08/30/M – Don’t Neglect Your Salvation

NT: “For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will… For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. But we do see Jesus —  made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone —  crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death. For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God — for whom and through whom all things exist — should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2:1-4, 8b-11‬ ‭CSB)

The impetus behind the writing of Hebrews was the concern that Jewish Christians would lose their commitment to Christ for the safety and security of traditional Judaism. In chapter one, the author of Hebrews built the case that Christ and Christ’s words are better than the words of the prophets and the messages received from angels. Christ was the exact expression of the Father, the active agent of creation and the Heir of all things. His words were words directly from God and contained the power and authority to create and sustain life. Christ was not a mere man, nor a heavenly creation, but God Himself in the flesh. If Christ was so great, and His words were so great, then the salvation that He provided was complete and great. The greatness of His salvation was confirmed by (and continues to be confirmed by) signs, wonders, miracles and powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit through Him and those who follow Him in faith.

In order to bring salvation to mankind, Jesus Christ the Son of God was, for a time, made lower than the angels. That was a reference to Psalm 8, where King David marveled that God made mankind lower than the angels, but crowned him with glory and gave him dominion over the earth. Christ became man so that He could, through His own suffering and death, remove the curse of the first Adam, save humanity from the ravages of sin, reconcile them back to God and restore mankind to his place in glory. Christ, in His resurrection and ascension, became the pioneer of all who are declared sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ. That is the great salvation that Christ has provided for those who place faith in who He is and what He has done: redemption, righteousness, reconciliation, restoration and resurrection… and much, much more.

This passage of scripture was not written to unbelievers, warning them to not reject Christ’s great salvation. This passage of scripture was written to believers who had placed their faith in Christ and experienced His great salvation. Just as an unbeliever can reject Christ’s salvation, a redeemed believer can neglect Christ’s great salvation and end up drifting away from faith in Christ. How do we avoid neglecting our salvation and thus prevent ourselves from drifting away. The writer of Hebrews said we must pay attention to what we have heard. We must pay attention to the words of Christ. We must pay attention to the sound doctrine of the apostles. We must pay attention to the truth of the full gospel. We do that through regular and consistent reading, studying, meditation and application of scripture. If we forsake that, we neglect the salvation of Christ and run the risk of drifting away from the faith.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the great salvation that You have provided. Through Your own suffering and death, You made a way for me to be redeemed, declared righteous, reconciled to God, restored to glory with the hope of a future resurrection. I don’t want to ever neglect the salvation You have provided, but want to honor it in my life always. Help me to do just that as I submit to You and follow you in faith. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.