Series on the Epistles of Paul (138) - Hebrews 6:1-3

Well, good evening, brethren. Paul started the letter to the Hebrews by progressively demonstrating that Christ is far superior, and he went through superior to the prophets, to the angels. He's superior to Moses, to Joshua, and even to Aaron and the very Levitical priesthood.

Paul's purpose is, or was, or is to demonstrate that Jesus is our superior high priest and the mediator through whom we approach God. To fully understand Hebrews, it is also important to understand the role of the high priest, and also what is the component of the law, which that is applicable to. Normally, we refer to it as the ceremonial law, and in fact, if we look at the Sinai covenant, the Sinaitic covenant, the ceremonial law is one of three elements of that covenant, and this one element foreshadowed, or in other words, pointed to Christ. In other words, crushed greater work. So we have three basic components or elements of the Sinai covenant, and basically, if you read in Exodus 19, you can see at the beginning of Exodus 19 that it introduces the time when God is speaking to Israel, and where he's going to, where he tells them, you know, this is, if you'll keep my covenant, you shall be a special treasure.

So that's in Exodus 19 verse 5. And then we see in that continues from Exodus 19 all the way through Exodus 24 verse 8. If we look at Exodus 24 verse 8, it says, and then Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, this is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you, according to all these words. And so the basic Sinai covenant is in this section of Exodus 19 through Exodus 24 verse 8. And in this covenant section, we see three basic elements.

The first one, obviously, is what we call the moral law, which is based on the Ten Commandments, which is Exodus 20 verses 1 through 17. So there we have in that section, we've got, let's call it, the very basis of God's requirements for righteous living. Then, still in Leviticus 20, but then from Exodus 20, but from verses 22 through 26, we can see there being described what we could call, very briefly, the ceremonial law, which is in my Bible, it's got an ending there, and on top of verse 22 in my New King James, it's got a heading called the law of the altar.

But yeah, it says in verse 22, then the Lord said to Moses, thus you shall say to the children of Israel, you have seen that I have talked with you, and from heaven you shall not make anything to be with me, gods of silver or gods of gold. You shall not make for yourselves. But yeah, look at verse 24, an altar of earth you shall make for me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen in every place where I record my name.

I will come to you and I'll bless you. And so Yah is in a very simple, very summary point, the law as it calls it, that you shall make for me an altar, and there you will sacrifice and give offerings. This is expounded throughout the book of Leviticus, which therefore the ceremonial law, or as it's headed in the section in my Bible, the law of the altar, which showed how a sinner could approach God and receive mercy. And so this is the ceremonial law, which I will emphasize it in a moment a bit more.

And then in third place, part of this synatic covenant, there's the civil law, which is composed of civic ordinances. And that is from Exodus 21, all the way through the section in Exodus 24, verse 8, which I made you reference to a little while ago, which were principles governing Israel as a nation.

And so there were these three elements of the Sinai covenant, the moral law, the ceremonial law and the civil law. But the ceremonial law, it's important because the ceremonial law in the context of the book of Hebrews, the ceremonial law included the sanctuary, the sacrifices, the priesthood, and most importantly, the high priest duties, which are very briefly but very profoundly explained during the ceremony of the day of atonement in Leviticus 16. And that foreshadows the great work of Jesus Christ. So all that ceremonial law pointed to Christ's work and obviously him enabling us to be able to overcome through the power of God's Holy Spirit.

So that ceremonial law pointed in not only to Christ, but to God's Holy Spirit. So understanding that Paul now, and obviously those people at that time understood that very well, the Hebrews, Paul now explains that God's promise of an eternal rest after he started that in Hebrews in the first few chapters of Hebrews, then in chapter four, he explains that God's promise of eternal rest, which is symbolized by Sabbath keeping, Hebrews 4 verse 9, Sabatismos, which I covered before, it's a promise of a rest which remains. And those earlier Israelites did not attain it due to disobedience, as we saw that at the end of chapter three and the beginning of chapter four, Hebrews chapter three and Hebrews chapter four.

And therefore, Paul emphasized the point that we must be diligent to enter that promise by not falling according to the bad example of disobedience. So we can see that, for instance, in chapter four verse 11, we must not fall back according to the same bad example of disobedience of those Israelites. And then in Hebrews chapter five, Paul highlights basically two important truths. First, that Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to serve as our eternal high priest.

