Do you know the first lessons about Christ? They are stated very clearly in these Bible verses.....

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."(Hebrews 6:1-2 KJV).

"Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be. Surely we don't need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God; you don't need further instruction about baptism and spiritual gifts and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment."(Hebrews 6:1-2).

According to these verses the foundation of Christianity, the basis of what every Christian ought to understand are as follows....

1. works do not save us--it is foolish to believe we can be saved by being good--"Surely we don't need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good,"

2. faith is an absolute necessity--we are saved by faith in Jesus--and receive everything from God by faith--"the necessity of faith in God;"

3. Baptisms--water baptism is an outward expression of the inward change that happens when we are born again--but it says baptisms--("the doctrine of baptisms,") there is a baptism of the Holy Ghost....

"Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." (Acts 11:16)

"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:5)

Have you been baptized with the Holy Ghost? Listen, its like every other spiritual gift--if you can't answer yes then you just don't have it yet. You know what I mean, if someone asks you-- Are you born again?-- If you can't say yes--you're not!--But just like everything from God--it is received by faith--by acceptance--ask and ye shall receive!

4.Laying on of hands--or spiritual gifts--are also considered by the Bible to be one of the first lessons we need to understand and practice.....

"they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Matthew 16:18)

"Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:19)

Now perhaps many of you have been taught that laying hands just means to touch someone--well if we look carefully at the words "lay hands" there are times when it is used to mean just that...

"But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet." (Matthew 21:46)

However, when we look at the Greek we find that there are two different words translated as hand. In a verse such as the one above it has the same meaning as our English word for hand. But when hand is used in the verses which refer to healing and receiving the Holy Ghost, this is the definition of the word-----

Hand
cheir {khire}
1) by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one
2) fig. applied to God symbolizing his might, activity, power
2a) in creating the universe
2b) in upholding and preserving (God is present protecting and aiding one)
......in determining and controlling the destinies of men

This type of laying on of hands is referring to the hand of God touching someone at the point of receiving healing or the power of the Holy Spirit. We can very easily see that this should be an important part of every Christians life!

This fourth lesson also includes the Spiritual gifts....(refer to 1Corinthians chapter 12)..which are (among others), praying in tongues, working of miracles, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, healing etc.

Remember, these are the first lessons of Christ! Are all of these practiced in your church?

5. The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1Corinthians 15:51-53)

Oh brother is there a lot of confusion about this issue! Listen, its really very simple! At some point (I believe at the beginning of the 7 year tribulation period) a trumpet will sound and if you are alive and you are a born again believer you will be taken up bodily to heaven. Everyone who was a born again believer and has died (their spirit and soul are already in heaven) will have their physical body resurrected and joined up with their eternal spirit and soul in heaven. The important thing to know is that its a good thing! We are supposed to be comforting one another with this knowledge instead of arguing about it !

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

So, do we live out these basic principles? Do we really understand our first lessons? Or do we need to go back to the drawing board and get back to basics? God would like us to have these basics firmly in our heart--and He promises to lead us on to even greater things!

Wow--God is good!

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