Starting Hebrews 6

Wow...isn't this a biteful to start off Hebrews 6. I don't know that I'll get through these two paragraphs this morning, but who knows, perhaps we shall.

1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do if God permits. 4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

9Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Therefores....aren't therefores interesting? With a therefore in the passage you HAVE to know what went on, what as talked about right before. When we left Hebrews 5 the author was talking with us about the importance of maturing in our faith, from moving from only having milk to eating the meat of the word of God.

THEREFORE>>>>let us leave elementary stuff behind. Let us move on to maturity.

and the rest has me lost. Sorry... but it sounds like he's saying we need to move beyond these next things. But what are these things?

• a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God
• of instruction about washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

Aren't those things part of believing in God?
Why do we have to move forward from them?
Are people getting lost in talking about them? like being little nit-pickers?
I just don't get why he's writing this....unless he's not saying to leave this stuff behind and I'm somehow misreading it.

I can somewhat understand this next section:

4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Once you been with God...as in part of his family and then you willingly leave it...how can you then really, truly be restored? You had it and then you walked away from the best thing around. I do know that people argue about this a bit. How once saved, always saved and so forth. But scripture does talk about those who have evidenced true faith and then left. Leaving God after you've known him.....how can you then be restored. Seems a bit difficult to me.

BUT it seems the author goes on to assure his audience that they are not like this latter group. He calls them beloved. He assures them that the work they do does mean something, and the love that they show to God by serving his saints does matter. BUT he wants them to have the same earnestness in maturing that they show in service. (at least that's my understanding of what he's saying). If I'm wrong...tell me!

9Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Tomorrow is another day, And I think I may come back to this. right now... I need to keep moving along with my day. Cheers all! If you can spread more light for me on this passage, it would be appreciated. :)