Neglecting Salvation.
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 42, No. 9, September 1903.
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression, and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ?" Hebrews ii. 1-3.
The Hebrews, to whom the Epistle bearing that title was addressed, were the Jews who resided in Judea. They spoke the Hebrew dialect, and were called Hebrews to distinguish them from the Greeks and spoke the Greek language. It was to the Hebrews who had professed Christianity that this Epistle was written, for in the first verse of the third chapter the writer calls them "holy brethren" and "partakers of the heavenly calling," and exhorts them, in the first verse of the thirteenth chapter, to "let brotherly love continue."Paul was evidently the author of this letter to the Hebrews, though his name is not affixed to it as it is to the other Epistles written by him. The style, phrases, allusions and exhortations found in it are so similar to those given in Paul's other letters that there can be no reasonable doubt about his having written it. The Jewish Christians in Palestine were then in a state of poverty, affliction and persecution, and the immediate design of this Epistle seems to have been to establish them more fully and firmly in the holy religion they had professed, and to guard them against the temptation of departing from it in their faith and practice. To accomplish this grand design the Apostle proved the truthfulness of the sublime doctrine they had embraced by showing that Christianity was the completion and fulfillment of the Mosaic dispensation, the rites and ceremonies of which were only types of the New Testament dispensation.
In the beginning of the first chapter the inspired writer shows that the Son of God himself had come and spoken unto his people. He then gives a beautiful description of his character, and states the doctrine of atonement made by him in sublime and comprehensive language. He teaches that Christ had purged away the sins of his people by his meritorious death, after which he had been exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high. In that exalted station he had obtained by inheritance a more excellent name than the angels, being made so much better than they. His superiority to the angels is shown by quotations from the Old Scriptures in the language of Jehovah himself, in which he declared him to be his Son; that all his angels should worship him; that while he had made his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire, he addresses the Son as God and declares that his " throne is for ever and ever;" that the heaven and earth which he had created should perish and wax old as doth a garment, but he should remain the same forever and his years should not fail. The Apostle closes this chapter by declaring that the angels are all "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation."
We thus learn that Christ, who had purged the sins of these heirs of salvation, had become "Head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." Eph. i. 22, 23. He is Head of life and authority to the whole company of his chosen and redeemed family, who are the appointed heirs of the salvation wrought out by him. "Therefore," says the passage we are now considering, "we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard." Whatever this exalted Prince and Saviour commands ought to be obeyed by the holy brethren who are partakers of the heavenly calling. They ought to apply their minds to these important things with increasing reverence "lest at any time they should let them slip." The memory is treacherous in respect to spiritual things, so that they are liable to slip away from us as water escaping from a leaky vessel. The cares of the world, the temptations of satan, the persecutions of men, the deceitfulness of riches and pleasures, all act as combined forces to draw away the minds of God's regenerated children from the things they have heard that relate to their salvation.
The dignity of Christ's person affords a forcible argument for attending to the message of his grace and giving earnest heed to the duties enjoined upon us as his children. "The word spoken by angels was steadfast." The law given through Moses is evidently referred to. We are informed by Stephen in his noble sermon, recorded in the seventh chapter of Acts, that Moses "was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake unto him in the mount Sinai." Paul says the law "was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." This mediator was Moses. The word spoken was steadfast. "Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward." There was no escaping the penalty annexed to the violation of the Mosaic law when that law was violated. The punishment was just, hence it is called a just recompense of reward.
Now since every act of disobedience was justly punished under that dispensation, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? It would be impossible for one to neglect what he does not have. A man who has a wife may neglect his wife, as many men do. But it would be impossible for an unmarried man to neglect his wife. So no one can neglect the salvation mentioned in this text who has not that salvation. As we have already observed these were "holy brethren" and "partakers of the heavenly calling." Therefore they had been saved and called with an holy calling, not according to their works, but according to God's own purpose and grace, which had been given them in Christ before the world began. See II Tim. i. 9.
This is a great salvation indeed; much greater than that experienced under the former dispensation. It is a salvation great in every point of view in which we might consider it. The sinners who are saved were great sinners; the one who saves them is a great Saviour; the exalted station to which they are brought is great indeed; a great price was paid to redeem them; and there is great grace exhibited in their salvation. Now the duties required of them as subjects of the Spiritual kingdom of Christ are great and important duties. Let none esteem them lightly or regard them with indifference. "If ye love me keep my commandments," says the blessed King. What a shame it would be to neglect such a loving appeal!
The characters addressed by the apostle in our text had been saved by grace, not according to their works, but according to the eternal purpose and effectual grace of God. They were not call upon, therefore, not to neglect being saved in that sense, as though their salvation from sin was a matter left in their own hands. The duties required of them as the children of God and subjects of his saving grace should not be neglected. They should come out from the world and live separate from it. To do this they must unite with his church by a public profession and the rite of baptism, and ever afterwards live to his service. Let every thing else be neglected rather than the Lord's service. Christian's can afford to neglect their worldly business sometimes, but they can never afford to neglect this great salvation, this holy service. If secular affairs ever seem to conflict with church duties, by all means drop the former for the latter. Never let it be once said that you are more concerned about worldly matters than you are about your holy religion. There is no escape from the consequences of neglect along this line.
A neglect of duty will result in coldness of feeling, a state to be shunned as much as possible by true christians. Paul meant this when he said, "If ye live after the flesh ye shall die." To be lifeless in feeling is a most horrible state. We will have enough of it if we are careful not to neglect this salvation. Let us give the more earnest heed, then, to the things we have heard, lest we let them slip, for we will not escape the punishment due to any neglect of this great salvation. Surely it is a matter of greatest importance to us. The world feels no interest in it, but to us it is worth more than every thing else. Let us prove that it is by giving the more earnest heed to it, for it evidently demands our best efforts constantly.
J. R. D.
Copyright c. 2005. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
