Spiritual Foundations by Robert Beecham
Introduction
What a tragedy it is when a healthy baby is born into this world, but through malnutrition or disease or some genetic malfunction it fails to grow to a normal adult size, and remains stunted or dwarfed for life. What pain passes through its mother's heart when the expected growth never appears and natural development fails to take place. Sadder still it is to see an adult with a healthy full-grown body whose mind has not developed beyond childhood and who is totally unable to live a normal integrated human life. How the parents suffer as they struggle with all their unfulfilled hopes and dreams that can never be.
What shall we say then of those who experience a spiritual birth, but remain babies or children for life in their spiritual understanding and never grow to the maturity their Heavenly Father desires to see? Is this not a far greater tragedy? The child that might have grown to be an heir in the kingdom of God has never put away the toys of childhood. A throne remains vacant and a kingdom is in disorder.
Three times in the New Testament we find an outcry against those who should have been mature in their faith, but were still in a state of spiritual infancy. Paul told the Corinthians: 'I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babies in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly' (1 Cor 3:1-3). Paul wrote this, we may note in passing, to people who were exercising spiritual gifts. In the previous chapter he had written briefly about the hidden mysteries and deep things of God which he might have gone on to expound, but he stops like an adult who realises his thoughts will be incomprehensible to childish minds and turns to matters they can understand.
In the letter to the Hebrews - probably from a different writer - we find similar thoughts: 'For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil' (Heb 5:12-14). The writer had wanted to expound the mysteries of the Melchizedek priesthood, but he feared that was beyond his readers' understanding. How could they understand deep spiritual truth if their foundations were not properly laid? He went on in the subsequent verses to describe the foundations.
Jesus encountered the same problem when explaining spiritual birth to Nicodemus. 'Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? ... If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?' John 3:10,12. Nicodemus had seen signs and miracles, and recognised Jesus as a teacher from God, but though himself a teacher in Israel he had not yet even begun a real spiritual life. To his own young disciples it was obvious that Jesus must begin with the simple truths, but with this teacher of Israel could he not share the mysteries of the kingdom of his Father in which his own heart delighted? Alas, he knew all too well it could not be done. There was no foundation; there was nothing. He must begin at the very beginning with this teacher-turned-pupil.
Would Paul meet the same problem today, if he wanted to teach the deep things of God? Would he feel like a maths professor whose students did not know their tables? or a lecturer in Greek whose pupils did not know the alphabet? I believe Paul would face worse incomprehension now than he did then! If he were to come to us and expound the scriptures for an hour or two or share something of his revelations of God, I fancy there would be a polite, but embarrassed pause when he finished, followed by a flood of questions about his missionary journeys. How many converts were there in each town and what miracles took place? What opposition did he face and what missionary methods did he think we should use today? Why did he think there was a decline in church-going and what were his views on eschatology, the charismatic movement, capital punishment, divorce, abortion and a hundred other social-religious questions? He would need to lay again the foundations of a true life in Christ.
What then are the foundations of a spiritual life? In this writing I will examine the foundations described in Hebrews chapter 6, verses 1 and 2 which read as follows:
'Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead actions and of faith towards God, of instruction about baptisms, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.'
In these verses there are six spiritual principles which must be built into our lives. Many people make the mistake of imagining that these are six doctrines that we must grasp with our minds. If that were so a one-week course for a person of average intelligence would easily be sufficient to lay a sound foundation, and our problems would soon be finished. We are not dealing with information for the mind, but vital spiritual principles upon which our lives must be built. We need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit if we are to see the realities behind the words and apply them with transforming effect to our lives.
These six spiritual principles are in fact related to and dependent upon each other, but we will now take them one by one and consider their implications individually.
Repentance From Dead Actions
The first recorded teaching of both Jesus and John the Baptist in Matthew's gospel is 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Repentance was not a new concept, but one which had characterised the teaching of the prophets down the ages. It is the first necessity in relationship with God. We cannot continue in sin and expect to know God, because God's holy nature is totally opposed to it. There are two vital ingredients that make up repentance. The first is reflected in the Hebrew word 'nicham' whose root meaning is to grieve. It is related to the word meaning to groan. Repentance means sorrow for ones sin. The Greek word 'metanoeo' gives us the other ingredient which is change of mind. We see our sin in a completely new light. Our attitude to it is totally changed. We set our mind in a new direction.
We must notice that our text says dead actions rather than bad actions. It should be obvious that we must repent of all that is evil. It is true also that we must repent of that which is dead. The distinction is of vital importance. There can be a multitude of activities in our lives that spring from such motives as guilt, selfish ambition, empty tradition and bondage to other people. Almost any action that outwardly appears good can spring from these or similar corrupt inward sources. Such activities will be dead. They may include prayer, Bible study, evangelism, fellowship meetings, fasting, giving ones possessions; but if they proceed from the flesh they will still be dead. No matter how good the outward appearance we must repent of such things if we want to go on with God.
