Hebrews 2:3 What’s So Great About Salvation?
Hebrews 2:3 (NKJV) 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
- Hell is undoubtedly full of people who were not actively opposed to Jesus Christ but who simply drifted into damnation by neglecting to respond to the gospel.
- All along Hebrews is saying, Christ is the greatest one. Christ is the one who alone can purge your sin. Christ is God. Christ is the creator. Christ is worthy of your worship. Jesus Christ is the exalted one.
Even in the middle of doctrine, the Word of God always demands a response.
- The Word of God always demands a reaction to it.
- A Christian may know a lot of truth and may know a lot of doctrine, but if he doesn’t have a passionate concern for how people react to it, he’s not worth a nickel as a Christian.
Several applications for “neglect salvation”:
- The unbeliever who hears the message but simply rejects it
- The believer (not saved, just someone who believe, like the demons who “believe and tremble”) who is convinced but does not respond
- The true Believer/Christian who is saved but really has not elevated “salvation” and his faith to the highest degree possible in their life, thoughts, actions, words, schedule, finances, etc.
The Bible says are salvation is secure because of God, not because of us: 1 John 5:13; 1 Peter 1:3–5; Psalm 103:12; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Ephesians 1:13–14;
- If you cannot trust the SEAL, GUARANTEE and PROMISE of God Himself to give you security and confidence about your salvation, then who can you trust?
If “neglect salvation” is simply saying that a Believer does NOT elevate salvation to the importance and passion it deserves in our life, then I think this applies to us true Christians too
- Hebrews writer: “hey, now that you know how superior Jesus is, and the salvation He secured for you, it should become the most important, most passionate, most consuming topic in your life… don’t neglect it now that you know…”
Hebrews 2:1 (NKJV) 1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
- Drifting is so easy and so damning.
- All you need to do to go to hell is do nothing.
NEGLECTING SALVATION (hearing about it over and over and still not responding) comes with the GREATEST POSSIBLE punishment:
- The more you know about Christ, and still reject Him, the greater the punishment from God; Mark 12:38–40; Luke 12:47–48; Matthew 11:20–24; 2 Peter 2:20–21;
Three reasons a man is a fool to neglect salvation (that really don’t require a lot of explanation):
- The character of Christ
o All through the Bible and here in Hebrews, the nature and superiority of Christ is established beyond question
- The certainty of judgment
o All through the Bible the certainty of judgment and the condemnation of sinners is beyond dispute
- The character of God.
o All through the Bible the holiness, wrath and jealousy of our Creator is beyond question
o He MUST judge sin rightly
o He MUST condemn those who have rejected His sacrifice of His Only son.
What’s So Great About Salvation?
- Salvation was Christ dying on the cross instead of us 1 Pet. 3:18; John 10:11
- Salvation brought us back together with God because of Christ 2 Cor. 5:18–20
- Salvation satisfied the holiness of God on the cross; our sin could have never satisfied God’s holy requirements; even ONE sin in our entire life ruins that chance Rom. 3:25; Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:20; 1 John 2:2; 4:10
- Salvation gave us a new nature with new desires and the ability to be truly righteous John 1:12–13; 3:3; 1 John 5:1; Ezekiel 36:26–27
- Salvation added the righteousness of Christ to us, the believing sinners Isa. 53:5, 11; Rom. 4:3–8; Phil. 3:7–9
- Salvation means we get to enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of being God’s children Gal. 4:4–5; Rom. 8:15–23; Eph. 1:5
- Salvation means we now can communicate directly with God Luke 18:13; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13; Jude 20; Heb 4:16
- Salvation means we will be glorified – the ultimate, eternal, and absolute physical, mental, and spiritual perfection of believers Rom. 8:18, 23, 30; 5:2; 1 Cor. 15:43; Col. 3:4; 1 Pet. 5:1
A Refresher About Salvation
John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Psalm 5:4, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Acts 20:21, John 1:12, I John 5:11-12, Hebrews 3:7-8, Romans 10:9; Acts 2.38
- God Loves You: …God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life
- You Are in Trouble: YOU ARE NOT GOOD, QUIT FOOLING YOURSELF: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — “You [God] are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell.
- Sin Brings Disaster: The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- God Has Provided the Answer – a Savior: God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Repent of Your Sin and Turn To the Savior, Jesus Christ: Turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus — To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.
*To repent means to “turn away from.” It means to be sorry for your sin and truly not want to do it anymore.
- Believing in Jesus and Receiving the Savior by Faith: This is what the Bible says – God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, Jesus. He who has the Son has eternal life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life — If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Now Is the Time to Receive Him and Respond in Obedience:
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. — Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Obedience is the evidence of true repentance, faith, and belief. We must respond to God’s gift of salvation ON HIS TERMS by obeying what He commands.
Confess that you are a sinner publicly. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the ONLY way to salvation. Be baptized – which symbolizes your old life of sin and defiance being put to death in a grave of water, and a new Godly person being born to a new life of righteousness and good.
Find a group of Believers with whom you can serve, pray, and worship the God of the Universe. Read your Bible. Love others. Obey God. Obedience is the PRIMARY EVIDENCE of GENUINE salvation
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