The writer of Hebrews, whoever he may be, was aware that his readers were not up to par on the things of God. He commented in one place that by now they ought to be teaching others, but still had a need to be taught themselves. In another that they were babies still drinking milk when they ought to be handling meatier subjects.

For their convenience and ours, he outlined a series of lessons that need to be taught at an entry or elementary level, then implied by the things he taught later in the book another listing of more mature subjects.

"Professor" Paul (?) thus leaves us with a full course of study for the Christian life. You might be fascinated to compare the following lists to what you are being taught at your fellowship. Maybe a (loving!) word to the pastor is in order? Or perhaps he has a word of correction for your congregation!

My number designation is simply added for emphasis and has no Scriptural counterpart! But the original catalog of these courses is clearly given in Hebrews 6:1-2.

Course 101 would be repentance from dead works. Sin. Death. The cross. Jesus taught this course to people on the street, as He was inviting them to Himself. No repentance, no cross, means no salvation.

At that point, 102, faith, can be taught. Persons unable to repent, to lay it all down for Jesus Christ, are showing they do not have saving faith. The simple elements of the Gospel, what Jesus did for us, the efficacy of His blood, their need of a Saviour. Students need to believe this message before any progress will be made.

Baptism, part one, is course 103. The dead man must be buried. Water baptism is given as the first opportunity to testify of new-found faith in Jesus. A death has occurred. Here is pictured the burial. The presence of water in all the salvation stories of Acts can be brought out.

104 would be baptism, part two. Spirit immersion. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His, says the Word to us. Calling out for the Spirit of God, allowing for His fullness within, is basic and initial.

Then comes the laying on of hands course, number 105. A whole range of blessings come from this seemingly forgotten ordinance of the church of Jesus. Through the laying on of hands can come the Spirit in His fullness, healing, gifting, and setting apart for the work of ministry. Vital!

106. Resurrection. While all of the above are right-now things that every new believer should not only know but experience, part of one's elementary education involves our ending state. Called eschatology by some, this study of the last things that come to the believer is filled with excitement, and generates much of the hope that will be needed in the growing Christian.

107 is a continuation of 106 to some measure. Picking up just after the final resurrection, this course centers on the judgments that shall follow. The world will know an eternally damning judgment. Believers will be judged by the fruit of their lives and be given rewards - or not. Heaven and Hell can be studied at this time.

So how about it? Still studying the above? If you are new to the faith, you ought to be! All of this is elementary education. For children in the faith, newcomers.

But if you and/or your congregation have evidenced enough fruit for your pastor to move on to deeper things, here is another series of classes, suggested by the further content of the book of Hebrews:

201: The promises of all the prophets as they pointed to Jesus.

202: The history of God's people from Genesis on.

203: The legal and priestly system as it points to and reveals Jesus.

204: All the covenants of the Bible, with a special look at our own agreement with God, the New Covenant.

205: The life, work, and teachings of Jesus.

206: The faith walk.

207: Discipline and chastening. Boundaries for the Christian.

208:The moral teachings. Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Church rules.

209: Love to God, brother, neighbor, mankind.

Wow! You say. Sounds like a Bible College curriculum. Sadly, such lists are found in Bible Colleges, as those institutions have gradually taken from local congregations the responsibility for educating in depth. In this manner, a Protestant "clergy" has been formed, setting up the educated over the impoverished "lay" person.

Is it too late to call for all local congregations to train their own people fully and freely? To ask that "ministerial" candidates also be educated right there at home, observed carefully for many years, and then sent out to minister God's Word? Why did we have to follow the world's program of college and university, when we can see the foul fruits that are produced in it? Is it too much to ask of pastors and teachers at the local level that they give to their people a balanced diet of milk for the new, and meat for the old?