Warnings from Hebrews to this generation (part 3) 
We are still looking at the letter to the Hebrew Christians. In this letter we have a number of warnings that were directed to them that should also be heeded by everyone that especially call himself Christian or a believer in Christ.
The DANGER of NEGLECT
“if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him…” Heb 2:2-3
Friends and brethren, sin is ALWAYS a serious matter before God!
Sin is never left undealt with or unpunished by God!
There is always a “just recompense or reward” for EVERY transgression and disobedience of EVERY man that commit sin!
T H E W A R N I N G I S C L E A R, if at first after the Lord gave His Word He still judged every transgression and disobedience, then if we still tolerate sin in any form or shape in our lives then we are in great danger!
Please look at verse 3 (Hebrews chapter 2) – We need to look at the fact that here the apostle includes himself:
“if WE neglect so great salvation…”
He is speaking to believers, Christians, and states that Christians (WE) can NEGLECT so great salvation!
You think it impossible that Christians can NEGLECT salvation? This is a serious word of warning, WE CAN NEGLECT CHRIST’S WORK and the salvation that He secured for us! Here is where tradition and doctrines of man will reject and resist! This brings home the warning that we may BE CARELESS OF: – MAKE LIGHT OF, NEGLECT, BE NEGLIGENT, NOT REGARD THE WORK OF CHRIST FOR US IN SALVATION! Some Christians have build up for themselves such a nice system of theology and it is as if everything is work out just fine for them that they not even consider what comes to them from God’s Spirit (All Scripture is God-breathed and comes from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit).
So they just IGNORE these warnings and NEGLECT their salvation or merely be slack in the things Christ has accomplished for them. Many frown at even the slightest notion or idea that they can neglect the work of Christ accomplished for their salvation! So they have their commentaries and teachers and doctorates and interpretations, etc, to dull them fast to sleep and silence the alarm that is blurring in their ears to WAKE UP and RISE from their deep sleep!!!
The warning and danger given here IS NOT TO TOLERATE SIN in whatever shape or form it comes in our lives! You heard that clear!
Like many other verses, this verse is many times merely seen by many as “evangelistic” in nature – that is: speaking only to the unsaved, but here it is given more especially in connection with people who profess Christ. If what you know about Christ does not deliver you from sin, lawlessness and disobedience then “HOW SHALL YOU ESCAPE IF YOU NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?!?” Then your faith is dead and indeed worthless (1 Corinthians 15:1-2; James 2)!
“So great a salvation” – A deliverance from so great wickedness and misery, into so great holiness and contentment. This was first spoken of (before he came it was not known) by Him who is the Lord – of angels as well as men. And was confirmed to us – Of this age, even every piece of it, by them that had heard him – and had been themselves also both eye witnesses and ministers of the word.
To neglect so great salvation is for the sinner also, BUT EVEN MORE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE who profess Christ! To neglect so great salvation is not to pay serious attention to the salvation accomplished, to ignore its demands and to neglect its call by still tolerating sin and the very things He came to deliver you from, self, flesh, sin, world, etc, in your life and live careless with your soul as if you have some sort of “fire-assurance” and are exempt from God’s Wrath and Judgment soon to break loose on the soul of every one that abides in sin! It is to ignore the demand of the cross and instead of giving yourself over to “die with Christ” (through faith in the working of God) you are still keeping the accursed thing alive!
Many today who call themselves Christians are still living in the same sins they were living before they were “saved”. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!
No one who continues in sin know the salvation of Christ nor do they know God! (1 John 3:4-9) If you do live (habitually) in sin, (many of course excuse their sin and others calls it weakness) then you NEGLECT so great salvation! BE SURE that you will not ESCAPE the just recompense of God!
“if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and eVERY TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE RECEIVED A JUST RECOMPENCE OF REWARD; HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, …”
Be warned by this passage, if you occupy any sin, lies, co-habitation, anger, worldliness, in whatever form or shape, small or great and you profess Christ or not, then be sure that you will not escape the judgment of God on your sin, disobedience and transgression! This is the warning coming here to us all!
Can I ask you brethren, do you take sin serious in your life? Brother, sister, friends, do you really hate sin? Are you striving against sin even unto the shedding of your blood, stand AGAINST sin FIRST IN YOUR own heart and life (it is easy to be against sin in others)! Today’s tendency is to excuse sin under the banner of “God is love” and merciful! But LISTEN, God’s love doesn’t excuse sin, the cross of Christ is proof of this – Rom 5:8! The cross of Christ calls for a severe dealing with our sin and nature, GOOD and BAD! Do you EXCUSE your sin easily enough? Do you still fear God? When you get angry and sin, who do you blame, everybody but your own self? Is it a light thing for you when you lie? Do you lodge unclean thoughts? Is it anything to you to watch the filth on television? Do you enjoy and sing along with this worlds music and tunes? What about pornography and wasting your time on the internet on vain things? Are you sensitive to sin or do you excuse it and just live careless with what you look at, listen to, etc, - and so NEGLECT so great salvation?!
For many the grace of God has become a licence to excuse their sin and lawlessness and materialism! The grace of God has been changed into lawlessness by this generation of Christian leaders. Many who talk about the grace of God has no idea what they are talking about. For many it is as if the grace of God in Christ excuse sin and whatever evil or “weakness” man is facing! But the True Grace always DEALS radically with sin and sinner! It does not change God but the sinner who comes to God in Christ! False grace leave the sinner as he is and change god to now make room for the sinner and his sin! This is not the gospel or the TRUE Grace of God!
LISTEN, True Grace ENABLES men to BE and DO what they could never BEEN or could ever has done! It is not passive, but active with the very ENERGY of Christ! TRUE GRACE LEADS men into repentance, it does never leave man in his rebellion and sin.
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God…” Romans 2:4-5
The remedy here given, is “to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard” and make sure that it has “worked out” in your life and is still working out and to become serious with Christ and no longer excuse sin but deal RADICALLY WITH IT (even if you must die doing it!) and let “so great salvation” be wrought out in you!
“For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” Heb 6:7-8
God bless
Brother Christiaan
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