“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…repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Hebrews 5:12, 6:1-2).
Just as every language has an alphabet and every sport has its fundamentals, God’s revelation—both Old and New Testaments—has first principles which are foundational to a correct understanding of God and His will. Hebrews 6:1-2 identifies six. Each will be given its own consideration.
God is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and of those who do not (Matthew 25:46). He has prepared a place of reward for each.
The practical purpose for the resurrection of the dead is so that all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive an eternal judgment on the things each did while on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). Once the King of kings and Lord of lords has pronounced His sentence of blessing and His sentence of condemnation, there will be no appeals.
Heaven—the place of peace, joy, love, and unbroken fellowship with God—will be the eternal reward of those who lived by obedient faith. Hell—a place of weeping, wailing, pain, and unending torment with the devil and his angels—will be the eternal punishment of the disobedient.
These elementary truths about the eternal judgment are the sobering components of this elementary principle of Christ.
