The Unanswerable Question
The Unanswerable Question
Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV
Thesis - We cannot escape judgment if we neglect Christ's salvation.
Sanctification Objective - To cause people to work out their salvation.
Questions! We all have them: questions about life, death, character and destiny. Scripture raises and answers the important questions of the human heart. Among those questions and answers are the following. Question: But how can a mortal be righteous before God? (Job 9:2) Answer: [God is] just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:26) Question: If a man dies, will he live again? (Job 14:14) Answer: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25, 26) Question: What must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30) Answer: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household. (Acts 16:31) Question: What is truth? (John 18:38) Answer: I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6)
Today I want to consider another question and answer of Scripture. The question is found in Hebrews 2:2-4. Please open the Bible you brought or one under your seat to Hebrews 2 and follow along as I read the first four verses from the NIV. (Read Hebrews 2:1-4.)
The key word in this question is translated in the NIV as ignore. The KJV, NKJV and NAS translate the word as neglect. I think we’ll understand the question better if we go with that word choice. Webster informs us that neglect means “not to care for or attend to (something) sufficiently or properly.”
I want to dig into this question by posing and answering three questions about it. What is neglected? Why is it neglected? How is it neglected?
We'll begin with
I. What is neglected?
A. The salvation of Christians (v. 3)
1. While this passage is often used evangelistically it is addressed to believers.
2. The word translated salvation is an all inclusive word.
a) It includes justification and sanctification (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
b) It includes the tenses of salvation.
(1) Past – For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. Ephesians 2:8a
(2) Present - For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing , but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18
(3) Future
(a) So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28
(b) And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake from you slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11
(c) Who through faith are shielded by God’s power until
the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5
c) Scripturally, salvation is “free, full and final.”
B. The great(er) salvation of Christians (v. 3)
1. Great(er) because of its messenger (Chapter 1)
2. Great(er) because of its content in comparison to the old covenant (v. 2)
a) Every act of disobedience was punished then - more demanded now.
b) The Scriptures confirm this.
(1) ... and the Scripture cannot be broken. John 10:35
(2) Nadab and Abihu were “fired.” Leviticus 10:1-7
(3) Korah was swallowed. Numbers 16
(4) Achan was stoned. Joshua 7
3. Great(er) because of its decisive confirmation (vv. 3d, 4).
a) Signs and wonders - to attract attention
b) Various miracles - to show God’s power
c) Spiritual gifts - to reveal God’s purpose
Now, our second question
II. Why is it neglected?
A. Because it is largely invisible and spiritual
1. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
2. The obscured stop sign
B. Because of the diverting influences of the world around us.
1. Almost everything that happens in our life calls us away from God (Romans 12:2).
2. “For Sale” - “One cross nearly new; I cannot carry it and keep up with the world. One talent, new and unused, but shelf worn; it has been lain away for many years. One five piece set of Christian armor. Pieces only need polishing. Unscarred, since I am at piece with the devil. One bundle of Christian opportunities, priceless, but I have no time for them. One badly used Christian influence. It is doubtful it can be repaired. One praying knee. It has not been used since I grew a dancing foot. One slightly used Bible. Very useful, but since we got TV, we just don't have time to use it.”
3. “If you find yourself loving any pleasure better than your prayers, any book better than the Bible, any house better than the house of God, any table better than the Lord's table, any person's better than Christ, or any indulgence better than the hope of heaven-take alarm.” -Thomas Guthrie
C. Because of the bent of the carnal mind to unbelief
1. We don't believe in a conditional salvation because we don't want to!
a) Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-31 teach such
b) “Our salvation is never guaranteed without condition. Effort on our part is required to maintain it, none, to lose it.” - Charles Finney
c) “Then I saw there was a way to hell even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.” -John Bunyan
2. We don't believe in full salvation (Hebrews 3, 4).
Now, our third question.
III. How is it neglected?
A. Imperceptibly (v. 1)
1. Word pictures
a) A boatmen drifting out of his haven into the sea
b) A ring slipping off your finger
c) A leaky container losing its contents
2. “For most of us the threat of life is not so much that we should plunge into disaster, but that we should drift into sin. There are few people who deliberately and in a moment turn their backs on God; there are many who day by day drift farther and farther away from Him. There are not many who in one moment of time commit some disastrous sin; there are many who bit by bit and almost imperceptibly; involve themselves in some situation, and suddenly wake to find that they have ruined life for themselves and broken someone else's heart. We would do well to be continually on the alert against the peril of the drifting tide.” -William Barclay
B. By neglecting the means of grace (disciplines of the Christian life)
1. The means include:
a) Baptism
b) Communion
c) Prayer and fasting
d) Worship
e) Small groups
(1) Sharing
(2) Study
f) Tithing
2. If we neglect the means we forfeit the grace (Hebrews 10:25-31).
C. By failing to share the gospel
1. You can't keep it unless you give it away.
2. The two seas - Galilee and Dead
D. By failing to obtain full salvation from inner sin.
1. He goes on to warn about this.
a) Hebrews 3, 4
b) Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and
go on to maturity [perfection – NKJV]. Hebrews 6:1a, b
2. “Both the individual Christian and the Lord's Church is either moving forward or it is moving in reverse.” -Ned Hicks
There! We have answered the what, why and how of neglect. Now, how about the question of verses 2-4 itself. How shall we escape if we [neglect] such a great salvation? The answer is, there is no way to escape. The certainty of judgment is implied in the question itself. We cannot say how because we can't escape.
Have you been neglecting your salvation? Have you neglected the means of grace? Have you neglected to share the gospel? Have you neglected to obtain full salvation? Have you neglected to deal with your neglect? It's late enough! Deal with your neglect today! Let's pray.
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