He was appointed by the Father. He experienced human suffering. He remained completely obedient and fulfilled his mission without sin. And Christ now serves as the perfect mediator between us and God. And secondly, in Hebrews five, as Paul closes Hebrews five in verses 11 through 14, he says that we must not remain spiritually mature.

In other words, the true knowledge of this understanding of what Christ is doing, of this gospel, carries a responsibility for you and I to grow in understanding. We need to grow in obedience, in wisdom, in discernment. And so he explains, therefore, in these verses 11 through 14, he explains that the readers had become spiritually dull of hearing. In other words, although they should have progressed to a greater understanding, they still needed to be taught the elementary principles of God's Word. And that is a very fitting introduction to Hebrews chapter 6.

Because writing verse 1, it starts with therefore. Hebrews 6 verse 1, therefore. Therefore, yeah, it brings the point for us as Christians that we must build upon the foundational doctrines and continue growing spiritually towards perfection, towards maturity. As he finished saying in Hebrews 5 verse 14, that maturity, that solid food, as he explained in Hebrews 5 14, it's basically because we have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil, and we mature by doing and living and growing in that maturity.

And that's why he says in 6 1, therefore, we must, says, yeah, leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ. Let us go on to perfection. In other words, these foundational doctrines that he's now going to discuss are essential. In other words, but they don't stop there. Spiritual development does not stop there. Therefore, this is not laying again the foundation. He says it's going to perfection, not laying again the foundation. And it goes now into 6 elementary principles or 6 basic doctrines.

But he says, let's not lay the foundation. That does not mean we abandon these doctrines, but it means we build upon them. It means we build upon them. And that goes on in the end of 2 Peter 3 verse 18, it says, let us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. So it's that growth, that building upon these foundational doctrines. Now, in these 2 verses, verse 1 and 2, Paul identifies 6 elementary doctrines or teachings which are, interestingly enough, arranged in 3 pairs. If you look at it carefully, they are arranged in 3 pairs. The first one being repentance from dead works and faith towards God. The second one, the doctrine of baptisms and the doctrine of laying of hands.

And the third pair is of resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. So we can see 3 pairs, which is, between inverted commas, coincidentally interesting that we have 3 pilgrim seasons. The Passover unleavened bread, Pentecost, and the end of the year pilgrim season, like it refers to traveling to the feast, but includes trumpets, atonement, feast and the lost great day. And so there are these 3 seasons of God's Holy Days, which are 3 important pairs of steps to go towards the Kingdom of God.

Now, the first one that he talks about, and today brethren, we're going to spend quite a bit of time on these because as we move next week onto maturity and other points and some warnings, we want to both these, make sure that these foundations are well established. And so the first one is repentance from dead works. Repentance from dead works, we can see when Peter was giving his sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, verse 38. And if we start reading in that in context of the Day of Pentecost, that people came from different areas, from different regions of the world, they spoke different languages, and then God intervened by the miracle of speaking in tongues.

In other words, the people being able to understand what Peter was saying, everybody was able to understand. And then when Peter gave that lecture there in chapter 2, verse 36, then Peter gave like the concluding comment in a sense. He says, therefore, let you all know, let the house of Israel know surely that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. It was like a punch line. Yeah, that says, hey, this Jesus, the Christ, he is the Christ and he is the Lord. Now, it is possible, I'm now speculating, but it's possible that when he spoke, he could have said he is the YHWH and the Messiah, because he is the eternal.

The YHWH means eternal, so the Father and Christ above eternal. He could have used that. I'm just merely speculating. But the interesting point is, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart. We see that in verse 37. They got it. They believed it. They believed. And they said to Peter, men and brethren, what shall we do?

And then Peter said to them, repent. You see, YHWH is a step, a critical step. And think about this, actually three steps. They first had to believe, then they have to repent, and then he says, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Why? Why are we baptized? For the remission of sins. And then, through that process, and it doesn't go into all the details here, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Because that promise of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is to all of us, and to our children as well. Because God wants us all to be part of his family, and he wants us all to be his children. And the gift of the Holy Spirit, besides being the power of God, it's that seed that makes us, is true, spiritual. Children. But yeah, one of the points that Peter emphasized is that we've got to repent. A lot of people don't understand what repentance is.

