"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit." Hebrews 6:1-3

Now what is it then that the Apostle instructs these slothful students of the scriptures to do? Leave! Leave off with the picture. Verses 1-3 of Hebrews 6 is a reference to the old testament principles pointing at Christ in the dead works of sacrificial offerings. Dead works in that they had no saving virtue in them.

David a man of Faith was raised above the carnal ordinance of sacrifices to see what was acceptable with GOD. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but the blood of Jesus Christ without spot and blemish. "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 50:16-17).

And this speaks first of that humble servant who was meek and lonely of heart. Jesus Christ his heart, his work and his brokenness alone is accepted with the Father. I suggest that you give that heart to GOD if ever you shall be heard of him. This too is the only way your guilty sin stained conscience can be free of the condemnation of the Law. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:13-14).

Do you see it? It takes the same GOD that places the burden of guilt upon the condemned sinners conscience by the Law, to remove it by the proper and acceptable sacrifice. The blood of his son, to be brought to GOD by Faith alone. David knew that the mere ritual and formality of orthodox worship was not acceptable with GOD. His heart still condemned him. GOD was greater than his heart, and pressed out of his servant this eternal truth, sacrifices and offerings thou wouldst not. True repentance is a work of Grace, not a work of the Law. Real genuine repentance is exactly what Faith in Christ does. Turn you from the futility and emptiness of works to serve the true and the living GOD.

The Apostle here warns the Hebrews and todays Hebrews that Moses is dead. He died in the wilderness along with Aaron and Miriam, and is vanishing away in the Faith eye of those who see Jesus Christ only. Faith toward God is what the carnal ordinances tutored, as one was to look beyond the type, the ceremony to the promise that is conveyed. But men, as it was then also now stumble at the sign. There is no efficacy in signs, no power. The stop sign calls for one to stop. It however, can not stop the person that refuses to yield and the consequences are too frequently evident. So too, sacrifices and washings, are of themselves dead, and possess no sacramental virtues as alleged by the catholics and some branches of reformed theology.

Verse 2 of the doctrine of Baptisms, laying on of hands, and of resurrection from the dead. These are old testament ceremonies. Baptism? Yes. The priests were called to constant washings of complete oblation in order to prepare to minister in the temple. "And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water." (Exodus 29:4). This was no sprinkling. It was a thorough bathing. The same word is used for what Bathsheba was doing when David viewed her. "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon." (2 Samuel 11:2). Also that leper, who signified a totally depraved sinner, was to wash completely in order to be considered cleansed. "And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days." (Leviticus 14:8). Again, "And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even." (Leviticus 15:16).

To follow these commands of washings in the old testament is to see the extent to which the Israelites were to regard cleansing, signifying once again, their depravity. So it was that the Pharisee’s were obsessed with washing. They washed their hands off continually and rigorously. They bathed totally (immersed) when they came from the market place. "For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables." (Mark 7:3-4). They took these external cleansings so far as to question our LORD’S holiness because he ate with sinners, who touched him also. "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." (Luke 7:39). By cleaving to the sign they missed the substance. By holding to the picture they rejected the person.

Laying on of hands, was done to all sin offerings. It represented the transfer of sins. It taught the doctrine of substitution, pointing to the vicarious substitutionary work of Jesus Christ on the behalf of guilty sinners. "And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:" (Leviticus 16:21). Christ here is the scape goat. The fit man – that is the redeemer who takes away our sin, is Christ also.

Also laying on of hands was to install and, confer authority upon office bearers. "And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;" (Numbers 27:18). Also the laying on of hands signified condemnation and death. The one upon whom the hand would be laid was subject to punishment. "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him." (Leviticus 24:14).

That the old testament taught the doctrine of the resurrection is seen also in the ceremony. "Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:" (Leviticus 14:4-17).

The two birds in our account stand as representatives of that leper, who was as a dead man. His condemnation was seen in the death of the one bird, and his resurrection is seen in the bird that was let loose and free in the open field. The cleansing of this leper signified the work of grace accomplished at Calvary for the elect, whom Christ, signified by the bird that was killed over running water. The bird and the running water pointing to the fact that Christ the lamb slain, the sacrifice was under divine appointment. The living bird was the risen LORD and the leper. Who also has risen from the dead with Christ, now free from the bondage of his sins. This is free Grace, that totally frees the sinner from his sin. The articles in this ordinance of cleansing should have brought great joy to the leper if he could recognize what it signified for him in Christ.

Of eternal judgment, it is plain that every death of every sacrifice pointed at the penalty of sin. Death was a constant reality in the sacrifice of bullocks, heifers and goats as they were slaughtered in the atonement of sin. The wages of sin is death.

You see all these were clearly set forth and taught in the old testament, and they were the first principle of the doctrines of Christ. But we must leave the first principles of the old covenant tutor to embrace the perfection of the gospel, Jesus Christ. And the one skillful in the word of righteousness must abandon all of these pictures and point directly at Jesus Christ, just as John the baptist did when Christ was revealed to him.

