HEBREWS 6:2

In the first two verse of Hebrews chapter six we are given the doctrines that every Christian who is grounded in the Word of God should already know. Four of these doctrines are given in Hebrews 6:2 where it says, “Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” The disagreements on the doctrine of baptisms may have caused more confusion and more division within Christianity than any other doctrinal issue. That is a reason why many people who call themselves Christians are not properly grounded in what the Bible has to say about baptism. First of all notice that the word “baptisms” is plural. There is more than one baptism. There is a water baptism and there is a spiritual baptism.

The spiritual baptism takes place when a person is saved. This is also called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Of course, all Christians have had this spiritual baptism or else they are not a Christian. It says in First Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The spiritual baptism is mentioned in Romans 6:3 that says, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” And in Galatians 3:27 it says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Of course, there is a water baptism described in the New Testament. It says concerning John the Baptist in Mark 1:5, “And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.” This was a water baptism that John the Baptist was performing when he immersed those who repented into the waters of the Jordan River. Water symbolizes cleansing. Immersion symbolizes death, burial, and newness of life. A pubic baptism is a public confession of faith. One does not take a candlestick and hide it under a bushel. Jesus Himself had the water baptism. It says in Matthew 3:16, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, lighting upon him.”

One should always remember when studying the New Testament that there are two baptisms: the water baptism and the spiritual baptism. When a passage of scripture speaks of baptism, one must determine if it is speaking of water baptism or spiritual baptism. It is not that hard to determine which baptism is being spoken of when one remembers that spiritual baptism takes place at salvation, and that water baptism comes after salvation and is symbolic in nature. For example, Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Of course, this verse is talking about spiritual baptism because salvation is by faith without works. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Some Christians do not understand the difference between water baptism and spiritual baptism. Some Christians do not understand that the importance of water baptism has to do with its symbolism. It symbolizes salvation. Other Christians do not understand spiritual baptism. They do not understand that spiritual baptism takes place at the moment of salvation when a soul is placed “in Christ” by the Spirit. If these Christians would become grounded in the Word, they would not have such misunderstandings.

Hebrews 6:2 says that some believers do not understand the doctrine of the “laying on of hands.” There are several verses that speak of the laying on of hands are very revealing about what it means. Paul wrote to Timothy in First Timothy 4:14 and said, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” Concerning the selection of someone to be pastor of a church, Paul also wrote in First Timothy 5:22, “Lay hands suddenly on no man.”

The “presbytery” refers to the older men of the church. The older men should be the wisest men of the church. Of course, they should be involved with the choosing of anyone to preach the gospel. The laying on of hands was a symbolic gesture to show the close association of those who went out to preach in relation to those who sent them to preach. This is demonstrated in Acts 13:3-4 when Paul and Barnabas went out on their first missionary journey. It says, “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” Even though they were actually sent forth by the Holy Ghost, they were also sent forth by the men who laid their hands on them. So the laying on of hands was done by those who were in effect saying: “I perceive that God has called you, and therefore I am letting you know that I support you in your endeavors and that I am connected with you.” Christians are supposed to be close to each other. The Christian bond should be the greatest of all bonds. That is the meaning of the laying on of hands. God wants His people to work closely together, to know each others gifts and calling, and to encourage each other in the doing of God’s will. There is a great misunderstanding of the doctrine of the laying on of hands. That would not be the case if believers were grounded in the scriptures.

There is also a misunderstanding of the doctrine of the “resurrection of the dead.” Jesus rose from the dead. The grave could not hold Him. He died on the cross, but the same body that died on the cross rose from the dead. Of course, this means that the same identity that Jesus had before He died, He still had after He died. It also means the obvious: that there is life after death. This truth about the resurrection from the dead is important to remember because of false teachings that are in the world. More and more people are being influenced by the false teaching of reincarnation. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead means that there is no such thing as reincarnation. After the resurrection people continue to exist with the same identity that they had during their human life on this earth.

The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is also closely tied to the doctrine of last things because the resurrection will take place at the return of Christ. The Bible says in First Thessalonians 4V13-14, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” The Bible also says concerning the resurrection in First Corinthians 15:51-53, “Behold, I show 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.”

If Christians were grounded in the teaching of the Word of God, then according to Hebrews 6:2, they would understand very well the doctrine of “eternal judgment.” There is a judgment to come, and the judgment involves our eternal destiny. God is in control of the world, and He is holy. God sees and knows everything that happens. God is the Judge of the whole earth. Nothing will escape a just judgment. This should be a sobering thought to every one of us. We must all stand before God to be judged for the things done in our bodies: whether they be good or whether they be evil. Christians will be judged by Jesus Christ to determine if they will win or lose rewards. The Bible says in First Corinthians 3:13-15, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” At the end of his life Paul looked forward to standing before the judge to receive his reward. Paul wrote in Second Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Remember that this judgment is called an “eternal judgment.” Evidently these crowns and rewards will determine something important concerning the eternal existence and position of those who go to heaven. We are saved by faith and by faith alone, but works are still important. Jesus said in Revelation 22:12, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

The unsaved will also be judged. It will be a terrible judgment for them. They will not go to heaven. They will go to hell, and the judgment will undoubtedly show each one that they deserve to go there. God will not put anyone in hell, except those who deserve it. That is certain. For example, Adolph Hitler deserved to go to hell; and there will be other murderers who deserve to go there also and anyone who is not saved by Jesus. But Hitler will likely have a greater punishment in hell than some others who go there. Anything less would not be justice and God is a just Judge. Hitler’s sins were greater, and therefore his punishment should be greater. Concerning this great judgment of the damned, the Bible says in Revelation 20:11-15, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Every human being will stand before God one day and give an account of the things done in his body. What a terrible judgment that will be for those who do not have a Savior! It is no wonder that Jesus said, “What should it profit a man, should he gain the whole world, but lose his own soul; or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Hebrews chapter six and verses one and two listed 8 important Bible doctrines that every Christians should know. If a Christian studies the Bible, he will know these eight Bible doctrines. The writer of the book of Hebrews said that he would go beyond these eight doctrines and teach other things. He wrote in Hebrews 6:3, “And this will we do, if God permit.” What is going to be dealt with in the next several verses has to do with what happens to those who leave the truth that has been revealed to them. Do not be one of those who leave the truth that is in Christ Jesus. Seek it, desire it with all your heart, receive it gladly, and cling to it as your most important possession.

___________________________________________________