And it is important that we understand what repentance is. One proverb that I usually like to refer to when we talk about repentance is Proverbs 28 verse 13. Proverbs 28 verse 13. And yeah, in 28 verse 13 says, He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

We've got to confess and forsake them and leave. Leave. Leave that way of life. And so repentance is an act of confession and change. And we read other scriptures like, for instance, Isaiah 8, which is also a very, very powerful scripture within that theme.

Isaiah chapter 8. So let's just go to Isaiah chapter 8 verse 19 and 20. Isaiah 8 verse 19 and 20. Isaiah 8 verse 19 and 20. All right. And it says, And when they say to you, seek those who are medians and wizards, who whisper in matter, should not a people seek their God?

Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? And they say to the law and to the testimony, if they do not speak according to the sword, is because they have no light in them. We've got to focus on God's principles, on the law, and therefore we've got to learn from the law and the testimony.

You know, it's from the Bible, from what's written in the Bible, the testimony and the words of Christ and of the apostles and the prophets. We've got to then learn from that, from the Word, what to change and to repent. But the problem is, is the human mind.

You see, it's not just say, oh well, I repent what I did, but the real problem is the human mind. So I want to turn back to another prophet, which is a very interesting prophet, which is Proverbs 14. Proverbs 14 verse 12. Proverbs 14 verse 12. And there we read. There's a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. And here's the problem.

This is a real problem in repentance, that a lot of people don't understand this. And it is important to understand because a lot of people think, well, repentancies repent of what I've done. I've done this wrong. I've done that wrong. But do we understand that we've got to repent of the way we think?

Because we think in a way that something seems right, but the end thereof is death. And so we've got to understand that our mind, our heart is deceitful. And that goes with Jeremiah 17 verse 9. So all the scripture that we know, you probably know it off by heart, but Jeremiah 17 9 says, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it.

And our heart in its natural carnal state is deceitful. We've got to be changed. We've got to be converted. We've got to be changing our own heart, our own way of thinking. It's not just what we've done. It's how we naturally tend to think. That is repentance. And this is what Paul came to recognize in Romans chapter 7 when he was talking about, oh, rich man that I am. And he builds up that statement when he gets to the point where he says, oh, rich man, I am.

And I started, for instance, in verse 15, Romans 7 verse 15. He says, for what I'm doing, I don't understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do. That is such a powerful statement. And then in verse 21, I find in the law that evil is present within me. Now, remember, this was Paul some 20 plus years after he had been an apostle.

And now he's saying, I found it in me, a law that evil is present in me. In me, the one who wills to do good. Because then he says, I delight in God's law and God's moral law. I delight according to my inner desire and wanting. But I see another law in my members, in my physical body, in my physical brain, in my physical components. He says, worrying against the law of my mind, which is being changed by God's early spirit.

So there's this conflict in my mind. Right? In bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members, which is in my physical members. And then in verse 24, he says, Oh, rich man that I am. I think we all can say that. A rich person that I am, who is able to deliver me from this body, this physical carnal body.

Well, he says in verse 25, I thank God through Christ. Wow! At the resurrection, we'll have a new body that will not be subject to this. And I thank God for that. Because with the mind, with my intent, I serve God's law. But with the flesh, he says, the law of sin. And then he goes on, you know, therefore there's no condemnation in man.

And then in verses 5 through 10, he says, we gotta set our minds on the things of the spirit. You know, he discusses that from verse 5 through to 10 of chapter 8. We really gotta set our minds as we have Christ in us, as we have God's Spirit in us. We gotta change. And our thinking pattern must change. Every moment, our thinking pattern must change. And so repentance, repentance is more than regret or sorrow.

Repentance is a change of mind, of direction and conduct. And that's what we read in 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians chapter 7. Second Corinthians chapter 7. For Godly sorrow produces repentance according to salvation. Not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. Because the sorrow of the world is just, I'm sorry, but it keeps going. But the godly sorrow is one that is a change. Verse 11.

For observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner. We have to sorrow in a godly manner. In other words, in any house, what diligence produces you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation against sin, what fear, respect was God, what desire we have to obey God was zealous, what vindication in all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

So that's a very encouraging statement here from Paul about the brethren in Corinthians. So, continuing in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 1, that is the first of this pair, the repentance from the works. And then the second of this first pair is faith towards God. And we know in Hebrews chapter 11, which is the faith chapter, a very obviously verse 1 is a definition of faith, but a very powerful additional definition of faith is in verse 6, Hebrews 11 verse 6. It says, because it says, without faith, it is impossible to please God. We have to absolutely believe and trust in God, because then it says, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists, that he is, but not just he is, but then exists, but who he is, he is, he is what?

That he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Now, what is a rewarder? A rewarder is somebody that has the capacity to reward, to make a judgment and reward and also punish, if needs be. And so we have to understand that God is our judge. He's delegated to Christ, as we know, but God is our judge. And so faith is not merely believing that God exists, but true faith, genuine faith produces fruits in our faith. We thought, what is that, as we see in James 2 verse 17. So genuine faith produces trust, produces obedience and dependence upon God. And then he continues in Hebrews 6 verse 2.

The next pair is of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of ends. So, baptisms, note, it's plural. You see, it doesn't say the doctrine of baptism. It says the doctrine of baptisms, plural. And so we know they are, Bible specifies, three baptisms. Baptism of water, baptism of the Holy Spirit and baptism of fire. And so the baptism of water, that's what we understand. We're baptized in order. And for instance, we read in Acts 19 verse 1 through 5.

Acts 19 verse 1 through 5, an example of that baptism in order. Acts 19 verse 1 through 5. It says, and it happened while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding there some disciples, he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And so they said to him, we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.

And then he said to them, in what, then, were you baptized? So they said, we were baptized into John's baptism. And then Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in him, who would come after him that he's on Christ Jesus. And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's interesting that this word here is a Greek word, ice, which is into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And when they had laid on their hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. And this is a specific example to prove that Gentiles did receive the Holy Spirit and God honored that act of baptism that Paul did. And so, yeah, is baptism of water. And we know when we read Romans 6 verse 4 and 5, talks about the meaning of the baptism in water, the burial of the old self in that watery grave and the coming out of that watery grave and meaning starting a newness of life.

And so we know that the baptism of water and its meaning. But also in Matthew chapter 3 verse 11, Matthew chapter 3 verse 11, that when John the Baptist, people came to John the Baptist to be baptized, he then asked them, let's look at Matthew chapter 3 verse 11. He said, I indeed baptize you of water and repentance, that he was coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I'm not worthy to carry.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. And so, yeah, there is the other two baptisms, baptism of the Holy Spirit and baptism of fire. Now, receiving the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to Christian conversion in Acts chapter 1, Acts chapter 1 verse 5, Acts chapter 1 verse 5. Here we see Christ after the resurrection, Acts chapter 1 verse 5. And they will assemble, as we can see, together. And Christ commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, that's in verse 4, but to wait for the promise of the Father.

What is that promise of the Father? The promise of the Father is the Holy Spirit. It's God's power. Why is that a promise from the Father? Because it's through the Holy Spirit that we truly become begotten children of God, and His plan is to have many children in His kingdom. And therefore, the promise of the Father is for us to truly be His children, and for that to be possible, we have to be begotten by God's Holy Spirit. And so that is the promise of the Father. Verse 5, For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

And that happened on the day of Pentecost. And then in verse 8 it says, But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. God's Holy Spirit gives us power. It's God's power. And you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. But God's Holy Spirit is a spirit of power, and it is essential for you and I to grow, to become more and more like Christ.

Christ, yes, washes us, sends Christ, forgives us, but Christ sends us His Holy Spirit. And that is essential for us to become like Him. And also, as we saw in Matthew 3 verse 11, we talk about a baptism of fire, and that refers to the judgment, the lake of fire, you know, thrown into the lake of fire, and was baptized into that fire, which is the second death. And we read more of that in Revelation 20 and 21. And we'll talk a little bit more about that in a little while. And then the next doctrine that goes here in Hebrews chapter 6 is the laying on of hands. Now, in Acts 8, let's go there. Acts 8 verse 14 through 17. Acts chapter 8 verses 14 through 17. Acts 8 verses 14 through 17.

