Hebrews 2:1-4
Salvation is to be considered in our thinking as being in the past, the present and future. And in the same manner our consideration of the temporal and the eternal is to be understood in light of the truth of their message. Death is certainly the end of the temporal and at the same time, it is the beginning the future. "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:16-18 - That is certainly a teaching to be heard:
- Our life is to be lived from eternity's perspective. Php_3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Most people are living for the temporal and call it living for the eternal!
- Take an inventory of your possessions and highlight the things you really don't need! All these things are temporal – they can all be gone in one set of circumstances. At death, where are they going?
- When we think about the temporal hear the words of Christ: Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. But hear the next verse also: Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Living for the temporal hinders your relationship with the LORD and blinds you to the future.
- Take an inventory of today after you got to church: What did you talk about? Did you pray for understanding of God's Word? Did you pray for someone who needs the LORD?
- Our life is to be lived in obedience of understanding to The Word of God.( A desire and prayer of ours must be for understanding, Eph_1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,)
- Our life is to be lived in the promise of receiving (owning) our inheritance, Hebrews 2:2-3 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Past – Present – Future
Three parts of our great Salvation
Define: Past= the time you are born from above - see John 3: 3-8. God secured eternal life for you through Christ, Romans 4:24 - Roman 5:1. Therefore, He made to you this promise: 1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. How do you receive eternal life? By believing Him for what He promised you, Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
The warning is to the believer about the present part of our great Salvation. You can only neglect this great Salvation when it is offered, during your current life.
Future = The salvation spoken about in Heb. 2:3 is the future aspect of our salvation. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; He is not referring to the Past aspect of salvation, justification by faith, but to the future part that being the receiving of our inheritance. Justification by faith was already understood by O.T. saints. (Gen 15:6; Ps 32; Ez 37:1-14; Jer 31:31-34; John 3:1-10.
"….which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,…." Not speaking of the past justification by faith – that was already known but rather of the future aspect of our salvation. You can see this if you go back 1:14, Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
"heirs of salvation" is a future aspect of our Great Salvation
You don't inherit justification – it is by faith alone in Christ alone, Romans 5:1. There is a future inheritance which is spoken of in 1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Keep in mind you don't inherit eternal life you inherit the inheritance. The scope of your inheritance is dependent upon your present walk of faith. That is what the warning is about – you by your life lose your inheritance.
Present = Our present walk of faith. To receive our inheritance, to enjoy the full scope of our great salvation is evidently the prize to which Paul was striving, Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let me give you a homespun illustration: You don't inherit son ship. You are an heir by being a son, Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. But the will can be written to exclude you from the inheritance. You are writing the will daily by your present walk of faith. The records are kept by the LORD and no one will escape justice at the JSOC.
When we understand our walk of faith is of the LORD then trials, suffering, chastisements began to make sense. In days of yesterday there were homemade remedies and some of them tasted bad just plain bitter but yet they worked. It would have been foolish to reject them because of their taste. Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
"The child of God deals deceitfully with the word of his Father, and with his own soul, when he refuses medicine because it is bitter. He may but show thereby how desperately he needs the sharp and purging draught." C.H. Lang
Our Chastisement, suffering, disappointment, trials, testing are but medicine from the Father to shape us, to prune us, to purge us, to refine us, to prepare us for the ownership of our inheritance. 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
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