Hebrews 6:1 (AMPC) Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,

If you are in elementary school you know it. In Christ what is the elementary teachings? The writer of Hebrews hints at what is taught in elementary school but only nothing of what might be next. In this opening verse we only see three issues listed. Those are repentance, dead works, and faith. I feel this is a good place to start as these words are identified but I know that there are other important kingdom words that need to be learned. A proper understanding of them will allow you to grow in Christ and move on to higher education.

Repentance is often associated with regret, an emotional consequence of sin. If allowed to be defined purely as regret, what prevents you from repeating that sin? If you define repentance as turning away from sin and returning to God, how do you feel when you sin again? As a youthful Christian you will find that just because you are walking with God, the body does not stop being flesh? If it were otherwise you would never be tempted again and we have read that we will suffer temptations.

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

1 Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

Think of repentance as giving up the direction of your life in self-will with no consideration for the will of God. Seeking God’s will is a long journey through a new land, one that is not your home. We are sojourners in this life seeking to get home to God. On this journey we will encounter all that this world, Satan, and workers of evil can throw at you.