Acts 8 verses 14 through 17 says, And now when the apostles, who were the Jerusalem herd, that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. And who, when they come down, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. No, not this. For as yet it had fallen upon none of them. They had not been, they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

But, you know, this is then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. And it says when Simon heard that through the laying on of the hands, they would receive the Holy Spirit. And then it shows the magician, his son Magaziz, his evil there. But anyway, the point is, after repentance and the physical war baptism, the ordained ministers lay hands on the believer with prayer for them to be able to receive God's Holy Spirit. And God's Holy Spirit is the helper which was initially sent on the day of Pentecost. I mean, Christ in John 16, while he was still alive on that evening that he was betrayed, while he was still talking to the disciples in John 16 verse 7. John 16 verse 7.

John 16 verse 7. He says, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper, in other words, the cross Holy Spirit, will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send God's Holy Spirit to you. I'll send God's Spirit to you. And so, the helper proceeds from the Father. We read in John 15 verse 26, just a little earlier, probably in the same page of your Bible, this is, but when the helper comes, God's Holy Spirit, whom I send to you from the Father. So God's Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father.

He says, yeah, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, you'll testify on me. So God's Holy Spirit, God's power, God's mind, God's way of thinking proceeds from the Father. And Christ, then, has been given the responsibility to be the one that gives it to us. So it proceeds from the Father and it gives it to us. It's God's Holy Spirit that makes us God's children. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 23. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 23.

And then it reads, having been born again, the actual Hebrew word is anaganau. That means again, anaganau, begotten, it was begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible. We have been begotten again when we receive God's Holy Spirit after baptism of incorruptible seed, which proceeds from the Father. And as we read in Romans 8, Romans 8 verse 15 and 16, Romans 8 verse 15 and 16, it says, for you do not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you receive the Spirit of adoption.

The word for adoption is eu-thesea, which could be translated, yes, as adoption, but could also be translated as sonship, because that word means placed as a son. And so when we're placed as a son, could be adoption, could be sonship. But as we read in this context, what it says, by whom we cry, Abba, Father, the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And so, yeah, we are now made God's children. We are literally made God's children by that incorruptible seed.

And then we read in Ephesians 3 verse 14 and 15. Ephesians 3 verse 14 and 15. That it says, for this reason, Abba, our man is to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The whole family is named after God, the God family. And we know in 1 John 3 verse 1 and 2 that we're not yet what we shall be, but when Christ comes, we shall be like Him.

And we will therefore, when we are baptized, we are baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ into the spiritual body of Christ, into that family. And then continuing now in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 2, then the third pair. The third pair in verse 2 is the doctrine of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

Those two, in a sense, go hand in hand, go together. We know the resurrection of the dead very well. We've covered this many times. For instance, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 20 and 22 says, all will be resurrected because of Christ. What Christ has done will all be resurrected.

The resurrection is central to the hope of salvation. Christ's resurrection guarantees future resurrections. Full stop. And we know in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 23 and 24 that Christ is first and those that are Christ will be next.

And then we also know, 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 14 through 17, that Christ's coming will rise, the dead will rise first, and then those that are alive will meet Him in the clouds. And then we read in Revelation 20 verse 4 through 6 that it says those people will be with Him and that will be the first resurrection. So I went through this section reasonably fast because these are sections that I am sure you're all well aware of.

And then it says in the last one, it says, and of eternal judgment. Now this is important because this is tied. Let's go now back to Revelation. And I finished quoting Revelation 20, but I did not read. But I finished quoting Revelation 20 when it mentioned about the first resurrection, which is in verses 5 and 6.

But then we got a little bit after that in verse 11 and 12, we got a resurrection. Yeah, they look at that and they say, And I saw a great white throne, and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great. In other words, dead people, small and great, standing before God. And the books were open. The book, Siad, the Greek word is biblia, which is the Bible. And it was the books were open.

And another book was open, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged, according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. And so the Book of Life, in a sense, is now open for us towards the first resurrection. And then we will, at Christ's return, we will receive eternal life if we are faithful till the end. God willing we are. And then secondly, the Book of Life is open again now at this resurrection.

