Hebrews 6:1—“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”
The exhortation, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection,” must be read in its redemptive-historical context. The writer addresses Jewish believers who had learned of Christ through the Old Testament—its ceremonies, promises, types, and prophecies—and were still tempted to treat those preparatory forms as necessary practices. These constituted the “principles,” or elementary teachings, about Christ, given by God before His coming to prepare the way for the fuller revelation now accomplished in Him.
“Leaving” does not mean abandoning truth, but moving forward from shadow to substance. The Old Testament provided a true and God-given foundation: sacrifices pointing to atonement, washings symbolising cleansing, promises anticipating salvation, and prophecies foretelling the Messiah. All faithfully taught Christ in advance. Yet now that Christ has come, died, risen, and ascended, believers are not to remain bound to the forms that once pointed forward to Him.
To cling to ceremonies and types after their fulfilment is like lingering at the scaffold after the building is complete. The writer urges his readers to move beyond Christ anticipated to Christ revealed, beyond promise to accomplishment. This forward movement is what he means by “going on unto perfection”, pursuing the complete revelation of Christ unto spiritual maturity.
Thus, believers are warned not to lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God. These were foundational under the old covenant, but now find their true meaning in wholehearted trust in Christ’s finished work. What once pointed forward must never compete with what has been fulfilled. True progress in the Christian life means building on the foundation, not living forever at it, pressing on to a fuller knowledge, obedience, and enjoyment of the completed work of Christ.
