Are we? Are we leaving behind or standing still or moving forward? I suspect I should ask whether or not we want to grow, to become mature? Is where we are ‘comfortable’ and not requiring (that we know of) anything from us? Becoming a Christian is not meant as a stand still, no need to move. ‘New Christian’ is not an unending status.
“Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.] ” Hebrews 6:1-2, AMP)
And what does this mean? How do we advance on to maturity? I would suggest that the mindset, the attitude can be seen in Paul’s words in Philippians 3:12-16
“Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on [a]so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us stay true to what we have already attained.”
Wow! Those verses are very meaty. A challenge? An opportunity? However you choose to look at these verses – they are the direction. Simultaneously, the opening words, for me, is the comfort in growing (which can be incredibly difficult at times) – ‘not that I have already obtained it’. It is a process not an instantaneous.
Perhaps the first step is to stop and consider where we are right now. How are we progressing? I believe the answer begins with John 15:4 when Jesus tells us to abide in Him and let His words abide in us. One of the keys of progressing is found in verse 5: “…neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain (abide) in Me”. Until we understand what our part is, how we are to be and do, we are somewhat direction-less. Where to turn? What to do? And what does Jesus mean by remain/abide? Partly this is how you define those words… what they tell you about who you are.
Also I believe the final sentence in this verse gives us our starting point and our foundation – “Only let us stay true to what we have already attained.” It’s not necessary to continually reinvent the wheel when it is right there with us. Build on that wheel! Hebrews tells us to ‘get past’ where we are and continue to move on. It doesn’t tell us that it will be a walk in the park, but it tells us what we DO know and that we should press onward to the upward call in Christ. This, to me, means that Jesus is with us in this process… He is our High Priest who knows what we are feeling and thinking and He will help us. Therefore… it’s up to us to leave behind and actively press on. If we weren’t able to – we never would be asked to.
