Hebrews 6:1 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,

This is what Matthew Henry had to comment on Hebrews 6:1. “We have here the apostle’s advice to the Hebrews-that they would grow up from a state of childhood to the fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ.”

This matches up well with my assertion yesterday about Paul’s call to forward momentum to this goal, to grow up in Christ. We still have to deal with this idea of perfection and what that may mean. To paraphrase the Greek meaning of teleiotes here it means to be smarter about it. Our understanding must be more in line with what God says about your life in Christ.

Ephesians 4:14-16 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The key words here in this Ephesians quote is grow up. What is the sign of spiritual and moral growth in Christ? Learn to love better.

How many times have we walked away for a situation and said to ourselves, “I could have handled that better.” We might know what our intentions are but our performance in the moment didn’t meet up to our expectations. This is an issue of conscience. Is it the old man’s conscience or the new man’s conscience? If we are to grow up in Him then it should be the new man’s conscience.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

The only man to ever live and not sin is Jesus Christ. While Christ dwells in our hearts by faith, we are not Christ, but rather belong to Christ. Were we get caught up in our view of sin is over the penalty for sin. There is a huge difference between consequences of sin and penalty for sin.

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

What Paul is trying to point out here is that there is no penalty for sin for those who have accepted Christ. The consequences of sin still exist and it is in the consequences that forward progress is hampered. Paul’s goal is forward momentum. If we get caught up in a sin, the consequences stall forward momentum. We are giving power to sin.

In simple terms sin doesn’t get us where we want to be.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 Jesus Christ took all our sins to the Cross and died to put an end to sin. Since He already died for a sin we are just now repenting of and seeking forgiveness, then acknowledgement of sin and awareness of forgiveness is not about the penalty for sin but perhaps rather about regaining lost momentum.

Hebrews 6:1 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,

Paul’s forward momentum is towards perfection but since we already established that Christ alone is righteous and without sin, what is this perfection?