Hebrews 2:1-4
Did you ever wonder why it is that many people who make a profession of faith in Christ fall away? The falling away may take place weeks, months or even years after that initial profession of faith in Christ. When a person falls away, he always becomes totally indifferent to Christ. In some of those who fall away, we see a vicious, antagonistic spirit towards Christ; these actually become haters of Christ and do all they can to destroy Christ in the minds of men. How is it possible for a person, who once professed Christ, to turn against Him? What are the steps that lead a person to fall away? Who are these people who once professed Christ, but then became haters of Him? The book of Hebrews gives us the answers to these questions in the warning passages of this epistle.
The warnings in Hebrews are based on the Biblical doctrine
of the perseverance of the saints.
The Bible teaches that once a person is truly saved, he can never be
lost because of the FatherÕs election, the SonÕs death for sin and the Holy
SpiritÕs efficacious call which has made the personÕs salvation secure. However, the truly saved person begins
to manifest the life of Christ in him through spiritual good works. Through faith and obedience to Christ,
a person proves and demonstrates that salvation is real. He pushes on in the Christian faith to
give evidence that he has true saving faith.
ÒJesus therefore was saying to those
Jews who had believed Him, ÒIf you abide in My word,
then you are truly disciples of MineÓ (John 8:31).
ÒTherefore, brethren, be all the more
diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you
practice these things, you will never stumbleÓ (2 Peter
1:10).
The warnings are addressed to men who are responsible and accountable to God. Men are accountable creatures with moral responsibility to God.
The gospel is to be accepted and obeyed by men. The gospel is more than a publication
of good news; it is more than an invitation for lost souls to come to Christ
for relief and peace. The gospel
is a divine mandate, an authoritative command.
ÒNow to Him who is able to establish
you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but
now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading
to obedience of faithÓ (Romans
16:25-26).
The consequence for failing to obey the gospel is divine
punishment. ÒFor it is time
for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us
first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of GodÓ
(1 Peter 4:17)? The gospel demands changed lives and a progressive desire to
please Christ more and more in oneÕs daily experience.
Why are warnings so important? Warnings are designed by God to face men with God, who is a
consuming fire, and to teach men to fear Him as well as love Him. Warnings are given to exhort true
believers to persevere in the Faith and to cause mere professors of
Christianity to truly believe.
A truly saved person can never be lost, but he can become
indifferent to spiritual realities.
When this happens, he needs warnings to cause him to persevere, or push
on in the Faith, that he might prove and demonstrate the reality of his faith
in Christ. ÒBut I buffet my
body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I
myself should be disqualified (rejected, reprobate)Ó (1 Cor. 9:27).
There is always the possibility a person may be a mere
professor of Christ with only the externals of Christianity with no
reality. Because he is not
genuinely saved, he needs warnings to shake him to reality in Christ that he
might truly believe and be saved.
THE ARGUMENT OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
The key to understanding the warning passages in the book of
Hebrews is to understand the background behind the writing of this book. The author is writing to a group of
professing Hebrew-Christians. He
is convinced that the great majority of them are truly saved, but he questions
the reality of saving faith in some of these Jewish-Christians. Why? Well, these Jews had made a profession of faith in Christ,
but were beginning to doubt the reality of Christ, and they were seriously
considering going back under Judaism.
Some were not satisfied with the gospel of grace in Christ and were
beginning to believe that salvation was really in the Mosaic Law. A few had already left the Christian
assembly and had gone back into Judaism.
ÒNot forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another; and all he more, as you see the day drawing
nearÓ (Heb. 10:25). These, and others, who were about to
leave Christianity to go back into Judaism, were guilty of apostatizing from
the Christian Faith. ÒTake
care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving
heart, in falling away (apostatizing) from the living GodÓ (Heb. 3:12).
They were on the verge of becoming apostates. An apostate is one who has known the truth of Christ, and
willfully turned from it so as to become a complete hater of the truth.
The author of the book of Hebrews writes with great zeal and
passion to persuade these professing Hebrew-Christians not to go back into
Judaism, warning them of the grave consequences if they make this move. They may become apostates with no hope
of ever being genuinely saved.