'The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace' (Rom 8:6). That which proceeds from the Spirit of God is alive; that which comes from human initiative is dead. If we want to live in the realm of God's Spirit, we must repent of and turn away from many things which are not directly wrong, but are just human in origin. We must allow the Spirit of God to search our lives and show us what is dead and what is alive, what comes from Him and what comes just from ourselves.
Faith Towards God
The second element in a true spiritual foundation is faith towards God. This faith is closely linked with the repentance from dead works which we have just considered. It is the positive side of the same coin. The opening words of Jesus in Mark's gospel are: 'Repent and believe in the gospel'. Repentance and faith must go hand in land. Many people take the initial step of believing in Jesus for salvation, but are then frightened to take the step of leaving their dead actions. They fear that if they leave the realm of fleshly human activity there will be nothing to take its place. They want something the natural eye can see. The problem is unbelief. They believe in God as far as salvation is concerned, and maybe also for some of their practical needs; but not with regard to their spiritual life. For that they prefer something their eye can see, even if in their hearts they know it is dead.
Later in the book of Hebrews we have the Bible's most explicit chapter on faith. As we read through chapter 11, we find each person acting not on what his eyes could see, but on what God had said to him. They had faith in God. 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen' (Heb 11:1). We have a catalogue of people who were pleasing to God. Much of what they did may not seem particularly virtuous if we analyse it. Noah built a large boat to save himself and his family. Abraham left his home city to live a nomadic life. Why was God so pleased? The reason is that these people acted on his initiative. They heard his voice and had faith to believe and obey. They were prepared to build their lives, not on their own wisdom, scheming and planning, nor in imitation of the lives of others around them, but on what God said to them. Humanly speaking they risked all, but they had faith and believed what God had said to them. Noah might have used his energies to build himself a castle. It would have seemed safer and more sensible than a boat, but it would hive been a dead action springing from himself, and it would have lead to both physical and spiritual death. Instead he had faith and built the ark and lived.
The essence of faith is hearing and obeying the word of God and building your life on what God has said to you. This may bring you into conflict with your religious background, your family upbringing, your personal ambitions, the desires of your flesh, the state of your pocket, the advice of your friends, and many other things beside. But faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).
Introduction
What a tragedy it is when a healthy baby is born into this world, but through malnutrition or disease or some genetic malfunction it fails to grow to a normal adult size, and remains stunted or dwarfed for life. What pain passes through its mother's heart when the expected growth never appears and natural development fails to take place. Sadder still it is to see an adult with a healthy full-grown body whose mind has not developed beyond childhood and who is totally unable to live a normal integrated human life. How the parents suffer as they struggle with all their unfulfilled hopes and dreams that can never be.
What shall we say then of those who experience a spiritual birth, but remain babies or children for life in their spiritual understanding and never grow to the maturity their Heavenly Father desires to see? Is this not a far greater tragedy? The child that might have grown to be an heir in the kingdom of God has never put away the toys of childhood. A throne remains vacant and a kingdom is in disorder.
Three times in the New Testament we find an outcry against those who should have been mature in their faith, but were still in a state of spiritual infancy. Paul told the Corinthians: 'I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babies in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly' (1 Cor 3:1-3). Paul wrote this, we may note in passing, to people who were exercising spiritual gifts. In the previous chapter he had written briefly about the hidden mysteries and deep things of God which he might have gone on to expound, but he stops like an adult who realises his thoughts will be incomprehensible to childish minds and turns to matters they can understand.
In the letter to the Hebrews - probably from a different writer - we find similar thoughts: 'For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil' (Heb 5:12-14). The writer had wanted to expound the mysteries of the Melchizedek priesthood, but he feared that was beyond his readers' understanding. How could they understand deep spiritual truth if their foundations were not properly laid? He went on in the subsequent verses to describe the foundations.
Jesus encountered the same problem when explaining spiritual birth to Nicodemus. 'Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? ... If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?' John 3:10,12. Nicodemus had seen signs and miracles, and recognised Jesus as a teacher from God, but though himself a teacher in Israel he had not yet even begun a real spiritual life. To his own young disciples it was obvious that Jesus must begin with the simple truths, but with this teacher of Israel could he not share the mysteries of the kingdom of his Father in which his own heart delighted? Alas, he knew all too well it could not be done. There was no foundation; there was nothing. He must begin at the very beginning with this teacher-turned-pupil.
