“… a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:10-14 ASV)
Does your heart yearn for the deep things of God? Do you really want to go on with him into all that he has for you? Do you want to be part of the Order of Melchizedek, even as Jesus was? Then follow these instructions in Hebrews. Only those who partake of “solid food” may enter here. Only those who eat of the body and blood of Jesus may come in. This is those who assimilate his truth (body = word = doctrine) as they are led by his Spirit (blood). And, according to Hebrews, we may only do this “because of practice.” What are we to practice?
John tells us the most clearly as follows:
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. [29] If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
[3:1] See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. [2] Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is. [3] And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
[4] Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. [5] You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. [6] No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. [7] Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. [8] Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. [9] No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. [10] By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 2:28-3:10 (ESV)
We learn throughout Scripture, and especially in Romans, that we have no righteousness of our own and that we cannot obey God or his Law in the power of our own might. Paul tells us in Romans 8 that our only escape from sin is to set our mind upon the Spirit and to live “according to the Spirit.” Thus we do not practice righteousness by setting down a new list of do’s and don’ts. We do it by being led of the Spirit and allowing him to continually wash us with his Word. When we sin, he convicts us of sin. Then we repent, get up, and go on with God. When we see our brother sin, we confess his sins and believe that at some point God will lead him into righteousness as well. In this way we practice righteousness.
Hebrews 5:14 then promises that we will “have our senses trained to be able to discern between good and evil.” Who trains us? The Holy Spirit. When we begin to agree with God in any small thing, then he will take us to the next step of agreement and obedience. This is how we mature in righteousness, in the things of God, and this is how we enter the Order of Melchizedek. It seems so simple. Why is it, then, that so many continually disagree with God and fail to enter into his holiness?
