B-Side - Hebrews 5:11-6:3

Hebrews was a sermon, probably by Paul, but its authorship is uncertain; could be Barnabas, Apollos or others. It's likely a transcription of a sermon written to a Messianic church. 

Here the writer simplifies the gospel, as if for children. Know your audience! Adults need meat, but babies need milk; the simple, basic things bear repeating for them. They haven't yet grown into the knowledge of the deeper things of God.

The tree of knowledge of good and evil was not an evil tree, but simply a tree that Adam and Eve were not ready for; they were not yet spiritually mature enough for it. Hebrews 5:14, "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

God wants his people to mature to the point that we can distinguish good from evil ourselves, to apply the Word to everyday matters.

A difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man: the closer we look into worldly people or institutions we admire, the more disappointed we tend to get, as the reality doesn't live up to the image. But the closer we get to God and grow in Scripture and godly things, the more we realize how rich and how good it is! "The (truly) good life" is drawing close to God, finding a good church, and spending time with brothers and sisters in him!

Repentance: 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11 talks about what the fruit of repentance should be.

Hebrews 6:2... "Washings" in the Old Testament always pointed forward to the cleansing of Christ, through baptism, the ultimate cleansing from the ultimate defiling of sin.

According to Puritan writings echoing Augustine, "laying on of hands" referred to assessing spiritual growth of a Christian, praying for their growth and strengthening in grace by the Holy Spirit, a confirmation in front of God that they are "one of us," in Christ, and asking God to bless their continued growth.

Hebrews 6:3... "we will do this if God permits." The writer defers to God's sovereignty, asking God for any spiritual growth in this congregation to be brought about through his will.