The First Principles: -A Study of Hebrews 6:1-2 For the Christian Disciple

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. The writer of the book of Hebrews had just censured those whom he had addressed, telling them that though they were at an age when they should be eating meat, they were such that still needed milk. He tells them that they need to get with the program and start eating meat. He says that they ought to be teachers, but they still behave as babes. This seems to be a perpetual problem in the Church through the ages. The commission Jesus gave to the disciples was to go and make disciples (teach all nations), teaching them to go and teach others the things which He had commanded them ("TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU"- He had just commanded them to go and teach those who were entrusted to them to make disciples). We derive our English word "discipline" from the word "Disciple." The Christian walk is a walk of discipline. It was to be an ongoing thing. We make disciples, and then we teach them to make disciples. But in order to make disciples, we ourselves should understand the basic principles that Jesus taught.