Hebrews: Pressing on to Maturity
Hebrews 6:1-3 - Are you comfortable in kindergarten or have you moved on to graduate level courses in fulfilling and applying your faith?
“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, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits.”
Hebrews 6:1-3 NASB1995
Another unfortunate chapter break separates the warning that began to the believers who were thinking of jumping ship at the end of Hebrews chapter 5 and its continuation in Chapter 6 (“therefore”). The author of Hebrews acknowledges that they are stuck in the early stages of learning about their faith but he wants to press on from elementary knowledge of the foundations of the faith to a personal commitment to these precepts, indicating maturity. I thought the photo I picked for the top was appropriate. A young child is learning something fundamental to his early knowledge from an older man (perhaps his grandfather, who appears to be a professor), while the board behind them is filled with esoteric equations from a much more sophisticated and mature educational course (perhaps in organic chemistry or calculus). The early arithmetic of the child, if he so pursues it, turns into the God-created applications to physics, chemistry and engineering.
We know the foundation of repentance, faith toward God, instructions about washings (other translations have baptisms) and laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. But how do we apply it? Ray Stedman, quoted in Precept Austin, has a good commentary on “knowing” versus acting (holding added by Precept Austin):
Life presents a thousand examples of the need to act on knowledge before any benefit is received. It is not enough to know a telephone number; if you want to talk to someone, you must dial the number. It is not enough to know the price of an object; if you want it, you must pay that price. It is not enough to know where India is; if you want to see it, you must go there. So it should not seem strange that the writer of Hebrews insists that to know Jesus you must receive Him by faith and obey His teaching. The unfortunate chapter division at this point tends to minimize the opening Therefore of chapter 6. Our author does not propose to teach his readers again the elementary truths of God’s word though he has told them their dullness seems to require it. They already know the teaching; what they need now is personal commitment to it. This can only be achieved by going on to those actions of faith that produce maturity.
For this reason he urges them to leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on from words to applications. Elementary teachings is not a reference to regeneration, but means introductory information that could lead to regeneration… These transitional truths lead from Jewish beliefs and practices to a full sharing in Christ. Though Bruce takes them as a Jewish list and others as Christian, the truth is they are both, as Bruce concedes that each “acquires a new significance in a Christian context” (1964:112). The point is that they do not represent anything but the barest beginnings of Christian faith. It is necessary to go from the knowledge of these initial truths to experiences which actually draw upon the priestly ministry of Jesus for this is what would lead them from head knowledge to heart response. (Hebrews 6:1-20 Repentance Can Be Impossible!)
The “Bruce” being cited in this commentary is F.F. Bruce.
C.S. Lewis says it succinctly, also found in Precept Austin:
It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.
Have you ever traveled to some of the lesser-developed countries in the world (I think the term used to be “third world countries”)? We have seen places with unfinished buildings just like the one in the photo. Sometimes the unfinished buildings looked to be decades old. Perhaps the money ran out or the contractors ran away or people just gave up through inertia. They have not gone beyond those foundations to a usable living space.
I also found this great commentary by Bruce Hurt on Precept Austin on looking at the fundamentals of Christian belief versus moving into maturity in Christ:
1. Construction Foundation vs. Superstructure
Imagine a construction site where workers have poured the foundation of a building—but instead of ever building walls or raising a roof, they just keep re-digging and pouring the same foundation over and over. Neighbors drive by and wonder, “When will that house ever be built?”
👉 This illustrates Christians who never move beyond the basics of salvation, continually circling around initial truths but failing to grow into maturity in Christ.2. School Progression
Think of a student who learns the alphabet in kindergarten. By second grade, he still refuses to move on—he proudly chants his ABCs every day while others are reading books, solving math, and writing essays.
👉 Spiritually, Hebrews 6:1 calls us not to remain in kindergarten faith, but to “graduate” into maturity by pressing on in the deeper truths of Christ.3. Athlete Stuck in Training Drills
An athlete keeps practicing basic warm-ups—stretching, jogging in place, simple ball drills—but never moves on to competitive play. He avoids the actual game because it feels harder and riskier.
👉 Some believers stay content with only the basics of repentance and faith, never exercising their faith in service, sacrifice, or deeper obedience.4. Child Refusing to Grow
A child who refuses to eat solid food, demanding only milk, will remain weak and stunted. Imagine a teenager still drinking from a bottle, never developing the strength to live as an adult.
👉 In the same way, Hebrews 6:1 urges believers to stop being spiritual infants and to embrace solid food—truths that stretch and strengthen us.5. Traveler Who Never Leaves the Starting Line
Picture a pilgrim who laces up his boots and stands at the starting line of a long, glorious journey. But instead of stepping forward, he just stays there, admiring his boots and talking about his plans.
