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We all know our ABCs. Most of us will never be able to get that catchy, kid-friendly alphabet song out of our memory. That song and all 26 letters of the alphabet are forever etched in our brains, and that's a good thing.
The ABCs are the foundation of our entire English language. Before children learn to read, they must first learn their ABCs. Before they learn how to write, they must know the alphabet. We cannot, or should not, teach anyone about phonics or literature without them first having a basic understanding of elementary teachings. If we don't know our ABCs, we will not follow more advanced subjects correctly.
It is the same with Christianity. In Hebrews 5:12, the author states the following: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food."
Before this verse, the author stated he wished to speak on something more advanced than the basics of Christianity. He wanted to explain the correlation between Jesus Christ and Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:9-11 NKJV states, “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”
The author wanted to speak on this subject but felt he couldn't because he considered the topic too advanced for his audience. In Hebrews 6, the elementary principles of Christianity are listed. The author encourages us to move past these basics and into more advanced learning, but for the sake of this article, let’s review those elementary principles. Let’s go back to the basics and examine the fundamental teachings of our belief—the ABCs of Christianity.
Firstly, the scripture says, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1 NKJV). So, the foundation of Christianity is repentance from dead works and faith in God. God sent his Son, Jesus, to live and die for the remission of our sins.
God is holy, pure, and righteous and He does not tolerate sin or impurity around Him. We see this when we read the Mosaic Law in the Old Testament. God’s chosen people could not live in the Lord’s camp if their sins were not atoned for. Even those who were impure from leprosy or bodily discharge had to remove themselves from amongst God and His people until they were cleansed (Leviticus 13-15).
But if we believe in God through His Son Jesus, all our sins are atoned for. We can stand before God as holy people, acceptable to God regardless of our faults. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we can be like our Father—holy, pure, and righteous. This is the foundation of our faith. This is Christianity 101.
Next, the text says, “of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2 NKJV). Baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and judgment are also basic principles in Christianity. In scripture, baptism occurs once a person confesses their belief in God through Jesus Christ.
If baptism is a basic concept in Christianity, then there should be no such thing as a believer who is not baptized. As the author of Hebrews stated these are elementary principles. Baptism shouldn’t be considered optional any more than ABCs are considered optional in learning how to read and write. ABCs are an elementary concept that should be adhered to in the English language, just as baptism is an elementary principle that should be adhered to in the Christian faith.
The laying on of hands through prayer is also a basic concept. Prayer, especially for others, is key in our faith. The resurrection of the dead is a fundamental concept in which we can have hope. If we believe Christ raised from the dead, we also believe that we will rise from the dead once Christ returns for his people. We do not believe that death is final. In fact, we believe that death is only the beginning. It will be the beginning of our days with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Death is the beginning of eternity for us, and what a beautiful eternity it will be for those who die in Christ.
The last basic Christian concept is the judgment. On Judgement Day, we believe that all men—great and small—will be judged for their deeds, good or bad. This day will be great for some, and terrible for others. But per 1 John 4:17, if we abide in love as God commands, we can be confident on Judgement Day. We can be sure that we will spend eternity in paradise with the One who loves us the most.
The author of Hebrews 6 concludes the review of these elementary concepts by saying, “And this we will do if God permits.” (Hebrews 6:3 NKJV). Every confessed believer of the Christian faith should be believers and doers of these basic principles. Repentance, faith in God, baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment are the ABCs of Christianity. Without knowing and believing in these fundamental concepts, we cannot attain further knowledge of the things of God.
Dear reader, like the writer of Hebrews, I pray that we can leave the discussion of elementary concepts and move on to perfection and maturity in Christ. However, taking it back to the basics is helpful. It allows us to reassess our knowledge and ensure that our faith is built on solid principles.
In addition to the ABC song, many of us learned another elementary nursery rhyme in our adolescence. In The Three Little Pigs, the big bad wolf blew over every house that wasn’t built with a solid substance. It is only wise that we build our knowledge and faith in Christ on solid principles instead of something fickle. Otherwise, our adversary may very well blow down our entire faith in one big huff.
That’s all I have for you today. May our faith stand firm on these basic principles of Christianity. Until next time, be blessed and take care.
Quin Arrington is also an author of fictional and nonfiction books available on Amazon.
Thank you for your time. God Bless!