THE DANGER OF DRIFTING (2:1) ÒFor this reason...Ó –
This actually says, Òtherefore,Ó which tells us that this warning in 2:1-4 is based upon what was taught previously
in Hebrews 1:1-14. In Hebrews 1, it was shown that Jesus
Christ is superior to all the Old Testament prophets and to the angels. Chapter 1 shows us that Christ is the
most glorious and supreme person of the universe. He is the Creator, Sustainer, Heir of all things, King and
Ruler. Christ is the God-Man,
infinitely superior over all creatures, who is also the Redeemer. Because Christ is a superior person who
has done a superior work of redemption, we should give heed to the salvation He
has provided for all who trust Him by faith.
The ÒthereforeÓ also tells us that the author is digressing
from the main argument to plead with those who were toying with apostasy not to
do so. This digression shows us
the evangelistic heart of the author, who yearned to see men come to
Christ. He was so concerned; he
dared to tell them that their souls were in danger of eternal judgment if they
had not genuinely laid hold of Christ for salvation.
Ò...we must...Ó -- It is their moral responsibility that
these professing Christians give heed to the gospel. They are accountable to God to trust Christ and to prove the
reality of their faith in Christ by their good works.
Ò...must pay much closer attention (more abundant heed) to what we have heardÓ -- These professing Christians are
exhorted to give Òmore abundantÓ attention to the Gospel of Christ than to any
Old Testament teaching. These
Hebrew-Christians had heard the gospel, but were not heeding it; they were not
giving much attention or consideration to it. ÒTo give heedÓ literally means, Òto apply the mind to.Ó It is not just enough to hear the
gospel, but there must be personal appropriation of the gospel. One must personally receive Christ as
Savior and Lord and commit to Him.
More people stay lost because of indifference and
carelessness to the gospel of Christ than those who boldly reject it.
Òlest we drift away from it.Ó -- Literally, this says, ÒLest at any
time we should slip past them.Ó It
was not the truth of Christ that was in danger of slipping, but it was the
professing Christian who was in danger of slipping. The word ÒdriftÓ is a picture of a boat that should be
anchored at a wharf but, because of indifference and carelessness by the
captain, the boat drifts by the wharf.
Professing Christians should be anchored to Christ, but, because of
indifference and carelessness to Christ, they may subtly drift by Him and never
really be saved.
If a person does not see Christ as the God-Man and the only
Redeemer, he will drift. What must
a person do to drift?
Nothing! When we do nothing
with Christ when we know about Him, we drift from the truth and may well become
apostates.
This does not say that those who have
been redeemed by Christ can be lost.
This warning is to those who have heard the gospel and will not own
it. They will not allow the gospel
to grasp their lives. They will
not lay hold of the truth of Christ.
They profess the gospel, but they do not possess Christ.
There is nothing more heartbreaking then preaching to people
week after week and to see certain ones constantly exposed to truth that you
know could change their lives, and yet, they simply do not pay attention. The gospel is carelessly heeded. These people are drifting from the
truth. During the preaching and
teaching of the Word, which is the most important truth in all
the world, people drift away mentally. Their minds may be on next weekÕs golf game, the business
deal, the afternoon meal or the Sunday football game. Whatever, they are drifting from the truth.
What do you have to do to float downstream? Nothing! A dead fish can float down-stream, but only a live fish can
swim up stream. A true Christian
has to swim upstream, but a professing Christian can drift. The whole course of this world is
contrary to a true believer. You
will have a constant upstream battle.
You will have to fight your way, all the way. The moment you relax, you will go downstream; the moment you
stop fighting, you will begin to drift.
THE WARNING TO DRIFTERS (2:2-3a)
ÒFor if the word (Mosaic Law) spoken through angels proved
unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just
recompenseÉÓ --
In this parenthesis, or digression, the author does not leave the subject of
angels completely. The angels were
mediators in the giving of the Law of Moses and under the Law,
all sin was rewarded with just judgment.
