One of my great joys is teaching my new students how the Greek verb works. It has architectural precision! Next Monday we'll continue our discussion of verbs and introduce a handful of additional vocabulary words, including the verb pherō. Sadly, this verb is mistranslated in Heb. 6:1 in most English versions. I think this might be a good time to remind all of us of a basic principle of biblical interpretation. Don't go too hurriedly when you work your way through verses of Scripture. I think the most common mistake made is when people hope to finish several chapters in one sitting and so they're interested mainly in speed rather than absorption. Linger over words, especially the verbs. Turn the word over and over again in your mind so that you can actually visualize it happening. In Heb. 6:1, Paul didn't write "Let us press on to maturity." He wrote, "Let us continue to be carried along to maturity." The verb Paul uses here, as I said, is pherō. It's a metaphor taken from the world of sailing. We might paraphrase Paul's thought as: "Let us raise our sails as it were and allow ourselves to be carried along to spiritual maturity by the Holy Spirit of God."
The connection between divine action and human response is a thought present throughout the epistle. We advance to a higher state of holiness by being "borne along" as if by the current of a stream or the wind in a sail. There is still need of human effort to be sure, but sanctification is ultimately dependent on God's work in us through the Holy Spirit. As we actively pursue holiness, our progress is sustained by God's grace and power. Hence there is a beautiful balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty, as Paul is eager to point out frequently in his writings (see, for example, Phil. 2:12-13).
So when we as believers take action, our ability to do so comes from God's presence and power. This truth is not optional for the believer. It's at the center of spiritual maturity. God has called us to sanctification. And thanks be to God, he has also given us his Holy Spirit who washes, sustains, convicts, comforts, strengthens, and perfects holiness in the life of the believer!