And these people are going to have an opportunity to have eternal life. And this is what very clearly we understand to be the second resurrection. Now, it is important for me now to explain a very important point about judgment. Because a lot of people sometimes get confused with this.

There are two stages in the judgment process. There is a proving, a being approved stage, a probation, let's call it that, and a final decision. The above are part of judgment, for instance, in 1 Peter 4 verse 17. 1 Peter 4 verse 17. 1 Peter 4 verse 17. We see, For the time has come for judgment to begin a thousand God. Brethren, you and I are now in judgment. Judgment has begun for you and I, for me, for you. We are being judged. We are being proved. We are being tested. We are being evaluated. We being judged. It's the time of our quote-unquote probation period. But we haven't got yet the final decision, but we're being judged. The judgment has begun in us. And it is important, therefore, to see there is this two-stage step or process in the judgment. It's very important for us to understand that. In James chapter 1, verse 12, we read.

James chapter 1 verse 12. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved. You see, when this judgment process of time has completed, he will then receive the crown of life. In other words, the final decision of the reward. Remember how we mentioned that Hebrews 11 verse 6, that God, we've got to believe that he is and that he's the rewarder. God is the rewarder, and that means there is a reward when approved. And there is something so powerful about this judgment that I really don't want you to think to forget about. I really don't want you to forget about it because, and this is in James chapter 2 verse 13. This is a very encouraging part of judgment. It says, For judgment is without mercy to one which shall know mercy. Well, I don't want to be in that side of the equation. I don't want to be on that side of the equation. Judgment is without mercy for the one who has shown no mercy. That's why it says, Forgive so that your sins may be forgiven. It's the same thing, but look at it. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

You see, so mercy triumphs. So as the resurrection comes, first resurrection, mercy is applied to us, and that negative judgment, which let's call it the second death, does not rule over us. Why? Because mercy triumphed. God's mercy triumphed on us.

But how can you and I receive mercy?

I have to be merciful to others.

This is something that hits me in our mind very powerfully. We have to be merciful. We have to be merciful.

And so there is a resurrection to judgment besides the first resurrection, which is the second, which is they're going to be judged. But this judgment will not be just a decision. It will be a probation period. Appear it for them to be approved, like for us. Those people that have never known the truth, they will have that opportunity. I want to look at a few verses here, and I want you to pay attention to these, because these are all in the same chapter of John chapter 5. And I want you to look at this very, very, very careful. And this is very telling, but I want you to look at it carefully. John chapter 5, and in verse 22, we'll start on verse 22, John chapter 5 verse 22 says, For the Father judges no one, but He has committed all judgment. The word judgment is chrisis, Greek 2920. He has committed all judgment to the Son. So our judge is going to be Christ. Right. So all judgment is in Christ's hands. The Father delegated to Christ all judgment. Yes, God judges us through Christ. Right. Then look at verse 27. Look at verse 27. And He has given Him, that's Christ, authority to execute judgment because He's the Son of Man.

God has given Christ authority to execute judgment. Judgment is chrisis, the same word, Greek 2920.

And then He says, yeah, in verse 29. And the reason I'm going through this is to show you the context. And He says, and come forth, and He says, all in a voice will hear His voice, all that are in a grave will hear His voice, and come forth those who have done good to the resurrection of life. That's the first resurrection. And those who have done evil, yeah, they haven't repented yet. They will go to the second resurrection, or third. Right? And He says, it'll be done to the resurrection of, well, your Bible probably says, condemnation. But understand the Greek word is 2920, chrisis again. It's the same word. It's the same context. A correct translation would have been the resurrection of judgment. In fact, if you look at the English Standard Version, if you look at the Derby Version, if you look at the Young's Literal Translation, if you look at the New Language Translation, it has there a resurrection of judgment. You see, because you're looking at the context, you see, chrisis going to be judgment, but mercy will triumph, and everybody will be called either to life or to resurrection of judgment. You see, mercy triumphs over judgment. And so today, we are being judged in that probation period. We will then be given mercy, and we don't have to go through a later judgment, because we already been through probation, and God will show us mercy, because we are faithful to the end. And look at verse 30 as well. I cannot myself do nothing as I hear a judge. My judgment is righteous. Chrisis, 2920. My judgment is righteous. And so we read in Revelation 20, verses 11 and 12, which I read to you a little earlier, that all men, great and small, will resurrect. We read in Ezekiel 37, which is the value of dry bones. These bones are coming together, and they're resurrecting, and they receive the spirit of man in man. You read Ezekiel 37, verse 1 through 14. They receive the spirit of man in man, and then later they are taught the truth, and then they receive the spirit, which is God's Holy Spirit. And some people say, oh well, but it's only applicable to Israelites. No, not true. Because when you look at Matthew 11, verse 20 through 24, and Matthew 12, 41 to 42, that is also applicable to the Gentiles.