👉 Repentance and faith are the starting line, but God calls us to press forward into maturity, walking the path of deeper discipleship.6. Musician Who Never Moves Past Scales
Imagine a pianist who spends years practicing only the C-major scale. He refuses to try chords, songs, or compositions. While the scales are essential at the beginning, they were never meant to be the end.
👉 In the same way, repentance and faith are foundational scales—but we are meant to play the full symphony of maturity in Christ.7. Tree Root Without Growth
A gardener plants a seed. The roots take hold, but year after year, the tree never grows upward—it just remains a stub in the ground.
👉 Roots (repentance and faith) are vital, but their purpose is to support growth upward toward fruit-bearing maturity.8. Employee Always in Training
A new worker is given orientation—safety rules, company values, basic procedures. But after five years, he’s still sitting in the orientation class, never actually doing the job he was hired for.
👉 The Christian life begins with foundational training, but it must move into real-world obedience and service.9. Traveler Who Only Studies the Map
A man sets out to explore a beautiful land. He studies the map intently, memorizes landmarks, and even teaches others how to read it—but he never actually steps onto the road.
👉 Many believers love studying the ABCs of the gospel but never actually “press on” into the journey of discipleship.10. Athlete Who Never Leaves the Locker Room
Picture a runner who warms up in the locker room but never sets foot on the track. He is dressed, prepared, and capable, yet he never engages in the actual race.
👉 Hebrews 6:1 calls us to move out of the locker room of basic repentance and into the race of faith and endurance.11. Child Who Refuses to Graduate
A student refuses to move past the first grade because it feels safe and comfortable. He knows the lessons and enjoys the routine—but he never matures into adulthood, never takes responsibility, never learns deeper wisdom.
👉 In the same way, Christians who linger only at the beginning of faith never experience the fullness of maturity in Christ.12. House with Only a Basement
Imagine a family moving into a new home. The builder poured a beautiful concrete foundation, but they never add walls, windows, or a roof. They live in a cold, unfinished basement year after year.
👉 Repentance and faith are the foundation—but God intends us to build the full house of maturity.
Where are you in your faith journey? Are you still pouring the foundations after years of dutifully going to church and occasionally reading the Bible and tossing a few coins in the offering box? Or are you maturing and blossoming and growing and moving into the race of your eternal life? These are very good questions to ask yourself. I’ll end this with a couple of key observations from Enduring Word on this passage:
d. The foundation: In this case, the elementary principles to move beyond are all items in a common ground of belief between Christianity and Judaism. This was a safe common ground for these discouraged Jewish Christians to retreat back to.
i. Because Christianity did grow out of Judaism, it was a more subtle temptation for a Jewish Christian to slip back into Judaism than it was for a formerly pagan Christian to go back to his pagan ways. “Part of the problem facing the Hebrews was the superficial similarity between the elementary tenets of Christianity and those of Judaism, which made it possible for Christian Jews to think they could hold on to both.” (Guthrie)
ii. Of course, these Jewish Christians did not want to abandon religion, but they did want to make it less distinctively Christian. Therefore, they went back to this common ground to avoid persecution. Living in this comfortable common ground, one did not stick out so much. A Jew and a Christian together could say, “Let’s repent, let’s have faith, let’s perform ceremonial washings,” and so forth. This was a subtle yet certain denial of Jesus.
iii. This is entirely characteristic of those who feel discouraged, and wish to give up. There is always the temptation to still be religious, but not so fanatical about Jesus.
…
And this we will do if God permits.
a. If God permits: This should not be taken as implying that God may not want them to go on to maturity, past those basics common to Christianity and Judaism.
b. If God permits: Instead, this expresses the believers’ complete dependence on God. If we do press on to maturity, we realize that it only happens at God’s pleasure.
We are completely dependent on God for this journey to maturity but we must be willing to get off the bench and start running under His grace.
My next devotional examines Hebrews 6:4-8 - The danger of falling away. Personal note: This will be a very interesting devotional as I contend with the fact that I “fell away” (or thought I did) for a number of years. I pray that I am guided to a place of grace and rest through Him who rescued me as I prepare to study and write.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please help me to continue to move past the starting line on my faith journey. I think the devotional studies that I have done have brought me at least into the first 1/4 mile of a long track to my sanctification. Thank you for inspiring me! Amen.
Credits and Citations:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org
Precept Austin was accessed on 11/22/2025 to review commentary for Hebrews 6:1-3
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com
Within the Enduring Word Commentary:
Guthrie, Donald Hebrews (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1983)