V. 1 – Let us leave the introductory doctrines. Now, no doctrines of Christ are wrong or bad. They are still truth. However, the introductory doctrines are not where he intended us to remain. We are supposed to mature and grow – moving forward into rest and knowing the Father better and better.

Notice he doesn’t say we get rid of the foundation. We still need it. A house without a foundation will not be stable. However, we don’t keep dwelling only there. We don’t constantly lay that foundation multiple times. We mature in addition to salvation, not in spite of salvation or forgetting that work, but understanding there is more than this. Too, this was also a reminder that the Apostle’s doctrine, prophecy, and Christ as the cornerstone is the foundation (Eph. 2:20). These believers in Jerusalem needed to be sure that they weren’t trying to lay another foundation as they tried to escape persecution.

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Repentance from dead works – this is a really interesting phrase. In ch. 9:14 the author is getting ready to say that Jesus purified our conscience from the works of death or works leading to death. This does not necessarily mean that the works themselves were bad. However, the author is clearly teaching that those works cannot bring life by themselves – they cannot produce righteousness or redemption. They, in themselves, are dead. James is very clear that obedience and surrender will produce good works. However, there must first be an abandoning of self-effort and an acknowledgement that his righteousness alone is sufficient to make us holy. Once we repent of self-effort, then he can produce fruit in us – Paul called this the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians or the fruit of righteousness in Phil. 1:11. And how do we know which one we are producing? One, it is the Spirit’s work – not our self-efforts and two, it is for the glory and praise of God – not our own acknowledgement or convenience.

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However, it’s not just dead works, he actually says we don’t even have to go back over the concept of faith towards God. Now it is important that we keep in mind this is the author who is getting ready to spend a whole chapter talking about the importance of faith as we wait for the fulfilment of God’s promises to us. However, again we don’t stay at the level of salvation – we mature.

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V. 2 – This verse is interesting because depending on which translation you read it may say washings or it may say baptisms. We tend to think of one in connection with the Old Covenant and ceremonial washing – the other we think of as an ordinance that Jesus instituted. The word typically means washing, this is the only time that some translations say baptism. Regardless, it does carry the idea of ceremony and formality. The root word is much closer to that of baptism. Still, these topics he is addressing here are things that were established very early on in church history. Baptism, laying on of hands or anointing for a specific reason, the resurrection that will come for all believers, and judgement. These are the basic ordinances of the church and all, but eternal judgment, actually took place before Jesus left the first time. While we certainly think of these as big things, the author is challenging the church to see them as the beginning. This is the baseline minimum that people should understand and then be able to grow beyond. In the western church, we are satisfied with so much less than he intended for us.

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Also notice that these are ordinances that you can learn facts about without actually experiencing the transformative work of Christ on your behalf. These are wonderful doctrines, but they don’t necessarily help you love your neighbor today. They don’t tell you how to make disciples. They don’t teach you how to deny worldly lusts and push forward to conformity to Christ. They in and of themselves do not produce fruit. They do not make you abide in Christ. Again, they are all wonderful – but they are the simplest principles. Mature beyond this.

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V. 3 – So what is the “this” – it is the maturity. We will move on to maturity if God gives us the time and empowering revelation of the Holy Spirit. We can’t will ourselves into maturity. We can’t produce enough “want to.” This is an act of God through the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us, allows us to rest, and produces the fruit in us. Don’t think that we leave the elementary principles and try really hard – no, we actually move beyond those principles so that we can know God more intimately. Don’t trade the truth of salvation for the lie of self-sanctification.

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V. 4-6 – The Hebrew believers wanted, desperately, to escape persecution and they very conveniently thought that once the persecution died down, they could simply go back to Christ. The author here is highlighting not that this is a possibility – you can’t lose your salvation. He spends enough time talking about the finished and completed work of redemption that we can know that is not what he is arguing for. However, he is demonstrating that their argument was flawed.

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If it was possible to leave, you could not come back. Under no circumstances would Jesus be crucified again. Not only would these people who professed to love Christ (hopefully) not want him to be crucified again, but it would be like the Father saying that his Son’s sacrifice was insufficient. God would never say that to his Son. He was the only perfect sacrifice. He was the only one qualified to step into the role of Messiah.

