The Masterpiece 96
Going Beyond the Principles unto Perfection.
November 25th, 2006
Brian Kocourek
1. This evening I would like to
address the thought of “Going beyond
the Doctrine of Christ”. Now, you might be thinking why would anyone
think of going beyond the doctrine of Christ. Especially after what
2.Notice that the
doctrine of Christ has limits and if you go beyond those limits you do not have
God. And we know that God, even though He is sovereign, and although he is
omniscient and omnipotent yet He still has limits.
Number one, He can not
lie, and number two he can not go against His Own word.
So those that would go
beyond the limits we are told that there is a penalty to these that would do
so. We are told they hath not God., that word hath as you know from our studies was translated from the Greek
word echo. So what John is saying is that if you go beyond the limits of the
doctrine of Christ and you do not remain in the Doctrine of Christ you can not
echo God. In other words, you can not say what God said. Then he adds,) He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath (he echoes) both the Father and the Son.
Now, remember
in, MATTHEW 10:32 Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before
men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. And
in LUKE 12:8 we also read the same thing.
Also I say unto
you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also
confess before the angels of God: Now, the word confess here was
translated from the Greek word Homologeo which is two greek words “homo” and
“logeo” which are combined together make one Greek word, and the word “homo”
means “the same” and logeo means “word”. So Jesus is saying, He that says the
same word about me to men, I will say the same thing to my father about them. And
what Word is that? It is the record that God gave of His Son.
Now let’s read
how this promise of God given to us through His Son was put to the test.
JOHN 9:22 These [words] spake his parents, because they feared
the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he
was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
JOHN 12:42 ¶
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but
because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him], lest they should be put out
of the synagogue:
I JOHN 4:1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come;
and even now already is it in the world.
I JOHN 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not
the Father: [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye
have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning
shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath
promised us, [even] eternal life.
I JOHN 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath
not the Son of God hath not life.
Jesus told us that
JOHN 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abideth on him.
JOHN 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life
through his name.
JOHN 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that
every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:
and I will raise him up at the last day.
JOHN 5:26
26 For as the Father hath life
in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Now, I want you
to notice that He is telling us here, that who ever goes beyond the limits of
the doctrine of Christ and notice he adds, and abideth not, which means to
remain not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. So if you go beyond the
limits and do not remain in the doctrine of Christ, then you could never say
what God says, and it shows that you not only do not have God, but you are
incapable of echoing God, you are incapable of saying what God says.
Then if we are not to go beyond the doctrine of Christ, what did
the Apostle Paul mean when he said in Hebrews chapter 6, Hebrews 6: 1 Therefore leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
Leaving the doctrine
of Christ to go on unto perfection? Is that what Paul is saying? No,
that is not what he is saying. But if you read the Bible carelessly like
most people read it, you would have read just that, and you would have been
thrown into a misinterpretation of the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul did not say
we are to leave the doctrine of Christ in order to go on unto perfection. He
said leaving the “principles” of the
doctrine of Christ we go on unto perfection. So you see it is the principals
first, and then going beyond those principles that brings us to perfection.
Now, I know you may
not be following me right now, because you may be saying in your mind, what
could be beyond the doctrine of Christ? I mean the same Apostle John that said,
2 John 1: 9 Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, does not even have
God, and neither can heecho God or say what God says. (Then he
adds,) He that
abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath (he echoes) both the Father and
the Son.
Well, if you are
paying close attention to my words you will notice that I never quoted the
Apostle Paul as saying we must go beyond the doctrine of Christ but he said,
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on into perfection.
Not leaving the
doctrine, but leaving the principles of the doctrine. Now, the word principles
was translated from the Greek word arche, which means the first part or the
beginning part. So you see Paul is not suggesting that we leave the doctrine of
Christ in order to enter into perfection, but rather he is telling us that we
must not stay and dwell on the first part of the doctrine of Christ, but rather
if we are to go unto perfection, we must go beyond that fist part of the
doctrine of Christ.
Therefore the Apostle
Paul is giving us a clue here that perfection lays within the boundaries of the
doctrine of Christ, but to get there we must not stop when we come to the
doctrine of Christ but we must enter into it fully and not stop at the first
understanding we have concerning the doctrine of Christ. He is telling us that
in order to reach perfection we must go further into the doctrine than the mere
principle which is the first part.
So we must then
ask our selves what does this mean and what is the principles of the doctrine
of Christ. What is the first part in understanding the doctrine of Christ. And we get our answer from a vindicated
prophet of God to this last age.
