
Sun, Jul 6, 2025 – “Trained... to Distinguish Good From Evil” (Hebrews 5:11–6:3)
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Follow Along with Today’s Sermon Manuscript (sort of, mostly, kind of)
- Our preachers don’t always follow word for word, (especially Scott, Lead Pastor), but it will help you follow the train of thought and prepare for your study below.
- Tyson
Overview Outline of Hebrews:
(1) The Exalted Son and a Rest for the People of God (Hebrews 1:1–4:13)
(2) Our Great High Priest and His Ministry (4:14–10:31)
(3) Follow and Serve the Pioneer of Our Faith through Endurance and Faith (10:32-13:25)
Memory Verse – Hebrews 9:11-12 – 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Hebrews 5:9-10 – 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 5:11-6:3 – 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.
Hebrews 5:11-12 – 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
Luke 6:40 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
1 John 2:3-4, 6 – 3 “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar… 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
Matthew 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Hebrews 5:13 – for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
“This verb primarily portrays the concept of training. In the NT it is mostly used for training in righteousness.
Hebrews 6:1 – Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity,
Hebrews 6:2 – and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Hosea 6:6 – For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Genesis 15:6 – And [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Job 19:25-26 – For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.
Hebrews 6:3 – And this we will do if God permits.
Matthew 13:14-15 – 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Acts 28:23 – When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
(See fccgreene.org/discuss for intro info.)
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1. Read Hebrews 5:11-6:3 aloud. What points from the text and the message impacted you the most?
2. What prompted the writer to accuse the readers of being “dull of hearing”? (See also Matthew 13:11-17.) How can a person tell whether they are still on “milk” or have moved on to “solid food”?
3. What are some reasons people might remain spiritually immature even after being believers for a long time?
4. Review Hebrews 6:1-2. Why are the listed doctrines considered “elementary doctrine”? Do you need to better understand any of these in order to mature as a believer?
5. What action prayers and steps can you take this week to progress toward becoming skilled in the word of righteousness? Who can you ask to hold you accountable?
- ESV Study Bible – Our #1 recommendation. The English Standard Version, which we use for preaching, has really good Study Notes, maps, introductions, mini-systematic theology, etc. Available in hardcopy at cost in The Hub at every campus (or for Logos Bible Software below.) The ESV Bible text is free on our app under “Bible” or at ESV.org, where the Global Study Bible Notes are also free.
- Logos Bible Software – Download 40+ free resources here to get started, incl 6 Bible versions, ESV Audio Bible, Faithlife Study Notes, Lexham Bible Dictionary, and Easton’s Bible Dictionary, as well as some classics like Charles Hodge’s Systematic Theology, JFB Commentary (Critical/Explanatory on Whole Bible), Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions, Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Augustine’s Confessions. ESV Bible and Study Notes available for purchase at logos.com, along with basically any other important biblical and theological resource you could possibly imagine. (Scott’s favorite resource. He says, “I’m in and out of Logos dozens of times a day.”)
- NETbible.org – Free Bible (various versions, incl ESV with lots of helpful textual notes and a few decent resources and commentaries.
- IVP New Bible Commentary – Good basic one-volume commentary. Available in The Hub at any campus.
- Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem – Good overall and highly readable introduction to Christian doctrine. Available at cost in The Hub and also for Logos Bible Software. Though there are a few places where Scott and Mark Liebert would disagree with Grudem, we often use it as a guide on our Brown Bags & Bibles podcast.
- Free Online Whole Bible Commentaries (by dead people, who are usually more reliable than living people) – Albert Barnes, John Calvin (missing some books), Adam Clarke, Matthew Henry (Concise), Matthew Henry (Complete), Alexander MacLaren, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- Free Online Dictionaries/Encyclopedias – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Holman Bible Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia