Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
The cross references for Hebrews 6:1 all relate to the idea of leaving behind the elementary doctrines of Christ and progressing to spiritual maturity. Matthew 21:32 and John 5:24 emphasize that faith in Christ is essential to salvation and spiritual growth. 2 Corinthians 7:1 and Philippians 3:12-15 encourage believers to strive for holiness and to press on to the goal of spiritual maturity. Hebrews 5:12-14 and Hebrews 9:14 both emphasize the importance of having a deeper understanding of the word of God, and of being purified from dead works. All of these cross references point to the same message: that believers must strive to progress in their faith and knowledge of God, and leave behind the elementary doctrines of Christ.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Matthew 21:32: For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him. | Both passages emphasize the importance of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 6:1 calls for believers to move beyond the basic teachings of repentance and faith in order to grow spiritually. Matthew 21:32 tells the story of how the tax collectors and prostitutes believed what John the Baptist was saying, while the religious leaders did not. This story serves as an example of the power of repentance and faith to bring people to Christ. |
| John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. | Both passages speak to the importance of faith in Christ. Hebrews 6:1 encourages readers to move beyond the basic teachings of Christ and grow in their faith. John 5:24 emphasizes that those who believe in Christ have eternal life and will not be judged. |
| 2 Corinthians 7:1: Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. | Both passages emphasize the importance of Christian maturity. Hebrews 6:1 encourages believers to move beyond the basics of faith and repentance to a greater depth of spiritual understanding. 2 Corinthians 7:1 calls for believers to strive for holiness, to be pure in both body and spirit, and to do so out of reverence for God. |
| Philippians 3:12-15: Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. | Both passages speak of the importance of continuing to seek spiritual growth. Hebrews 6:1 encourages believers to move beyond the basics of faith and to strive for maturity in Christ. Philippians 3:12-15 speaks of Paul's own pursuit of spiritual growth and encourages other believers to do the same, with the assurance that God will show them the way. |
| Hebrews 5:12-14: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. | Both passages emphasize the importance of moving beyond the basics of faith in Jesus Christ to a more mature understanding of the Christian life. Hebrews 6:1 urges the readers to leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and move on to maturity. Hebrews 5:12–14 speaks of the need to have a mature understanding of the word of God, which is only acquired through constant practice and training. Both passages emphasize the importance of growing in knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith. |
| Hebrews 9:14: how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. | Both passages refer to the concept of dead works. Hebrews 6:1 speaks of repentance from dead works and faith toward God as an elementary doctrine of Christ, while Hebrews 9:14 speaks of how the blood of Christ purifies our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. The first passage is about the foundational teaching of repentance from dead works, while the second passage is about the power of Christ's blood to purify us from dead works. |
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, who has made us righteous and given us the opportunity to live a life of repentance and faith. We thank you for the promise of eternal life through His blood, and for the ability to cleanse our conscience from dead works. Help us to grow in maturity, to think like those who are mature, and to use our powers of discernment to distinguish good from evil. Give us the strength to press on towards the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, and to serve the living God. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.