ÒYou who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not
keep it (Acts 7:53). The law
brought strict and swift judgment upon all who disobeyed it. The Mosaic Law only judged men as
sinners, but could never, in any way, save men.
If these professing Christians turned from Christianity and
went back into Judaism for salvation, they would be placing themselves back
under the Law and this would actually condemn them, not save them.
Òhow shall we escape, if we neglect
so great a salvation?Ó -- Professing Christians, who turn aside
from Christ as the only way of salvation, shall not escape GodÕs judgment. If the Law brought sure judgment, what
will happen to the person who spurns the Son of God? Knowledge of the gospel does not lessen, but increases, our
danger. The gospel does not
diminish, but will terribly intensify, the severeness
of punishment to those who reject it.
The consequences of indifference to Christ, carelessness towards Christ
and rejection of Christ are devastating.
To neglect the gospel is to refuse GodÕs only means of salvation, and the
consequence of this decision is eternal punishment.
John Owen, in his commentary on Hebrews, said, ÒCan any man
perish more justly than they who refuse to be saved?Ó
For rejecters of Christ, escape is
impossible! There is no other way
of salvation except through Christ!
This is an urgent and solemn warning! Trust Christ and live, or you must face the temporal and
eternal consequences of your rejection.
This is a Òso great salvationÓ that Christ brought in the
age of the gospel. Christ did not
bring with Him a different salvation than the Old Testament saints had. Old Testament saints were saved by
grace through faith in GodÕs promise of the Messiah who was to come. New Testament saints are saved by grace
through faith in the Messiah who has come. The old and the new did not have a different object of faith,
but a different perspective of faith.
Christ was revealed in prophecy, types and shadows in the Old Testament,
but now Christ has come and fulfilled the Old Testament. Judaism is now defunct, because Christ
has come. Salvation now is in the
reality of Christ, and not in the promise of Christ.
We have so great salvation because it is divine; it is
complete; it is finished; it is free; it is sufficient for all and it is
eternal, but the ultimate reason that it is so great is that salvation is found
in GodÕs Son, Jesus Christ.
THE CONFIRMATION TO DRIFTERS (2:3b-4)
ÒAfter it was at the first spoken through
the Lor,...Ó -- Salvation
is only in Christ, the Messiah, and this salvation in the Son was first
preached by Christ Himself. ÒJesus
said to him, ÔI am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father, but through MeÓ (John 14:6).
Christ was the first gospel preacher in the New Testament sense. The gospel has the authority of Christ!
Ò...it was confirmed to us by those who
heardÉÓ --
The gospel of Christ was confirmed by the Apostles who had been with the
Lord. The gospel has the authority
of the Apostles!
God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and
wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His
own will.Ó --
The gospel has the authority of miracles behind it! Men dare not reject this gospel with so much authority
behind it.
CONCLUSION
For us who are truly saved, we must remember these warnings
are given to all professing Christians.
Therefore, as followers of Christ, we must heed this warning not to let
ourselves drift by the truth of Christ.
We must not be careless or indifferent to Christ and the Bible, lest we
fail to prove the reality of Christ in our lives. We must push on to demonstrate that our faith is real. We can neglect our so great salvation
by indifference to Bible reading, carelessness in prayer,
sluggishness in witnessing, absorption into worldly
pursuits and coldness of heart.
Even true believers can drift temporarily, but in so doing they will
experience the stern, but loving, discipline of their God. You shall not escape GodÕs
discipline. You must return to
your God that you might experience ChristÕs blessings upon you.
Perhaps you are a person who has heard the gospel and made
some kind of a superficial profession of Christ, but you have no reality of
Christ and no real desire to do His will.
You are in great danger.
You may only be a professor and not a possessor of Christ, and you may
be in danger of apostatizing. You
will not escape GodÕs eternal wrath.
There is no salvation outside of Christ. If you neglect Christ, you shall not escape! You shall not escape! You are in danger
of permanently losing your soul.
If this is your spiritual condition, flee immediately to
Christ and ask Him to save you. Go
to Christ, who alone can arrest your deteriorating spiritual condition. He will save you if you give earnest
heed to Christ and do not neglect the so great salvation which is found only in
Christ.