Pressing On To Maturity

November 20th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

The elementary teaching about the Christ includes “repentance from dead works and faith toward God.” Repentance was a common theme with the OT prophets. Likewise, in the ministry of Jesus and of John the Baptist the message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). So, both the OT prophets and Jesus taught all to turn away from evil and turn to God. Specifically, we are to turn away from “dead works,” for no work can earn salvation, either in the OT or the NT. All works, insofar as they attempt to earn favor with God, are dead (cf. Matt. 5:20). All of us are therefore called to repent of dead works and submit to God’s graceful salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9). Not only that, but true faith is accompanied by the fruitful and evidential works of salvation: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:10; cf. Gal. 5:22-23). Elementary teaching: repent and do good works!

Secondly, professed believers are to leave the “instruction about washings and the laying on of hands.” This admonition concerns orthopraxy—practicing one’s piety. As to the “washings” (Gr. baptismos), in every Jewish home there was a washbasin at the entrance used for the plethora of ceremonial washings. Yet these were worthless in light of Christ’s having made sinners righteous through His high priestly function. Actually, the OT itself predicts that washings will one day replaced by a spiritual cleansing of God’s doing (Ezek. 36:22ff.), namely the baptism by the Holy Spirit which cleanses at conversion for eternity. Perhaps the Hebrews audience, like the modern Church, was confused about OT water cleansings and water baptism versus Spirit baptism. Either way, this is “elementary teaching,” and mature Christians take no part in arguing about it. Christ cleanses believers through faith alone, and they get baptized as an outward indication of an inward transformation. End of elementary discussion!

Also listed in the orthopraxy of elementary teachings was the “laying on of hands” in v. 2. This was another Jewish practice whereby one who offered an animal for sacrifice would lay his hands on the animal to show his identification with its shed blood of the animal to atone for his or her sins. This was elementary teaching because Jesus’ death was superior to animal sacrifices. Identification with Christ came by faith, not the laying on of hands. The practice might also refer the rite of ordaining a person to ministry (Acts 6:6; 13:3) and the conferring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17; 19:6). Laying on of hands was also indicative of various spiritual blessings like healing (Acts 9:17). Paul spoke of church elders who were ordained to leadership by the laying on of hands (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). But though important in orthopraxy, this issue, like modes of baptism and church polity, is elementary teaching. No Christian should be judged by these things or make mountains out of molehills regarding such. Time to grow up beyond such!

The next two elementary teachings the author lists are the “resurrection from the dead” (cf. Dan. 12:2) and “eternal judgment” (cf. Eccl. 12:14)—issues related to prophecy. To be sure, these were not well-developed doctrines in the OT, yet Christ and His apostles had spoken of the resurrection and eternal punishment in no uncertain terms. Swindoll says, “The author wasn’t talking about the order of end-times events, details about the future Tribulation, or characteristics of the Antichrist. The matters here are simple: the resurrection of the dead, which is the basic hope of every Christian (Rom. 6:5; 1 Cor. 15:21–22), and eternal judgment, which Paul tied to the proclamation of the gospel (Rom. 1:16–18; 2:16).” All other arguments were elementary.

Food For Thought
Those of us who profess to know and love Jesus Christ are to cease from getting caught up in senseless arguments about the ABC’s of the Christian faith. It is time for all to press on to spiritual maturity! And “this we will do, if God permits” (v. 3). Clearly, moving on to spiritual maturity requires God’s provision, for He not only saves us by His grace, He moves us onto maturity by His grace. We are to thus glorify God for both our salvation and our sanctification. Being found in petty arguments over elementary issues is neither helpful nor holy.