“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.” (Hebrews 6:1-3)

One of my absolute favorite things to do is visit a bustling metropolis. There is something electric about walking through the streets of a place like New York City, taking in the sheer scale of the architecture. Every square inch seems to be occupied by giants of steel and glass. In that skyline, anything less than twenty stories feels small, dwarfed by the massive structures surrounding it.

When you consider that all of this is built on a relatively small island, you realize a profound truth: what you see reaching into the clouds is entirely dependent on what lies beneath the surface. To support dozens of floors, each skyscraper must have footings that dig deep into the bedrock. If the foundation isn’t built right, the building could never support the height it was destined to reach.

This is a beautiful picture of the believer’s life. Just like those skyscrapers, our lives must be constructed on a well-built foundation. We have to know and understand the basics first before we can support the weight of the deeper things of God. The foundation always comes first. The cornerstone of our entire belief system is Jesus. As we get to know Him and read His Word, we lay down solid principles that stabilize us. This base allows us to support the many deep and wonderful truths God wants to reveal to us in the future. But you can't build the sixteenth floor if the foundation hasn't been poured.

The passage in Hebrews 6 is a stirring call to start moving upward. The writer is continuing a thought from the previous chapter, where he challenged the people for lingering too long in spiritual infancy. He essentially tells them, "It's time to build." He is urging them to take the foundation they’ve been given and strive for greater understanding—to move toward spiritual maturity.

The list of "elementary truths" found here—repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection, and eternal judgment—should be the bedrock of our lives. These are doctrines we should know so well that we could easily teach them to someone else. They are the essential starting points. But having a strong foundation isn't the end goal; it's the assurance that what we build next will be secure.

This is why the writer says it is time to move on toward completeness. He intends to lead them into advanced teaching, leaning on their foundational understanding to support deeper truths. We aren't meant to lay the foundation over and over again; we are meant to build upon it.

Just as each floor of a New York skyscraper rises on the strength of the one below it, we are called to continue growing in the Word until the very end. The Bible isn't a one-time read. Each time we open it, it brings more understanding and fresh revelation than the time before. As we plant these seeds of truth in our hearts, we can expect a return on our investment. As David beautifully wrote in Psalm 1, we will be like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season and prospering in everything we do.

So, look at your foundation today. Is it strong? If so, don’t just stare at the concrete. Start building. There are heights of maturity and understanding that God is inviting you to reach.

Personal Reflection Questions

1. Is your faith focused on strengthening the foundation, or are you building higher?

2. Are you confident in your grasp of the basics like repentance and faith?

3. Where is God inviting you to move beyond the familiar and grow deeper?