If a man leaves the principles of the doctrine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? Heb 6:1?

Question

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." (Heb 6:1.)

If a man leaves the principles of the doctrine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? Isn't this a contradiction? I can't believe that by leaving the doctrine of Christ we can move on to perfection.

Shouldn't it be rendered: "Therefore NOT leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection"?

Thank you Father K. I have just looked up the Greek and it makes much more sense...'GR having left behind the beginning of the doctrine.' I can understand this. Thank you. Sorry everyone.

Answer 1

Perfection in that context is not salvation.

Perfection in that context is learning and growing in the Word of God. It is growing in the Word for the already saved.

Milk is the basics of the faith. New believers need milk, and older believers need to be reminded of it. But to mature as a Christian, we need meat. Hebrews teaches a lot of meat, such as, the meat that teaches that Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchezidek. That may sound complicated, but a study of Hebrews and Genesis where Melchezidek appears, makes it clear.

Answer 2

The right interpretation of those verses is not that we are leaving Christ, But we are growing in Christ, & we should not everyday stay on the subject of how to be saved or how to be baptized, We don't do away with those doctrines, but we don't just stay there all your life, You have to grow in God everyday, & come off the milk of the word & get on the meat of the word. Unto a perfect man. Now read Eph. 4:11-17 & see how to grow into perfection. If you got saved last night & 10 yrs. later all you are hearing is how to get save, you are not growing, You need to learn to grow & eat Fresh meat in due season. Therefore we leave that teaching of how to be save & go onto other teachings in God's word.

Answer 3

I find Hebrews one of the most challenging in the New Testament but in this case it is possible that 'principles' is not a good translation. The word 'arche' is normally translated beginning (cf archeology) and the word 'teleio' completion can have the meaning of maturity so the sentence becomes 'leaving the beginnings of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity' which makes much more sense in the context. The writer is encouraging people to move on from their initial position in the faith to a more mature/complete position

Answer 4

Read the context please!

In Chapter 5, Paul takes the congregation to task. He says in verse 12: "For indeed, although you out to be teachers in view of the time, you again need someone to explain from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronoucements of God, and you have become such as need mil, not solid food." In verse 14 he continues "But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptives powers trained to distinguish right from wrong.

Chapter 6:1 is a continuation of that. He is now telling them to leave the principles ... the basics ... behind and move on to the deeper things of God so that they could attain perfection. This is seen in the fact that the same verse says "let us press on to maturity, not laying down a foundation again".

Answer 5

In the context, the author is not talking about "deserting" the principles of Christ, but about "moving beyond" the elementary teaching and on to perfection. we are to leave those behind so we can go on to more.

Answer 6

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment" NASB

God wants you to leave the elementary principles of Christ -- to leave, (not abandon), the elementary principles about Christ. He wants you to progress beyond them.

A much better rendering. You will always have trouble when you take Scripture out of context.

Answer 7

I believe he was speaking to the ministers of the word in regard to persistently reminding those who rejected the doctrine over and over again Christ's doctrine. They have accepted and then rejected. Let the ministers go on to perfection and leave the thorns to work it out for themselves.

Answer 8

We strive for perfection and if we fail we have repentance
and forgiveness. We get up and dust ourselves off and go on to strive for perfection. But the key is that no one is perfect
we can strive all we want but we will never be perfect
Jesus was the only perfect one.

Answer 9

We have to take this in context of the WHOLE CHAPTER:

Hebrews 6 (New International Version)

1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.

4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because[b]to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The Certainty of God's Promise
13When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."[c] 15And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.


pay articular attention to verse 10, & 17-20

God IS unchanging!

though we MAY grieve Him, His love for us DOESN'T change!

That's a truth we Can hold on to, as we see here:

2 Timothy 2:13 (New International Version)

13if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

Answer 10

Great, one more guy who wants to correct one of Gods mistakes in the bible.

Love and blessings Don