In his sermon on Hebrews 6 Brother Branham said, Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E P:10 Now.
Leaving… Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go
on to perfection;...I like Paul saying those things. Paul never was a person
that liked to stay too long in one place; he liked to move on deeper. One time
in the Scripture he said, "I... Forgetting those things which are in the
past, I press towards the mark of the high calling." See, he keeps
pressing on. Here he said: Now forgetting the principles of the doctrine of
Christ... (Who He was, What He was),... let's go on to perfection;...
Hebrews Chapter 5
and 6 57-0908M P:25 Now notice. But strong meat belongeth to
them that are of full age, even those who by reasons of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil. (Know what's right and what's wrong by
the discernment.) Now, notice, starting now on our lesson. This great
background now, let's go for the 1st verse: THEREFORE leaving the principles of
the doctrine of Christ,...What's he saying? All these first five chapters has
been laid on Christ to show Who He is. Now, we're leaving those principles of
the doctrines of Christ.
And what does Paul do
in Hebrews? He moves from Who and What Christ is to, right into perfection in
chapters 7 and on.
Notice Hebrews chapter
1 tells us the son of God was made in the exact image of the Father.
HEBREWS 1:3 Who being the brightness of his (The Father’s) glory, and the express image of his (The
Father’s) person,
and upholding all things by the word of his (the Father’s) power, when he had
by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty (God) on high; 4 ¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as
he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto
which of the angels said he (God) at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Now, in Chapter 2 the
Apostle Paul tells us that we had better not let so great an understanding as
this slip from our grasp. HEBREWS 2:1 ¶ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them
slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that
heard him;
Then as the Apostle
Paul moves from the birth of Christ and His relationship to the Father, he then
begins to show us that we also have relationship with the Son of God.
HEBREWS 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than
the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he
by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 ¶ For
it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing
many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. Now,
what Paul is telling us here is that Jesus was crowned with Glory and honour,
and the glory is the doxa of God which is the very opinion, assessment and
judgment of God. In other words the very mind of God. Let this mind be in you
that was in Christ Jesus. Now, notice the relationship between Jesus as a Son
and the fact that God has others children is mentioned in the next verse. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified
are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, (and remember
that Jesus came in His Father’s name) in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children
which God hath given me. So
you see Paul was talking about family here.
Now, that the
Apostle Paul has established the relationship between the Father and the Son
and then sons, he now turns our attention in the next verse to our partaking of
the role that we have to play in the family.
HEBREWS
3:1 ¶ Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers
of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus;
Then the Apostle Paul speaks of the
faithfulness of the Son of God to His Father.
HEBREWS 3:2
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all
his house. And then the Apostle Paul makes comparisons between this
son Jesus, and other sons like Moses, etc. Then about half-way through this third
chapter the Apostle Paul begins to show how that we also are made partakers
with Christ if we hold fast to the end. HEBREWS 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Then in chapter 4 we are told that this
relationship between the Father and the Son was based upon the Father’s Word,
and the Son’s obedience to it.
Now, when we get
to chapter 5 we see that no man can enter into this role as a son without being
ordained to it. HEBREWS 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is
called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to
be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have
I begotten thee. (Now, I want you to stop here for a moment to read
what the Apostle Paul is saying here. He is telling us that no man can honor
himself with this role of a son. But it is something that we are either
ordained to or we are not. And notice that
Christ did not play out his role to honor himself but to honor the Father, ) 6 As he saith also
in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec. (Now the word after means in the same manner or
expression) 7 Who
in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with
strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was
heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he
obedience by the things which he suffered; (Now the focus is not
that he suffered, but rather that he learned obedience, he learned his place as
a son.) 9 And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him; (Now, notice then that Jesus was made perfect, which
means finished or capped off. And notice we are also given a promise that
through obedience we shall be made perfect.) 10
¶ Called of God an high priest
after the order of Melchisedec.
Now, let’s read
on about this doctrine of Christ… HEBREWS 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age,(that means those who are fully mature. ) even. those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. And
here we come full circle to what the apostle is telling us to begin with. 6:1 ¶
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on
unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God,
MATTHEW 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and
no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father,
save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him].
1 John Chapter 5 Verse 12 He that
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
John Chapter
20 Verse 31 But these are
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and
that believing ye might have life through his name.
John Chapter 5 Verse 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and
they that hear shall live.