Discernment happens in the mind.

Romans 12:2 (KJV 1900)

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Maturity happens not from intelligence but obedience.

Satisfy our Deduction:

1. Drink in the milk -

listen the Word of God, Read the Word of God yourself

Give Heed, apply your heart and mind.

Babes are incredibly focused when they long for milk.

2. Digest the milk -

Savor and swallow and be satisfied.

The satisfaction of milk transforms your values and priorities.

You begin to love what you once hated.

3. Discern Good and Evil -

We literally make hundreds of decisions every day that are not spelled out explicitly in the Bible.

What to watch on tv.

Political position to take.

Investment strategies.

job.

insurance.

retirement.

where to live.

what to drive.

what to wear.

how much to give.

It doesn’t take discernment when it comes to the list of 10 Commandments. They are pretty simple and spelled out.

Hebrews 5:14 KJV 1900

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.

Discerning good and evil has to do with the decisions of life that are not specifically listed so that at the end of the day, when you lay your head down on your pillow, you may know whether you are in the perfect will of God.

That kind of discernment comes only from habitually (by regular practice) nourishing and shaping your spiritual senses by the Word of God until the Word becomes a “word of righteousness” - a discerning power, a word producing righteousness in the mature.

Discernment comes naturally when the milk of God’s promises are savored and satisfying giving you the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Are you serving and are you obedient?