If you are asked what are the essentials of the faith what would you say? Most would declare there is one God revealed in three persons ,the death burial resurrection of Jesus the virgin birth etc.
Now these are truths to be believed and taught but they are not the "essentials"
I define "essentials" as "first things" or "foundational doctrine"...(foundation) to be preached and taught to the unsaved as well as new believers.
Now ,according to New Testament ,New Covenant scripture what are the essentials or first principles or elementary teachings of Christ?
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the "first principles" of the "oracles of God;" and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the "principles of the doctrine of Christ," let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the "foundation" of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
See these are the principle or first teachings of Christ and the Apostles. If you look at the gospel proclamation of Christ and the apostles you will see this proclaimed. All through Acts you see these things proclaimed and lived out in actual faith!
Here are some comments from more respected teachers concerning this set of scripture.
Matthew Henry on Heb 6:1,2
Here observe, In order to their growth, Christians must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ. How must they leave them? They must not lose them, they must not despise them, they must not forget them. They must lay them up in their hearts, and lay them as the foundation of all their profession and expectation; but they must not rest and stay in them, they must not be always laying the foundation, they must go on, and build upon it. There must be a superstructure; for the foundation is laid on purpose to support the building.
John Wesley
Let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works-From open sins, the very first thing to be insisted on.
And faith in God-The very next point. So St. Paul in his very first sermon at Lystra, Ac 14:15, "Turn from those vanities unto the living God." And when they believed, they were to be baptized with the baptism, not of the Jews, or of John, but of Christ. The next thing was, to lay hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: after which they were more fully instructed, touching the resurrection, and the general judgment; called eternal, because the sentence then pronounced is irreversible, and the effects of it remain for ever.
Charles Spurgeon
Ver. 1,2 Children are to learn their letters in order that they may go on to higher branches of education, and believers are to know the elements of the faith, but are then to advance to the higher attainments, and endeavor to understand the deeper mysteries.
Albert Barnes
The elements were the doctrines of repentance, faith, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. These entered into the very nature of Christianity. They were its first principles, and were indispensable.
Matthew poole
Of repentance from dead works: the first Christian principle or doctrine to be learnt, was that of repentance, which is the fundamental change of a sinner's mind, and, in that, of himself; it carrieth in it knowledge, conviction of sin by God's law, bitter sorrow for it, and full conversion of the soul to God from it, as it is described, 2Co 7:9-11; as from all sinful works flowing from it while lapsed from God; dead in sins, which would have eaten out and destroyed their souls for ever, Ro 6:23; Eph 2:1,2. It supposeth the knowledge of other truths preceding it, as their creation in God's image, their apostacy from it, the misery consequent. &c. These Hebrews were to proceed and advance daily in the exercise of this grace.
And of faith towards God: the second Christian principle or doctrine is of faith on God, comprehending the habit and acts of that Divine grace, of evidence, subsistence, assent, and affiance, Heb 11:1, all the effects of it; and this exercised on God in his essence, relations, especially in his gracious contrivance and execution of the work of redemption for sinners; as giving reconciliation, righteousness, holiness, adoption, and eternal salvation, through Christ, fulfilling all righteousness by his death, as a sacrifice satisfying his justice, and meriting, as purchasing, all these blessings for believers, and effectually from heaven is dispensing them to them.
Ver. 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms: the third fundamental doctrine in which these Hebrews were initiated was, the doctrine of baptisms; containing in it the doctrine which baptism teacheth, as that of the covenant of grace, of which it is a sign and seal, and of their entering into it who partake of it, which, as to its duties and privileges, is sealed and confirmed: and the doctrine in which baptisms are taught, as that of Christ by water and by the Spirit, Mt 3:6; Joh 3:5; and containing in it the doctrine of the seals of God's testament, distinct from the other doctrines of faith; by the use of which, such who had solemnly professed their repentance, and faith and obedience to the gospel, were sealed and confirmed.
Baptisms, in the plural, raiseth the doubt, whether it immediately concern the initial seal of the covenant, which some say is so styled as a Hebraism, the plural number being put for the singular; or, from the numerous partakers of it at set times, which were called days of baptisms, or from divers administrators, and the baptisms of believers and their seed, and that so they were many. Others would make these to be Jewish baptisms, frequently used by these Hebrews, as elements to teach faith and repentance, and leading them to the further knowledge of Christ. And the more they suspect this, because these baptisms are used but four times in the New Testament, and always signifying Jewish ones, as Heb 9:10, and Mr 7:4,8.
And of laying on of hands: the fourth fundamental doctrine, or principle, was, the imposition of hands, which by Christ and his apostles were used either for healing diseases, Mr 6:5; Lu 4:40; Ac 28:8, or communication of blessing, Mt 19:13,15, or for the communication of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, to such who were separated for Christ's service in his church, Ac 6:6; 8:17,3; 19:5,6; and so take in all the saving fruits of the Holy Ghost, by which they are renewed, increased, strengthened, and built up into everlasting life. Others would make this a primitive rite of confirming the baptized grown up, on the confession of their faith, and renewing their covenant with God, which was made for and with them in their infancy, and so was a preparatory admission of them to communicate with the church in the Lord's supper. If other places of Scripture did concur with it, it would be more clear and satisfactory. Some look on them, as baptisms before, to be Jewish rites, which should here lead them to Christ; but, on their neglect of him, became beggarly elements, and such as they are called from here unto higher attainments in Christ.
And of resurrection of the dead: the fifth fundamental principle and doctrine of Christianity, in which they were initiated, is, the doctrine of resurrection from the dead. This, as to the propriety and fulness of it, is at the last day; yet the entrance into this is begun in a new life effected by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Joh 5:25-29; Ro 6:3-13. From this entrance are they called to make out to the full resurrection of the just, as the apostle did himself, Php 3:10-12. This article of the gospel doctrine all Christians were to be founded in, and especially these Hebrews, because it was denied by the Sadducees among them, Mt 22:23; Ac 23:6-8, derided by the Athenian philosophers, Ac 17:18,31,32, and perverted by heretics, 2Ti 2:17,18; and is therefore particularly asserted, as described by this apostle, 1Co 15:1-58.
And of eternal judgment; the sixth fundamental doctrine and principle of Christianity, into which they were to be initiated, was that of the general judgment, finally determining the believers of it to their rewards, the deniers of it to their eternal punishment, because the one hath observed, the other violated, the covenant of grace. These Hebrews had begun to reach this truth, by being reconciled to their Judge, and therefore are to proceed to perfect their work to the Lord's glorious appearance, Heb 9:27,28; Ac 17:31 2Pe 3:7,10,15; Jude 1:6,14,15; Re 20:11-15.