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Not only that, but the author is reminding these people that if Jesus could somehow die again because his initial sacrifice was insufficient, they have a bigger problem. If his sacrifice was insufficient the first time, it is to their damage – they don’t have a perfect sinless Savior as he has been discussing. There is not even an elementary salvation – the basic foundation – if Jesus’ sacrifice was not sufficient.

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V. 7-8 – This is such an amazing section! The rain falls and the land bears fruit – fruit that lasts. I want us to see three things here. One, the field does not produce the rain. Two, the cultivation is not done by the field. Three, the blessing comes from God. The field is not out there trying hard. The only thing it does is drink the rain – it actually has the idea that the land is thirsty for the rain. The washing of the Word, the sufficiency of Christ, the empowerment of the Spirit, the living water that Jesus promised.

 

The field rests and God brings the increase. It does what comes naturally to it as a field.

However, if the field bears thorns – it is worthless. Notice, the emphasis here is on what the field produces. Cultivated food fit for consumption or thorns. The thorns and thistles will be burned – the works done apart from the Life of Christ and his rain will burn. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 3:12-13 that the one who builds on the correct foundation will reap the rewards of gold, silver, and precious stones. Those who do not, will reap wood hay or stubble. The works of the believer will be judged. The believer or field in this case will not be cast into hell. However, the works will be tested by fire and only the works done through God’s empowering life will endure.

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Too, in this case, if the believers actually tried to go back to Judaism, they would face the wrath of Rome and would quite possibly die a literal physical death when Jerusalem was destroyed. Both fields are cultivated. The soil is prepared. The water falls, but the field itself has to decide what kind of fruit it will produce. Surrender and rest or striving and self-effort?

 

V. 9 – We are sure of better things. Now, if the author was actually sure of these things I don’t know. It is very likely that this person knew the church in Jerusalem very well and was familiar with their faith and the legacy of trust that they had. He may have genuinely been very confident that their faith and salvation were genuine. Regardless, he was choosing to see them as God saw them, not just based on their current behavior. He knew that if they were in Christ, he would complete the work he started. And note that this word "persuaded of" is that of strong confidence or belief. He was sure – because he knew their Savior even if he wasn’t quite sure about them. Also notice that he says things that belong to salvation or accompany salvation. We are confident that you will bear fruit – that you will move past these elementary doctrines. We are confident that you will grasp salvation plus the rest that God has for you.

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V. 10 – They are going through a difficult time, but God hasn’t forgotten them. Just because they were being tried does not mean that God has abandoned them. Trials did not mean that God didn’t care. Also notice that he says God is not unjust. Simply because you are going through a trial that you do not enjoy or you feel is overwhelming/unfair does not make God unjust. It may mean that we have to adjust our definition of just – but God by his very nature is just and holy. He is conforming us to the likeness of his Son. We could almost just stop the verse there. He is not unjust, regardless of our circumstances. Too, these believers, much like us, thought that if they did the right things that God owed them certain benefits. That is not the case. The good works – the fruit are a result of his life in us, not something we do to bribe God into giving us brownie points.

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V. 11 – We, not only the author – but also everyone else who was watching this mother church to see how they would handle this trial. Be faithful. People are watching your testimony. People who have been dying for their faith. People who are facing remarkable trials wanted to see if the faith of these original believers would remain confident until the end. Notice, this is full confidence because true hope is always found in Christ. He is the only one who can sustain in the midst of uncertainty.

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V. 12 – Don’t be sluggish, don’t dawdle, obey today. Be imitators – he is going to cap off this section (ch. 1-11) by talking about the giants of the faith who had gone before them. This is like the one verse summary of Hebrews eleven. This is the teaser trailer. You are facing incredibly difficult circumstances, but you are not the first nor the last that will encounter these challenges. Also, it is important that he mentions Abraham here. Abraham lived before the codified law. He displayed faith and trust in God in the middle of trials and uncertainty. He lived by faith, not sight, and not by ritualistic performative traditions.

Don’t abandon the foundation, but understand there is so much more and that God is the one who brings the fruit.