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believers were not to lay over again, but leave in order to go on unto perfection are six in
number, and these we must now consider in subsequent studies.
No.32.
The six-fold Foundation (6: 1, 2).
pp. 70 - 75
We have seen that in order to go on unto perfection or full growth certain
fundamentals, called "the word of the beginning of Christ" must be left, that it is not
reasonable to keep on laying again a foundation, but to proceed to the related building.
The sixfold foundation we set out in the preceding number we repeat here, as an
introduction to their examination:
/
Repentance
Internal and Doctrinal
\
Faith
/
Baptisms
External and Confirmatory
\
Laying on of hands
/
Resurrection
Future.
\
Judgment aionian
Repentance from Dead Works
I Thess. 1: 9 shows how fundamental this must be. "Ye turned to God from idols". It
is manifest that it is not contemplated by the Apostle that this "repentance" should be
repeated. This is also true for the Hebrews. Turning from idols and repentance from
dead works marked a vital fundamental change. That Galatians was a covering letter to
this epistle to the Hebrews, and the Apostle's words both to Peter and to the Galatians are
more than suggestive here.
"For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make my self a transgressor"
(Gal. 2: 18).
"Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are
no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn
ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (stoicheia, same word as "principles" in
Heb. 5: 12), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage" (Gal. 4: 8, 9).
Does this mean that we are to have no sorrow for sin, no departing from iniquity? No!
"Repent" is the keyword of the gospel of the earthly Kingdom. John the Baptist, the Lord
Jesus, and Peter alike commenced their ministries with this word. Let the reader turn to
Ephesians; let him read through the six chapters, seeking every occurrence of the word
"repent" and "repentance"; he will not find one. Let him continue through Philippians
and Colossians; the result will be the same. Why is it that this word, so frequent in the
Gospels and the Acts, is so rigorously excluded from these epistles which give the
foundation teaching of the present dispensation? Is it not that the Lord, by omitting this
key-word of the earthly Kingdom, would lead us to observe that we are in an entirely
different dispensation?