by Gordon A. Dickson
Have you experienced the nagging feeling that you are falling behind? Most of us experienced that for the first time in childhood. It was important to stay in line and stay close to the person in front of you. In the classroom, when your fellow students seemed to grasp a new concept, it was important for you to catch up with them.
Today, you know that it is important to keep current instead of falling behind in your understanding of important matters. This nagging feeling about falling behind is expressed in the Scriptures in Hebrews chapter 5. There the author reminds the readers that he has much to say to them about important issues, but it is hard to explain because some have become “dull of hearing.” (Hebrews 5:11). The distinct implication is that the hearers were slowing down; once they were more 
advanced than they were at the present moment. Thus, they had fallen behind and needed to catch up. Is this true of you? Hebrews 5:11-14 helps you catch up with four important choices.
1st Choice: Remember It’s about Others Too.
Your first choice is to decide that it’s not just about you. The time has come when you should be helping your fellow stragglers. Your friends, family members and fellow church members need for you to make this choice. As verse 12 says, “you ought to be teachers.” With God’s powerful grace at work in you, you can help those around you. Even new believers have something to share to inspire fellow believers. Years ago, I helped lead a man to Christ, and shortly afterward he gave me a perspective about the Lord that I had never thought of – even though I had been a Christian for four decades! You could help teach others.
Hebrews 3:13 also reminds you to encourage others. Failure to do so puts both the one who should have encouraged and the one who needs encouragement in danger of being “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Take a look around and you will find a believer who needs for you to grow up. Seeing their need will help you begin this process in earnest. So the first choice is this: stop thinking in a self-centered manner and get ready to start helping the people around you to catch up.
2nd Choice: Remember the “ABC’s”
Babies have to get nutrients from milk because they can’t digest heavier food. But healthy babies grow out of that stage. Verse 12 reminds you that mature believers choose to keep a good grasp on “the first principles of the oracles [the Word] of God” and they grow up. Those first principles are like the letters of the alphabet. Once you know your ABC’s you can rearrange those letters in all sorts of fascinating ways. Ask any number of believers about the “first principles” of Scripture and you will get a variety of good answers. Let me suggest five overarching principles as a beginning point. The theme of the Book of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ (Hebrews 1:4; 4:14-16; 10:19-23). Any discussion of the first principles of Scripture should draw a direct line to Christ. Jesus explained this in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
To help me recall these principles, I use the acronym G.R.A.C.E. You can use it to remember the first principles as you catch up and help others step up. It’s also a great way to share the gospel this year.
Glory: God is Glorious
What is the Spirit-inspired Scripture about, and, for that matter, what is the gospel about? First and foremost, they are about the glory of God; in each and every part, the Bible testifies to the unique excellence of God. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of the world (Romans 11:36). Jeremiah 10:7 testifies that He is the King of the nations and there is no one like Him.
Rebellion: Man is Rebellious against God
Though God created mankind in His image, man chose to rebel against God (Genesis 1-3). Beginning in the Garden of Eden and all the way through to the end of the Revelation, the Bible shows that all men are rebels, believing the Devil’s lie (Genesis 3:5). The gospel and the Bible warn rebellious men that they are opposing the glorious God.
Awful: The Awful Penalty for the Rebellion of Mankind
The Bible also warns mankind about the dangerous consequences of rebellion. From physical death to the second death, the effects of rebellion haunt men with deception, despair and disasters. In short, “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). The gospel reemphasizes the awful penalty for man’s rebellion.
Christ Paid the Penalty for the Rebellion of Mankind
The book of Hebrews portrays the superiority of Christ. This emphasizes why the Bible and the Gospel draw a direct line to the Savior. The Bible starts with the glory of God, and in Genesis 3:15, begins to point mankind to the glory of Christ. He alone lived the righteous life that every one of us should have lived. As our Substitute, God’s Perfect Son died the sinner’s death that every man deserves. The Father raised His Son from the dead to demonstrate His saving power to men (Romans 6:4). Only Christ can bring rebellious men back to God (1 Peter 3:18). The only way for men to turn to God from evil is by the grace of Jesus Christ. He is the One who can make hearts right, and the results of those changed lives will be felt throughout society. Only the work of Christ can reverse the curse. We can see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Embrace Christ by Faith Today and Forevermore
Throughout the Scriptures and the gospel they proclaim, rebellious men are warned to “turn to God and from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Each must embrace the glorious God by repentance from sin and faith in the saving work of Christ. When humble people do this, they will find that they are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). By faith, they will continue to grow in their understanding of what Christ has done for them.
You could use this G.R.A.C.E. acronym to recover and review the first and most basic principles of Scripture. You could help your fellow stragglers to catch up.
3rd Choice: Get in the Habit
As Hebrews 5:13 points out, a real problem for Christians is that some are “unskillful in the Word.” Think of your Bible like one of those nifty exercise machines that could help you train your body in a number of different ways. If you get in the habit of using one of those machines, it will help you pick up the pace in daily life. In the same way, spiritual stragglers can become skillful in their use of the Scriptures; they can learn to exercise their minds each day. Consider how powerful this could become with daily practice. For instance, here is an exercise to consider. Read through Romans chapter 1 looking for those first principles listed in the G.R.A.C.E. acronym above. As you study those, think about how you would apply them as you read or watch the news each day. (Watch for my future post about this.)
As you use these principles, keep in mind that your goal is to be one of those “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). As you keep reviewing the G.R.A.C.E. outline in the Word, start watching for those principles in the 
world as well. You will begin to see stories, news articles and policy discussions in a new light. The entrance of God’s Word gives light; it gives understanding to naïve people (Psalm 119:130). You will begin to recognize the prominent, evil darkness in this world in the light of the glory of God. Just as a child learns to work within the lines on a coloring book page, you will learn how to make important distinctions. Keep watching for opportunities to use the Scriptures to discern between good and evil. Use your growing understanding to point to Christ as the only hope for mankind (1 Peter 3:15, Romans 15:13).
Perseverance distinguishes genuine believers from unbelievers who have made a profession and will fall away if they remain in unbelief. This means that getting into the habit of routine perseverance will give you greater assurance; you could also lead the way to help your fellow stragglers press on to victory.
4th Choice: Press on
Meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 1) and practically apply the gospel each day (Romans 6). The more you do so, the more you will sense the life-changing impact of great choices to put God’s Word into practice. Make these choices knowing that these will help train your mind for future challenges. Putting God’s work into practice will cause you to be like the man who built his house upon a rock; you will be ready when the challenges of life come flooding in (Matthew 7:24-25). Press on, knowing that you will be able to help others catch up.
If you sense that you are a straggler and you need to catch up, carry through on these four practical choices in Hebrews 5:11-14. Make the choice to help others to escape from being self-centered. Get a good grasp on the first principles by using the G.R.A.C.E. acronym to help you understand the gospel, the Scriptures and the world around you. Get in the habit of exercising your mind in the Scriptures and press on for the glory of God. Help your fellow stragglers and you will find that your life can be a powerful encouragement to help them catch up.
To better understand how you could use the G.R.A.C.E. outline to share the good news of Jesus Christ, see “TRUST. What religions don’t tell you but God wants you to know” (in paperback, e-book and audiobook and wherever books are sold).
To get a good grasp on how you could use the Beatitudes to help you catch-up and avoid straggling behind, see “12 Ways You Could Make a Difference in This Crazy, Mixed-up World” in paperback and e-book.
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