Elementary Principles

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of 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 6:1-3

Whoa! Hold on a minute. Did I read this correctly? This passage just referred to repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, raising the dead, and eternal judgement as elementary principles of which discussion should left behind. Completeness, the meaning of the Greek word translated into perfection, is found beyond these.

I don't know about you, but I feel like raising the dead and laying on of hands is not something most Christians accept as part of the elementary principles of our walk with Jesus. When I read this, I think to myself, "If these are elementary principles, then why aren't they assumed as part of church life? If we are to be moving on, then what are we moving toward? These are pretty deep things."

I feel like repentance and faith in God are almost all we (a large majority of Evangelical Christians) ever talk about in our churches. I rarely see laying on of hands and even more rarely see the dead being raised, yet these are considered elementary principles in the Bible. This tells me there are some holes in the foundation of the American church.