^{Are you on milk or solid food?}

The (hard to read) subheading of this blog reads: "Even though by this time you ought to be teaching, instead you need someone to teach you . . ." -- Hebrews 5:12

⁷In the days of His flesh [Jesus] offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted but needed] and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God [His godly fear, His piety, in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father]. ⁸Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered ⁹And, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him, ¹⁰Being designated and recognized and saluted by God as High Priest after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek. ¹¹ Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight]. ¹² For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. ¹³For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! ¹⁴ But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.

¹THEREFORE 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 [1] of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and [2]of the faith [by which you turned] to God, ² [3]With teachings about purifying, [4] the laying on of hands, [5] the resurrection from the dead, and [6] eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.] ³ If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching]. ⁴ For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come, ⁶ If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance--[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. ⁷ For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated partakes of a blessing from God. ⁸ But if [that same soil] persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. ⁹ Even though we speak this way, yet in your case, beloved, we are now firmly convinced of better things that are near to salvation and accompany it. ¹⁰ For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labor and the love which you have shown for His name's sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do. ¹¹ But we do [strongly and earnestly] desire for each of you to show the same diligence and sincerity [all the way through] in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development of [your] hope until the end, ¹² In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises. ¹³ For when God made [His] promise to Abraham, He swore by Himself, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, ¹⁴ Saying, Blessing I certainly will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you."

Hebrews 5 and 6.

What are the doctrines of righteousness? Do you know?

Expect lots and lots and losts of scripture on this blog. I care not one wit for denomination's dogma teach although I've studied many of the great theologians and comparative religious doctrines. Some I found lined up with scripture and harmonized but many didn't. None of these church establishments have all of the truth and for that matter neither do I claim to know it all. This keeps me in awesome fear and on my knees. Christians are suppose to be taught of the Lord and it is he who guides the Christian through the scriptures and opens their understanding. You should question and discern; truth will be confirmed many ways.

How can you know what is taught is truth?

Correct Christian Theology will free you; Incorrect Theology will bind you to man and human works. Test it and study.


The theology and doctrine I accept are those that harmonize with both the N. & O. Testaments. I'm teaching Bible here on this blog primarily, and your comments will need to respond with scriptural references (I rarely accept just one in fact I usually require both Old and New Testament references where doctrine is concerned.

I John 2:27 "But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]."

Obviously this is for the spiritually mature Christian "abides" in Christ ... those who are feasting on solid food and who know how to feed themselves. If my teaching does not feed you ... doesn't occasionally shake you up then I'm not following the Lord (God forbid me to do such a thing).

Change is good.

I will tell you when I began learning these six principals and first teachings of Christ regarding righteousness it changed me. My thinking changed and so changed my walk with Christ for up to that time I had not realized that I had not grown past a baby stage in my walk because I lacked understanding and knowledge. This is the foundation and it must be built before one can go on to maturity. Why do people remain without spiritual growth? I am certain it is because of this lack of fully understanding the righteousness of Christ?

From failure to understanding.

Now I taught these six principals for six weeks and was a big failure in the eyes of man... religious or otherwise. I was first introduced to these teaching in the 70s. From that time on, the Lord compelled me to study these teachings, unpacking and studying thee basic teachings and within my heart began a slow burning desire, no a passion to share the wonderful things that I was discovering.

Yet here I am teaching and my students are leaving. It really bummed me out because not only had the Lord given me great illumination but it was HE who motivated me to study literally full days on this subject and yet one by one my students stopped attending. What on earth are you doing Lord? God had quickened my heart but I'll tell you by man's standards ... especially religious man's standards I was a miserable failure. My lessons were not received because for the first time I realized that my students had encountered a Gospel of Righteousness and Grace that had shaken them up.

But wait. Wasn't that exactly what I wanted. This Gospel was not tickling their ears and it was one that they couldn't agree with although every single point was driven by scripture....except for one person and my spiritual teacher-mentor. For you see, I had asked my mentor, Edith, to review all that I was teaching to assure that I was teaching truth. "Why was this happening?" I asked her. "The Lord is teaching you a valuable lesson and you are being tested. You will teach these again and you must not look for results and just trust the Father. Remember Noah who preached for a hundred years without one convert? Yet he was compelled to preach. She went on to say, " The Word is very powerful and you will see in time," she said.

That one student to this day continues to thank me for opening her eyes to the truth and the wonderful Gospel of Grace and the Righteousness of Christ. I don't care about numbers but I do care greatly about keeping to scripture and I am compelled.

In this first blog, I plan to go through these six lessons. I pray that the work of my hand and heart will be acceptable to the Lord and that these teachings will help you to grow to solid food. Inevitably I will probably inject my opinion but I will make every effort to point out that fact and allow scripture to interpret itself. Remember that the Bible was given to man for him to come to understanding and that the veil be lifted from your eyes.

Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away.

I Cor 2:7 But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God--[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence]. ⁸None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. ¹⁰Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny].

¹¹For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man's thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.

¹³And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. ¹⁴But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. ¹⁵But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. ¹⁶For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.

In other words, the Word of God found in the pages of the Bible are hidden to the lost. You must have a spiritual birth to gain understanding. If you desire to know the truth with all sincerity of heart ask the Lord your Father to open your understanding unto salvation and that will new birth of you spirit and God will come and abide with you forever. Hope you seek Him with all your heart for "you shall surely fine me," Jesus said.