Hebrews 6 is a difficult passage to interpret for there are various Biblical and theological positions on the chapter. Thus I am sharing my understanding of the text, realizing others Christians may have a different view. This is for your consideration.
The overall context is that the writer is encouraging the believers to move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and to press onto maturity. He then proceeds to list what are the elementary teachings about Christ that includes repentance from dead works. Chapter 5:11–14 is a rebuke that they were still immature believers needing milk, not solid food. It is the mature believer who constant usage of the truth have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
The Greek text as translated in the NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English translates verse 1–3 in this manner: “Wherefore leaving the of the beginning of Christ word onto the maturity let us be borne, not again a foundation laying down of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 of baptisms of teaching, and of laying on of hands, of resurrection of dead persons an judgments of eternal. 3 And this we will do, if indeed permits the God.”
Thus the writer is declaring or distinguishing between immature and mature believers and those who are pressing onto maturity and those who may be regressing back to the Jewish customs and practices.
The key word, again, may help us understand what is the repentance from dead works. The word, again, has the idea of repeating or doing it again. This would imply that they once repented from their dead again, but somehow they were doing those works again. In other words, they tore up the old foundation, but now some of the believers are repairing or doing it again. What they were doing previously did not draw them near to God. They have come to faith in God, but now they were turning their backs to their faith and returning to their former lifestyle or beliefs.
The writer describes the works with the adjective, dead. The works are dead works. The person who does the “dead works” does not gain acceptance from God and has no merit in themselves. At one point in their life, they repented of their previous lifestyle and actions. They turned away from that and turned to God by faith. The writer encourages them not to return to what they once rejected, not to lay down a foundation or rebuild what was torn down.
What is exactly the “dead works”? The writer doesn’t state specifically what is “dead works”. From the context of this book, the writer is addressing the superiority of Jesus over the Law and Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Thus some or many Christians would interpret the “dead works” is referring to the Laws of Moses and or the Jewish lifestyle.
For example, the Jewish Christians have come to believe that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for sins. The necessity of bring an animal sacrifice to the Temple to atone for sins is no longer necessary or needed. Sin has been atone for by the blood of Jesus Christ. If, however, a believer begins to bring offerings for sin, it would mean that he is repaving the access to God through animal sacrifices and believes that Christ atoning work was insufficient for one’s sin or to bring the animal sacrifice to void social isolation or religious persecution. The author describes the deed in the plural form, works. The sacrifice requirements for sins is seem as dead works for God is no longer accepting them as the way before his presence.
The question becomes what about the other aspects of the Law of Moses. Are they void or still in operation? Are the dietary laws still applicable? Acts 10 and Acts 15 begins the debate for the early Jewish Christians and the Gentile believers. Galatians 2 whereby Paul confronts Peter about Jewish customs about eating with whom and what kind of foods were being eaten. For Peter to revert to separation from Gentiles would not draw him nearer to God nor if the Gentiles had to become Jews would draw them nearer to God. It is not customs that makes one nearer or more acceptable to God but in one’s faith through Jesus Christ. All the children of God are on the same footing at the cross of Jesus. There is no one inferior or superior in Christ Jesus for they are children of God.
Is the dead works referring to the Mosaic Law? In context, I would agree. In a larger application, church membership, baptism, church attendance, prayer or Bible reading does not increase our standing before God. Those activities may help us to grow in our faith, show our support for our church, and even reflect our love for God, but those activities does not make us a child of God. If one thinks that by those activities that one becomes a child of God, then those works are “dead works.” Ephesians 2:8–9 declares that our “good works” does not earn us salvation for salvation is a gift from God that is received by faith and faith alone.
One last thought is that God does have good works for us to do, but they are not for salvation but as a result of our salvation. We are Salt and Light in this world and our attitude and actions are to reflect Jesus in our lives and to bring glory to our God. Jesus said it this way that others may see our good works and glorify God.
SUMMARY: One can’t work for one’s salvation but one can do good works after salvation to glorify God.