LET US GO ON. Hebrews 6:1 “First principles” refer to the fundamental teachings about our Lord Jesus Christ and our new life in Him. To grow as believers, we need to go beyond—not away from—the six essential doctrines mentioned in the first two verses of this chapter.
Repentance from “dead works” in the context of Hebrews would mean to the Jewish believers that they need to change their minds about the demands of the law of Moses. Even though the law was good, it was weak because of the weakness of our sinful human nature. Repentance also involves facing the seriousness of sin and making a 180-degree turn away from the old nature’s inclination to be independent and instead doing what pleases us.
Gentiles who heard the Gospel were commanded to repent of their sins, not their “dead works,” and to put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrew believers who relied on their dead works and believed they would make them acceptable to God were told to repent from “dead works.” The works they trusted in were dead, useless, and not to be trusted, but they were to be left behind as having no relevance to their salvation. “Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes in Him.”
Repentance and faith are interconnected. It starts when we recognize God's holiness and grace shining through the darkness and sinfulness of our old nature. The justice and mercy of God make us stop completely when we compare ourselves to Him. We experience a total change of mind about ourselves and God, then turn to face Him. In faith, we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing in Him who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification. We find Him waiting in grace to receive us when we accept Him. Repentance and redemption go hand in hand and must be preached together. Repentance involves a new life—it is repentance unto life.
Repentance happens when we realize our spiritual condition before God as being "dead in trespasses and in sins." There’s no need to add anything else to true repentance. We keep moving forward. Genuine faith in God leads to a clearer understanding of whom we trust, which encourages us to "live by faith."
Faith in Christ starts with repentance. Repentance reveals our flaws and shows the need for change; faith centers on God’s grace and Christ’s provision to meet our needs. Sorrow and fear show genuine repentance. Trust and joy symbolize true faith. God’s grace gives us a new nature and life that are separate from “dead works.”
The foundational knowledge that Jewish believers possessed before hearing and accepting the Gospel was good, but it was not a means of redemption. For them and us, now that our Lord Jesus Christ has come, we focus our faith entirely on Him: His deity, His sacrifice for our sins on the cross, His burial, resurrection, ascension to the right hand of God, high priestly ministry, authority, and His promise to return. Our faith is in Him, not in the types and shadows of Him. Our foundation is the word of God, our Lord and Savior, and we build our lives on the solid Rock of our salvation— Jesus Himself.