And this is a miracle, a miracle one, because people today are not understanding the truth. You read the parable of Matthew 13, 13 through 15. People are just not understanding the truth because they're blinded. And in Romans 11, which is another beautiful chapter. I could spend a long time going through it, but in Romans 11, it's saying that these people are blinded. Their minds are closed, but they'll be accepted. And then it says in verse 25 and 26, let me explain to you a mystery.

And then it says in verse 32 of Romans 11, God will shall mercy on all. Why? Because they were blinded. You will open their mind at the second resurrection, and you will give them a period of probation before the final decision. And therefore, there'll be righteous judgment. There'll be righteous judgment. You see, God will judge humanity in righteousness. Judgment includes accountability for our actions and the ultimate consequence of our choices. It includes a period of probation. And so forth. So forth, when we talk about God's judgment, it includes the period of probation.

It includes as enduring. It includes also receiving consequences. And that eternal judgment of God is not an eternally continuing process of punishment or punishing, but it is a death, a final death. And that's why we read in Revelation 20 verse 13. In Revelation 20 verse 13. And this is the key scripture that talks about the third resurrection. Because in Revelation 20 verse 13 says, It says, the sea gave up the dead, who were in it, and death and Hades.

Now death is the Greek word 2288, fanatos, which implies, if you read that in the concordance, as they imply the idea of future misery in the state beyond. So it's death. In other words, those that are already, they have not repented, and therefore they are in those lost resurrection. That's why they are the Hades, because they still in the grave. They're the lost ones.

They were not in the first, they're not in the second, they are the remaining ones in the grave. That would be the third resurrection. Those who rejected the truth now and in the millennium will be resurrected at this time, because we know all men will resurrect. First Corinthians 15 22, and they will be judged according to their works. That's what it says here. And they were judged at the end of verse 13. This word judged krino, final decision, each one according to their works.

And then in verse 14 it says, and death and Hades. It was these two groups. These that were resurrected with the implied idea of future misery, not eternal misery because they'll be in the lake of fire, because it says, and Hades those are ones that remained in the grave till the last moment, as the remaining ones in the grave were cast into the lake of fire. Thus is the second death. And then we have a summary statement in verse 15 that says, and anyone not found written in a book of life, that's the summary statement, was cast into the lake of fire.

And so that ties in with 2 Peter 3 verse 10, 2 Peter 3 verse 10, which is a very, very important scripture for us to understand about the whole prophet. The whole prophecy, the whole understand prophecy in this concept. Second Peter chapter 3 verse 10, because it says, for it's the day of the Lord who comes as a thief.

And then it says, and everything the heavens will pass away and the elements will melt with fervor and heat of the earth and the works in it. And now is verse 11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what is the important point for us to remember? We got to repent. We got to change. We got to become better people. We got to grow in maturity. What manner of persons ought you to be in only conduct and godliness?

And so in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 3, it says, and this will do if God permits. This foundation is laid. Now it is our responsibility to build on this foundational understanding. We have to go forward and build on on this foundation to grow in spiritual maturity. So these six basic doctrines summarize much of the process of conversion and God's plan of salvation. But, brethren, understanding it intellectually, it's one thing, but the important is for us to develop spiritual maturity. To grow on to perfection, to build on on that. And so that's why then he says in verse 4, 5 and 6 says, For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come if they fall away to renew them again to repentance.

Since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put him to an open shame. This is a very serious warning against going back, against apostasy, against deliberately and permanently rejecting God. After receiving spiritual understanding, this is extremely serious matter. And this is where we'll continue next week.