Would Paul meet the same problem today, if he wanted to teach the deep things of God? Would he feel like a maths professor whose students did not know their tables? or a lecturer in Greek whose pupils did not know the alphabet? I believe Paul would face worse incomprehension now than he did then! If he were to come to us and expound the scriptures for an hour or two or share something of his revelations of God, I fancy there would be a polite, but embarrassed pause when he finished, followed by a flood of questions about his missionary journeys. How many converts were there in each town and what miracles took place? What opposition did he face and what missionary methods did he think we should use today? Why did he think there was a decline in church-going and what were his views on eschatology, the charismatic movement, capital punishment, divorce, abortion and a hundred other social-religious questions? He would need to lay again the foundations of a true life in Christ.
What then are the foundations of a spiritual life? In this writing I will examine the foundations described in Hebrews chapter 6, verses 1 and 2 which read as follows:
'Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead actions and of faith towards God, of instruction about baptisms, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.'
In these verses there are six spiritual principles which must be built into our lives. Many people make the mistake of imagining that these are six doctrines that we must grasp with our minds. If that were so a one-week course for a person of average intelligence would easily be sufficient to lay a sound foundation, and our problems would soon be finished. We are not dealing with information for the mind, but vital spiritual principles upon which our lives must be built. We need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit if we are to see the realities behind the words and apply them with transforming effect to our lives.
These six spiritual principles are in fact related to and dependent upon each other, but we will now take them one by one and consider their implications individually.
Repentance From Dead Actions
The first recorded teaching of both Jesus and John the Baptist in Matthew's gospel is 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Repentance was not a new concept, but one which had characterised the teaching of the prophets down the ages. It is the first necessity in relationship with God. We cannot continue in sin and expect to know God, because God's holy nature is totally opposed to it. There are two vital ingredients that make up repentance. The first is reflected in the Hebrew word 'nicham' whose root meaning is to grieve. It is related to the word meaning to groan. Repentance means sorrow for ones sin. The Greek word 'metanoeo' gives us the other ingredient which is change of mind. We see our sin in a completely new light. Our attitude to it is totally changed. We set our mind in a new direction.
We must notice that our text says dead actions rather than bad actions. It should be obvious that we must repent of all that is evil. It is true also that we must repent of that which is dead. The distinction is of vital importance. There can be a multitude of activities in our lives that spring from such motives as guilt, selfish ambition, empty tradition and bondage to other people. Almost any action that outwardly appears good can spring from these or similar corrupt inward sources. Such activities will be dead. They may include prayer, Bible study, evangelism, fellowship meetings, fasting, giving ones possessions; but if they proceed from the flesh they will still be dead. No matter how good the outward appearance we must repent of such things if we want to go on with God.
'The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace' (Rom 8:6). That which proceeds from the Spirit of God is alive; that which comes from human initiative is dead. If we want to live in the realm of God's Spirit, we must repent of and turn away from many things which are not directly wrong, but are just human in origin. We must allow the Spirit of God to search our lives and show us what is dead and what is alive, what comes from Him and what comes just from ourselves.
Faith Towards God
The second element in a true spiritual foundation is faith towards God. This faith is closely linked with the repentance from dead works which we have just considered. It is the positive side of the same coin. The opening words of Jesus in Mark's gospel are: 'Repent and believe in the gospel'. Repentance and faith must go hand in land. Many people take the initial step of believing in Jesus for salvation, but are then frightened to take the step of leaving their dead actions. They fear that if they leave the realm of fleshly human activity there will be nothing to take its place. They want something the natural eye can see. The problem is unbelief. They believe in God as far as salvation is concerned, and maybe also for some of their practical needs; but not with regard to their spiritual life. For that they prefer something their eye can see, even if in their hearts they know it is dead.
Later in the book of Hebrews we have the Bible's most explicit chapter on faith. As we read through chapter 11, we find each person acting not on what his eyes could see, but on what God had said to him. They had faith in God. 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen' (Heb 11:1). We have a catalogue of people who were pleasing to God. Much of what they did may not seem particularly virtuous if we analyse it. Noah built a large boat to save himself and his family. Abraham left his home city to live a nomadic life. Why was God so pleased? The reason is that these people acted on his initiative. They heard his voice and had faith to believe and obey. They were prepared to build their lives, not on their own wisdom, scheming and planning, nor in imitation of the lives of others around them, but on what God said to them. Humanly speaking they risked all, but they had faith and believed what God had said to them. Noah might have used his energies to build himself a castle. It would have seemed safer and more sensible than a boat, but it would hive been a dead action springing from himself, and it would have lead to both physical and spiritual death. Instead he had faith and built the ark and lived.
The essence of faith is hearing and obeying the word of God and building your life on what God has said to you. This may bring you into conflict with your religious background, your family upbringing, your personal ambitions, the desires of your flesh, the state of your pocket, the advice of your friends, and many other things beside. But faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).
