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mere faith toward God was not sufficient for his need. His faith needed a propitiation, a
sacrifice upon which to rest. Listen to his prayer: "God, be propitious (1: e., be merciful
upon the ground of sacrifice) to me, the sinner." The great stumbling block to these
Hebrew believers was the levelling character of sin, and the universal need of faith in
Christ and His atoning blood; their nationality could not save them. The fact that
Abraham was their father could not justify them.
The Gentile, on the other hand, had no national faith to fall back upon, he cast himself
upon the unconditional mercy of God through Christ. This was the faith preached by
Paul, "The faith of God's elect. . . upon hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie,
promised (i.e., to Christ as the Surety of His people) before the world began." The Lord
Jesus when on earth had said, "Ye believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:
1). The great cloud of witnesses in Heb. 11: does not commence with Enoch's walk of
faith, nor Noah's witness of faith, but Abels'offering; faith in atoning blood.
Following the list of the heroes of faith, Paul in Heb. xii, bids us "look off (or away
from all else--even these Old Testament worthies) unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of
faith." Hebrews reveals Christ as the "one mediator between God and men," "the priest
for ever after the Order of Melchisedec." All who come unto God for salvation come
unto God "by Him." This is not merely faith toward God, not merely a vague trust in the
"Almighty," nor an impersonal Providence, but it is faith which draws near to God by
way of the mediation and merits of His Son--"the faith of Jesus Christ."
We must leave the remaining four elements for our next paper.
The six-fold foundation of Hebrews 6:
pp. 46-49
3. The doctrine of baptisms.
The order of the words in the original is "the baptisms of instruction." These baptisms
were connected with instruction and reception of it. First let us notice that the word is
plural, "baptismS." This leads us at once to contrast it with the passage in Eph. iv where
we are emphatically told that there is one baptism. To these Hebrew believers the apostle
says, "leave. . the baptismS of instruction." To the Ephesian believers, those who
represent the present position, the apostle says, "keep one baptism." Dear reader, how
does your practice agree with these two inspired commands? This particular word
"baptisms" is translated in Heb. 9: 9, 10 by the word "washings," viz.:--
"The first tabernacle ... was a figure ... in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices,
that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
(which stood) only in meats and drinks, and divers baptisms, and carnal ordinances,
imposed until the time of reformation. "
In this passage the Holy Spirit has definitely connected the word "baptisms" with
carnal ordinances, and contrasted it with that which is perfect. This word "baptisms"
occurs again in Mark 7: 4, 7 and 8:--