Believers are warned against falling away and urged toward mature perseverance, anchored by God’s promise and Jesus’ priesthood.
Hebrews 6:1-3
Go On to Maturity
Chapter 6 passage section
Hebrews 6:1
The call to “go on unto perfection” answers the dullness exposed at the end of chapter 5. Leaving elementary teaching means building upon it, as walls rise from a foundation that remains in place. Repentance, faith, and the gospel are never discarded; they open into a fuller grasp of Christ’s priesthood and a life governed by that hope.
“Repentance from dead works” reaches beyond one class of ritual. Works arising from sin and unbelief are dead because they cannot yield life, and religious performance becomes equally dead when offered in place of dependence upon God.
Repentance turns from that whole orientation; faith turns toward God, receives His provision in Christ, and trusts His word enough to follow. The phrase will return in 9:14, where Christ’s blood cleanses the conscience for service to the living God.
“Let us go on” may also suggest being carried forward. Growth calls for willing attention and practice, while its power comes from God. “Perfection” belongs to the same family of words used for reaching an intended goal. Here it means mature completeness—stable allegiance and understanding adequate to the High Priest the congregation confesses—not an instant claim of sinless performance.
The call to “go on unto perfection” answers the dullness exposed at the end of chapter 5. Leaving elementary teaching means building upon it, as walls rise from a foundation that remains in place. Repentance, faith, and the gospel are never discarded; they open into a fuller grasp of Christ’s priesthood and a life governed by that hope.
“Repentance from dead works” reaches beyond one class of ritual. Works arising from sin and unbelief are dead because they cannot yield life, and religious performance becomes equally dead when offered in place of dependence upon God.
Repentance turns from that whole orientation; faith turns toward God, receives His provision in Christ, and trusts His word enough to follow. The phrase will return in 9:14, where Christ’s blood cleanses the conscience for service to the living God.
“Let us go on” may also suggest being carried forward. Growth calls for willing attention and practice, while its power comes from God. “Perfection” belongs to the same family of words used for reaching an intended goal. Here it means mature completeness—stable allegiance and understanding adequate to the High Priest the congregation confesses—not an instant claim of sinless performance.