The Concept of Growth
One of the clear teachings and objectives of the New Testament for believers is that of spiritual growth. When we are saved, no matter how old we are physically, we are born into the family of God as babes (little children) in Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1f; 1 John 2:13 [children, paidia, babes]). Obviously, one of the fundamental needs of a child is proper nourishment and training to promote healthy growth. Thus, there is the strong emphasis in Scripture on spiritual growth for believers in all stages of maturity (see also 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18; Phil. 3:12f). The plain fact is, a failure to grow up spiritually is considered abnormal and deserving of rebuke or censure since growth is also a matter of choice.
Who is responsible for our spiritual growth? The Bible teaches us that a failure to grow is a matter of neglect for which two parties are responsible-the spiritual parents (church leaders and those who lead people to the Lord) and the individual believer himself. The following passages demonstrate this:
(1) Spiritual growth is a prime responsibility for church leaders and other mature believers. The New Testament emphasis in the epistles on teaching and sound doctrine and caring for believers (see verses below) illustrates this along with the very idea of the role and function of elders who are to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Thes. 2:1-12; 1 John 2:12f; 1 Tim. 4:6, 11, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1f).
(2) Spiritual growth is also a responsibility for the individual himself. The following verses teach us that God holds us all responsible for our own spiritual growth to some degree. This includes the responsibility to follow the teaching and example of sound and godly leadership (cf. Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Thes. 5:12f; 1 Cor. 3:1f; Heb. 5:11; 6:1f).
Since we all begin as babes in Christ, we must begin with the basics, the ABCs of the Word. This idea is solidly brought out in Hebrews 5:11; 6:1. The author of Hebrew had advanced truth that he wanted to communicate to his readers about the Lord Jesus, but he knew they could not grasp it because of their spiritual sluggishness and indifference. This sluggishness and indifference had also contributed to the continuation of their spiritual immaturity, the other reason for their inability to go on in growth.
They had evidently been taught the basics (note the word "again" in verse 12), but they had failed, for whatever reason, to properly learn and go beyond what the author calls the "elementary principles" (NASB), "beginning elements" (NET Bible), "elementary truths" (NIV) of the oracles of God or God's Word. "Elementary principles, truths," is a translation of the Greek stoiceion, "one of a row, hence a letter (of the alphabet)," and so by extension, "the basics of knowledge, the ABCs of any subject." Just as in first grade, the ABCs are the building blocks, the foundation on which other knowledge is grasped and related to, so all Christians need to know the basics of the Word if they are going to be able to move on to spiritual maturity and productive Christian lives as those who can also teach others (vs. 12a).
In Hebrews 6:1, the author continues his exhortation. Once the basic principles concerning Christ are grasped, the author wanted these believers to grow toward greater and greater spiritual maturity through steady spiritual growth. They were to continue to discern between living truths of what we have in Christ and lifeless forms, the shadows of the Old Testament such as were found in Judaism in the washings, baptisms, and rituals. Note that in verse 3 the writer identifies himself with his readers and expresses his own need to continue to grow. None of us ever arrive, so to speak. We all need to continue to grow.
In the context of this passage, several ABCs are mentioned (Heb 6:1-2). Among these are "repentance from dead works and of faith toward God." One of the fundamental problems in the church today, as always, is legalism or the problem of dead works-man working in his own steam to be accepted or to gain favour with God, and even to experience his own sense of significance.
People need and desire three basic things, which we can also identify with the letters, ABC:
(1) Acceptance (we have been accepted by God by grace through faith in Christ),
(2) Belongingness (as regenerated members of the family of God, we belong to God and to one another), and (3) Competence (through God's enablement, we can do whatever God calls us to do-He gives us the Holy Spirit, our enabler, and spiritual abilities). But man's bent and Satan's delusion is to get people to seek these either apart from God's answer in Christ, or just partially through Christ and partially by adding something (works).
The point is, if our understanding of God's grace and faith in the work of God for us in Christ (grace) is lacking, we will miss the abundant life that is ours to experience in Christ. Christians must have their lives founded firmly on the truth of faith alone in Christ alone, and this is true not only for salvation from sin's penalty, but also for sanctification, spiritual change and the experience of the Christ-exchanged life-a work of the Spirit in which we cooperate by faith.