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leaving the foundation

Hebrews 6:1-12 (JDV)

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, let us let go of the first word about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith focused on God,
Hebrews 6:2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead ones, and permanent judgment.
Hebrews 6:3 And we will do this if God permits.
Hebrews 6:4 You see, it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the sky gift, who share in the Sacred Breath,
Hebrews 6:5 who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age,
Hebrews 6:6 and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews 6:7 You see, the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.
Hebrews 6:8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.
Hebrews 6:9 Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation.
Hebrews 6:10 You see, God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the care you demonstrated for his name by serving the devotees – and by continuing to serve them.
Hebrews 6:11 Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end,
Hebrews 6:12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

leaving the foundation

A. B. Bruce’s insight helps clarify what Hebrews means when it urges believers to “leave the elementary teachings” and press on to maturity. The language can sound as though the foundational truths of the faith are being abandoned, but that is not the writer’s intention. Bruce explains that these foundational principles function like the base of a building. A builder does not reject or discard the foundation once it is laid. The foundation remains essential, permanent, and indispensable. But a builder does not linger at the foundation indefinitely. The purpose of a foundation is to support something greater. It is meant to be built upon.

In this sense, “leaving” the foundational principles means moving beyond the earliest stage of Christian experience—repentance, faith, cleansing, and the basic doctrines that first brought a person into the life of Christ. These truths remain precious and necessary, but they are not the whole structure. A life that continually circles back to the beginning, never advancing into deeper obedience, richer understanding, or fuller devotion, becomes a Christianity that is stationary and unprogressive. Bruce notes that such a pattern has always existed: believers who remain forever at the starting line, always rehearsing the basics, never pressing into the maturity that those basics were meant to support.

The writer of Hebrews confronts this tendency because it stunts spiritual growth. God’s intention is not merely to bring people to repentance but to shape them into mature disciples whose lives reflect the character and endurance of Christ. Growth requires movement. Maturity requires building. The foundation of the gospel is secure, but it is not the entire house. God desires a life constructed upon that foundation—one marked by perseverance, discernment, deeper knowledge of Christ, and a faith that withstands pressure.

This call to grow is both challenging and hopeful. It acknowledges that remaining at the elementary stage may feel safe, familiar, and less costly. Yet it also insists that God has more in mind. The life of faith is meant to expand, strengthen, and deepen. The foundation laid at conversion is the beginning of a lifelong construction project. God invites believers to rise from infancy into maturity, to build upon what he has already established, and to become the living structure he intends—a life shaped by Christ, grounded in truth, and growing toward fullness.

LORD, we want to be more.

Bruce, Alexander Balmain. The Epistle to the Hebrews: The First Apology for Christianity; an Exegetical Study. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark) 1899.