SOUNDING OUT:
Give More Earnest Heed (Part 2 of 3)

  Last week we looked at the warning in Hebrews 2:1. This week we will look at the reason Paul gives for the warning, which we find in Hebrews 2:2,3. Paul follows up the urgent warning with a reason. This is in itself a figure of speech, an aetiologia [Cause shown or reason given]. This is where we will pick it up next week.

Hebrews 2:2,3:
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast [bebaios], and every transgression and disobedience received [lamban?] a just recompense of reward;
³ How shall we escape, if we neglect [not reject or refuse] so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed [bebaio?] unto us by them that heard [him];

   “For” indicates the basis or reason for the warning. The word spoken by angels would include every divine message delivered by angels, but has special reference to the Law of Moses which was delivered by means of angels and was highly esteemed by the Jews for that reason (Galatians 3:19). Stephen’s final indictment of Israel in Acts 7, before they stoned him noted the same truth.

Acts 7:53:
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

  Steadfast here means reliable, dependable or strong. God's word by angels was always a sure word, which came to pass. However, the Word we have received is even more sure than that. Transgression refers to a violation or breech of an express command and disobedience refers to a refusal or neglect to obey. The former stresses the act of disobedience; the latter stresses the careless or rebellious attitude which prompts it. Punishment was certain in either case under the Law.

  God's punishment of sin was always the just or fair reward of sin. It was never arbitrary, but always in keeping with divine justice and holiness. Recompense indicates a payment of wages earned. The wages of sin is death -- that is the fair payment earned by sin. The man who gets "what he has coming to him" will die.

  The pronoun “we” is emphasized here. To neglect salvation is to fail to show concern and care for it. Neglect is a lack of positive action. By doing nothing, one does wrong. The word “neglect” literally means to become unconcerned. Lack of concern, apathy, lack of intense commitment is a human plague. The question, “How shall we escape if we are unconcerned about so great a salvation?” has a simple, clear, and tragic answer. We won't escape.

  “Neglect” translates amele?. Amele? combines two Greek words. The first word is a, the Greek negative. The Greek negative is the same as our English “no,” or “not.” The second word in this combination is mel?, which means, “to care.” The combination, then, means “no care,” “not caring,” or just plain “careless.” In other words, they just did not care. Consequently, they actively and completely drifted away from what they heard. In a nutshell, they “placed no value” upon what they had heard. They “made light” of this information. The parable of the king inviting guests to his wedding feast demonstrates this for us.

Matthew 22:5:
But they made light of [amele?] it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

  In the preceding verse, “made light of” translates this same Greek word that is translated by “neglect” above. They “made light of it.” They placed no value upon it. They actively and completely drifted by it with no thought of alarm. They neglected it because it was of no value to them! They did not understand that they were surrounded by circumstances more compelling than being in a burning house.

  The apostle Paul warns the Christian of the very real danger of falling away from the Lord by neglecting salvation. The word “slip” here refers to drifting away. A good analogy, and one that we will use throughout, is of a boat drifting aimlessly away from shore. The pace of drifting away from Christ may not be perceptible, it may be hardly noticeable, until you look up and can no longer see land. Somewhere you have gone beyond His will. Usually it is just the gentle, subtle breeze of worldliness, compromise, and carelessness that causes us to drift away, but drift away we do when we neglect so great salvation. This is a problem every believer faces, maybe even on a daily basis. It is a problem that cannot be ignored. This stern warning is here for a reason. This drifting away takes little or no effort.

  This salvation was spoken first by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It was repeated and confirmed to the recipients of this epistle by chosen apostles who had heard him speak. The verb translated "confirm" is a form of the same word "steadfast" in verse two. Christ's word is a sure word.

  What is the usage of this word, salvation? It is the Greek, s?teria. I hope that you have a very clear understanding of salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and it’s up to you alone. To what does this salvation refer? This usage does not refer to the salvation of the new birth. Remember the “we?” Paul included himself in this possibility. We won’t get unborn again, but we run the danger of not manifesting the wholeness that the Son of God sacrificed himself for.

  These believers, though zealous for the law, were born-again. What they were to not neglect was the salvation or wholeness that was available for them to manifest. Don’t just be satisfied with receiving, dechomai, holy spirit, let’s manifest it. Let’s work out our own salvation until it permeates every facet of our being. Let’s not neglect the mental, emotional, financial, or physical wholeness that Jesus’ sacrifice provided. Let’s get the full measure and enjoy all the richness that God wants for us. We give the more earnest heed and do not let His words slip because to do so would not be good. God’s Word is too valuable to ignore.