ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES INTRODUCTION (MILK OF THE WORD)
It is our understanding that the primary way that the Lord will use to 'grow up' His children is not necessarily by having us continue to teach and re-teach the 'elementary principles of faith' to believers in general until most believers FINALLY 'get it.'
This method hasn't worked for 2,000 years, and there's little reason to expect that it will produce great results at this late date.
Rather, I believe He will accomplish His more perfect will by means of setting others in the body as examples for the 'children' to learn from, and to emulate.
..."For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat".........Heb 5:12
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection"......Heb 6:1
There are listed six things which belong to the "first principles" which we are to leave, that we might go on into deeper dimensions:
(1) Repentance from dead works
(2) Faith toward God
(3) Doctrine of baptisms
(4) The laying on of hands
(5) Resurrection of the dead
(6) Judgements.
(Heb 5:12, Heb 6:1)
It is interesting to note that these "milk of the Word" principles make up the CARDINAL DOCTRINES of most of the Churches today - be they Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Fundamentalist, Pentecostal or Charismatic! ALL, according to Hebrews, major in minors and minor in majors!
The Lord is admonishing the church to advance unto perfecting gospel in this hour.
