The Need to Move on to Maturity

11  On this topic we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12  For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 13  For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14  But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

6  Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 2  teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3  And this is what we intend to do, if God permits. 4  For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5  tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6  and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. 7  For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 8  But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned. 9  But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. 10  For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. 11  But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, 12  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

13  Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14  saying, “ Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.” 15  And so by persevering, Abraham inherited the promise. 16  For people swear by something greater than themselves, and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. 17  In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath, 18  so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. 19  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, 20  where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek forever in the order of Melchizedek.

7  Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. 2  To him also t Abraham apportioned a tithe apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3  Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 4  But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder. 5  And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham. 6  But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise. 7  Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 8  and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 9  And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 10  For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins when Melchizedek met him.