1. Part of the Revealed Will of God Is Called the “First Principles”
Hebrews 5:12
 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews 6:1
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
First principles
Basic principles (ESV)
Elementary principles
Elementary teaching (NIV)
Basic teaching (NRSV)
Basic things about God’s word (NLT)
Rudiments of the beginning (Vincent)

2. The First Principles
Context: “milk” in contrast to the meat of the word (5:12-14)
Context: foundation principles (6:1-3)
“’the initiatory elements’—the A, B, C of Christian teaching.” (Pulpit)
“The very elements; the rudiments; the first lessons—such as children learn before they advance to higher studies.” (Barnes)
“basic principles which underlie the nature of something—‘basic principles, elementary concepts.’” (Louw & Nida)

3. Often a Disdain for the Simple
Naaman was turned off by the simple (2 Kings 5:10-14)
Greeks viewed the simple gospel as foolish (1 Cor. 1:18-25)
Constant desire for something “new” (Acts 17:21) – Something fresher – different
Some teachers / preachers struggle to teach the basics
Too simple
Hard to be “fresh” on the old principles
Been taught so many times before – hard to different

4. The Value of
The First
Principles

5. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest

6. They are the Foundation of all the Rest
First principles are compared to foundation (Heb. 6:1-3)
The rest of the building is supported by the foundation
If foundation is well laid – building will stand
If foundation is weak – whole system is threatened
What are some elements of the foundation?
The Bible in inspired (2 Tim. 3:16)
Jesus is Divine (Rom. 1:4)
How authority is established (Acts 15)
One church (Eph. 4:4)
How the Spirit operates (Eph. 6:17)
Conditions of salvation (Acts 2)
They are the Foundation of all the Rest

7. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.

8. All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Error in New Testament Times
Judaism – departure from Old Law being taken away, resurrection of Christ, conditions of salvation, etc. (Romans & Galatians)
Gnosticism – departure from Jesus is divine (1 John)
No resurrection – departure of resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15)
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.

9. All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Error in New Testament Times
Major apostasies through the years
Development of Catholicism - departure in organ. of the church
Reformation – departure in conditions of salvation
During Restoration – departure in organization, worship and authority
Premillennialism – departure in 2nd coming & end of time
Institutionalism – departure in organ. of church, authority, work of church
AD 70 – departure in 2nd coming & end of time
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.

10. All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Error in New Testament Times
Major apostasies through the years
Warning: when we let up on & neglect the 1st principles – we are one generation away from apostasy (Jud. 2:10)
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.

11. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Need to be Reminded of What We Know

12. Need to be Reminded of What We Know
Need to be reminded of what we know and have heard before
“Studied that before”
“Already know this stuff”
Since Christians in audience – “they’ve heard all that old simple stuff”
Need to be Reminded of What We Know

13. Need to be Reminded of What We Know
Need to be reminded of what we know and have heard before
Need to be reminded (2 Pet. 1:12; 3:1-2)
Even though
Know (v. 12)
Established (v. 12)
Stir you up (1:13; 3:1)
Continual need (1:13, 15)
Even basic stories needed to answer error (3:1-6)
Need to be Reminded of What We Know

14. Need to be Reminded of What We Know
Need to be reminded of what we know and have heard before
Need to be reminded (2 Pet. 1:12; 3:1-2)
Gain when we study same things that we know
Topic – may reinforce and confirm what we know (i.e. Heb. 1-9)
Text – see some thing never noticed or forgot
Need to be Reminded of What We Know

15. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Need to be Reminded of What We Know
“Teach First Grade Every Year”

16. “Teach First Grade Every Year”
Dangerous to assume other (our children) know what we know
We know, we have heard, we understand – thus easy to think they know too
Think if we have taught on some subject years ago – covered it well enough
Some who may not catch what they heard the 1st or 2nd time.
“Teach First Grade Every Year”

17. “Teach First Grade Every Year”
Dangerous to assume other (our children) know what we know
Israel failed to teach their children
Israel could have transmitted faith – by teaching (Psa. 78)
God have them law (v. 5)
One Generation was to tell the next (vv. 3-6)
That may not forget God (v. 7)
Israel failed to do that (Judges 2:10)
“Teach First Grade Every Year”

18. “Teach First Grade Every Year”
Dangerous to assume other (our children) know what we know
Israel failed to teach their children
Irven Lee’s wise advice:
“Just remember, when we taught school, we taught first grade every year.”
Will always be spiritual 1st graders – that need the basics
Will always be spiritual 2nd & 3rd graders – who didn’t get it in first grade
“Teach First Grade Every Year”

19. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Need to be Reminded of What We Know
“Teach First Grade Every Year”
Tendency to Forget

20. Tendency to Forget Possible to forget what we once knew (Heb. 5:12-14)
Not merely that we are not emphasizing them
But need to be taught the basics again!
Tendency to Forget

21. Tendency to Forget Possible to forget what we once knew (Heb. 5:12-14)
Reading or teaching can illuminate what we have forgotten to do (Neh. 8)
Ezra read from the law and explained it (vv. 1-8)
No doubt – sections knew and read before
Learned that need to dwell in booths (vv )
Tendency to Forget

22. Tendency to Forget Possible to forget what we once knew (Heb. 5:12-14)
Reading or teaching can illuminate what we have forgotten to do (Neh. 8)
Without first principles we will forget:
How authority is established and applied
Details in the cases of conversion
How the Holy Spirit operates
Why we practice as we do
Why we don’t have instrumental music
What role of women in the church is
Tendency to Forget

23. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Need to be Reminded of What We Know
“Teach First Grade Every Year”
Tendency to Forget
Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need

24. Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need
Sometimes we don’t see a need for some subject until …
A question is asked
Having a discussion with a friend
Then… will ask for material on the basics
Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need

25. Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need
Sometimes we don’t see a need for some subject until
Illustrated
No big interest in premill. – until confronted with it
No big interest in authority – until asked about it
No big interest in Calvinism – until study with a Calvinist
No big interest in blood of Christ – until hear error…
Need to be equipped to teach others (1 Pet. 3:15)
Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need

26. The Value of The First Principles
They are the Foundation of all the Rest
All Apostasy is Departure from 1st Prin.
Need to be Reminded of What We Know
“Teach First Grade Every Year”
Tendency to Forget
Always Some Who Suddenly See a Need