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THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
A Message Concerning Perfection
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection..."
- Hebrew 6:1
Christian maturity starts with identifying with what Christ finished and learning how to make that our reference point to begin living our lives by faith. We have to recognize the fundamental principles of the doctrine of Christ and then move toward a life of identification, incorporation, and transformation. Each phase of our development must take on a refining and a re-defining of who we are.
This is very easily seen in the life of Christ. Christ went through a change from being the pre-incarnate Son of God to becoming the man, Jesus Christ. Then we find him being changed from the sinless son of God to the sacrificial lamb slain for the sins of the world. From there we see him once again changed from being the means of our salvation to becoming the captain over our salvation. He transitioned from "being" to "becoming," and then from "becoming" to "being." [The expression "being made perfect" indicates that he became something more than what he had become by stepping over into a new phase of ministry as our High Priest (Heb. 5:9)].
Paul takes the opportunity, in all of his various letters to the churches, to speak of being a child of God or a son of God (like Christ) in identifying the specific stages in their walk with God. The Greek word for "child" or "son" carries several different meanings. Each one points to a level of growth just as we would look at the different phases of growing up into adulthood.
There are five Greek words carrying various level of change in order for us to reach a place of maturity. The first word is Brephos, which speaks of a new born baby or one who is still an infant. Then there is the word Nepios, which is also a very young child that is immature and very childish or child-like in nature. The third word is Teknon. This has to do with a young child being molded or tutored by the fundamental precepts and responsibilities of life. This would range from being a beginner or elementary student up the time of entering into puberty. Paidion, speak of being a young adult, those pre-adult years we call being a teenager. It is that time in life when we are in a period of transition between being a child or becoming a son. And finally, Huios, which refers to an adult son or one who has reached a place of dignity in their relationships where they understand the need for character building and knowing what it is to be responsible for their actions. These all form the basis to what it takes for each of us to grow up in Christ.
By referring to these different stages in development, it is very easy to see certain characteristics that are associated with the conduct patterns we see in the lives of fellow Christians. Clearly, we find that when children take on the characteristics of maturity they become more dependable, more responsible, and more consistently right in their behavior. The fact that the Hebrew Christians vacillated back and forth, in and out, and up and down, indicated their lack of spiritual maturity. Paul makes a very interesting distinction between these from what Christ desires to see in everyone of our lives. He uses examples of those who did not mix faith with what they heard, those who ought to be teachers who had need to be taught again, those who had need of patience, those who needed to lay aside the weights and sins that so easily beset them, all the way to those who needed to lift up the hands that were hanging down. These are all symptoms and signs of immaturity.
When we come to that place of attaining spiritual perfection we need to realize these are the things we no longer struggle with. They are conditions we learn to put off, put away, and overcome. Perfection doesn't mean you and I will never miss it or make a mistake. But what it does mean is that we move beyond the possibilities of falling back, turning back, or drawing back because of the weaknesses in our flesh, and we make faith a way of life. We become faithful in our attitude, our conduct, and our commitment to being responsible sons of God.
The concept Paul speaks of in this letter describes maturity in terms of: "Entering the Promise Land," "Entering into the Rest," even the thought of "Entering within the Veil." It is all about "entering" into a life that is consistent with the character of Christ, learning to be what we are destined to be, making the necessary adjustments through the transitions of change, and letting go of the past. According to Second Corinthians three, it is really about discovering in the Word of God what being adults sons look like in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to take us through the process of change that we may be conformed into his image -- from glory to glory.
PRAYER
Father, today I ask you to help me locate myself in my union with Christ. Areas where I need to go up, help me today to make the transition of putting off the old man and putting on the new man. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
CONFESSION
I choose today to be more than what I am. I choose to be all that I am in Christ. I will put off the ways of the past. I will become more responsible in my walk with God. I will grow up in all thing and become like him in every way.
DEFINING MOMENTS...
Just like it is in the natural it takes time to grow up. No one is going to be an adult son of God overnight. But there are ways we can accelerate the process. We can realize where we are and where we want to go; what we are and what we want to be. We can allow the Holy Spirit to lift us out of any childish ways and bring us into a life transformed by the power of God.
Paul said, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11). When it comes to malice we are to be as children, but when it comes to understanding and maturity, we need to become as men (1 Cor. 14:20).
In His Grace,
Pastor David
Faith Harvest Church
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