Now what is it then that the Apostle instructs these slothful students of the scriptures to do? Leave! Leave off with the picture. Verses 1-3 of Hebrews 6 is a reference to the old testament principles pointing at Christ in the dead works of sacrificial offerings. Dead works in that they had no saving virtue in them.

David a man of Faith was raised above the carnal ordinance of sacrifices to see what was acceptable with GOD. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but the blood of Jesus Christ without spot and blemish. "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 50:16-17).

And this speaks first of that humble servant who was meek and lonely of heart. Jesus Christ his heart, his work and his brokenness alone is accepted with the Father. I suggest that you give that heart to GOD if ever you shall be heard of him. This too is the only way your guilty sin stained conscience can be free of the condemnation of the Law. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:13-14).

Do you see it? It takes the same GOD that places the burden of guilt upon the condemned sinners conscience by the Law, to remove it by the proper and acceptable sacrifice. The blood of his son, to be brought to GOD by Faith alone. David knew that the mere ritual and formality of orthodox worship was not acceptable with GOD. His heart still condemned him. GOD was greater than his heart, and pressed out of his servant this eternal truth, sacrifices and offerings thou wouldst not. True repentance is a work of Grace, not a work of the Law. Real genuine repentance is exactly what Faith in Christ does. Turn you from the futility and emptiness of works to serve the true and the living GOD.

The Apostle here warns the Hebrews and todays Hebrews that Moses is dead. He died in the wilderness along with Aaron and Miriam, and is vanishing away in the Faith eye of those who see Jesus Christ only. Faith toward God is what the carnal ordinances tutored, as one was to look beyond the type, the ceremony to the promise that is conveyed. But men, as it was then also now stumble at the sign. There is no efficacy in signs, no power. The stop sign calls for one to stop. It however, can not stop the person that refuses to yield and the consequences are too frequently evident. So too, sacrifices and washings, are of themselves dead, and possess no sacramental virtues as alleged by the catholics and some branches of reformed theology.

Verse 2 of the doctrine of Baptisms, laying on of hands, and of resurrection from the dead. These are old testament ceremonies. Baptism? Yes. The priests were called to constant washings of complete oblation in order to prepare to minister in the temple. "And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water." (Exodus 29:4). This was no sprinkling. It was a thorough bathing. The same word is used for what Bathsheba was doing when David viewed her. "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon." (2 Samuel 11:2). Also that leper, who signified a totally depraved sinner, was to wash completely in order to be considered cleansed. "And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days." (Leviticus 14:8). Again, "And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even." (Leviticus 15:16).

To follow these commands of washings in the old testament is to see the extent to which the Israelites were to regard cleansing, signifying once again, their depravity. So it was that the Pharisee’s were obsessed with washing. They washed their hands off continually and rigorously. They bathed totally (immersed) when they came from the market place. "For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables." (Mark 7:3-4). They took these external cleansings so far as to question our LORD’S holiness because he ate with sinners, who touched him also. "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." (Luke 7:39). By cleaving to the sign they missed the substance. By holding to the picture they rejected the person.

Laying on of hands, was done to all sin offerings. It represented the transfer of sins. It taught the doctrine of substitution, pointing to the vicarious substitutionary work of Jesus Christ on the behalf of guilty sinners. "And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:" (Leviticus 16:21). Christ here is the scape goat. The fit man – that is the redeemer who takes away our sin, is Christ also.

Also laying on of hands was to install and, confer authority upon office bearers. "And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;" (Numbers 27:18). Also the laying on of hands signified condemnation and death. The one upon whom the hand would be laid was subject to punishment. "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him." (Leviticus 24:14).

That the old testament taught the doctrine of the resurrection is seen also in the ceremony. "Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:" (Leviticus 14:4-17).

The two birds in our account stand as representatives of that leper, who was as a dead man. His condemnation was seen in the death of the one bird, and his resurrection is seen in the bird that was let loose and free in the open field. The cleansing of this leper signified the work of grace accomplished at Calvary for the elect, whom Christ, signified by the bird that was killed over running water. The bird and the running water pointing to the fact that Christ the lamb slain, the sacrifice was under divine appointment. The living bird was the risen LORD and the leper. Who also has risen from the dead with Christ, now free from the bondage of his sins. This is free Grace, that totally frees the sinner from his sin. The articles in this ordinance of cleansing should have brought great joy to the leper if he could recognize what it signified for him in Christ.

Of eternal judgment, it is plain that every death of every sacrifice pointed at the penalty of sin. Death was a constant reality in the sacrifice of bullocks, heifers and goats as they were slaughtered in the atonement of sin. The wages of sin is death.

You see all these were clearly set forth and taught in the old testament, and they were the first principle of the doctrines of Christ. But we must leave the first principles of the old covenant tutor to embrace the perfection of the gospel, Jesus Christ. And the one skillful in the word of righteousness must abandon all of these pictures and point directly at Jesus Christ, just as John the baptist did when Christ was revealed to him.