" How shall the unsaved escape?"
July 29, 2018
A Warning Given - Hebrews 2:1 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. When you see the word"Therefore", you must remember it is there for a reason. It connects the previous truth with current truth. It means something like this: the previous doctrine given in chapter one (1) is the launching pad or the foundation to hear the message of Chapter two (2
"…give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard…" = should believe the truth that has been preached, taught = that which we know to be true which we have heard and believed:
- By the prophets: the origin of the truth written: 2 Peter 1:18-21
- By the scriptures: requires faith and obedience: I Peter 1:16-19
- By the Angels: were mediators of the old covenant: Hebrew 2:2
- By the Son: Mediator of the New Testament"…Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son": Heb. 1:2
"….lest at any time we should let them slip." The Word is given to us to be heard and obeyed. And there is to be a continuous hearing. It is the hearing of the Word of God that persuades us to believe God. "Slip" means you let them get away from you. Don't fall away from this glorious truth of " So Great Salvation" See salvation as a whole: Past – Present and Future.
Nowhere in the Bible are you taught that you can lose Eternal Life (Born of the Spirit that gives you a home in heaven). The main application of these verses is to believers to seek heavenly things, to live now for the eternal, to value the payment of the reward as Moses did.
You see a warning to the unsaved and a warning to the saved. Both are confronted with the proposition: How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation. In this message, I want to deal with the warning to the unsaved! How will you escape if you neglect "So Great a Salvation"
Why is it So Great Salvation?
Because it is God's Salvation
Definition of Mediator: The word is not found in O.T. but the idea is expressed in Job 9:32-35 in the word "daysman". e.g. (v33.)"Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. " Job needed someone between him and God that could bring them together. One who intervenes between two parties, either as an interpreter or as an intercessor or reconciler.
- One Mediator between God and man, 1 Timothy 2:4-6, e.g. (v5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
- God has reconciled us to himself: 2Co 5:18 "….who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,…" Reconcile means to bring back into favor, restore one who is at odds, and bring into favor. In one sentence you have the substance of the entire plan of salvation: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." To bring back into a union that which has been separated by sin. Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
The key point to remember in reconciliation: it is something entirely done by God. Such thinking is contrary to our reasoning. We think in terms of effort on our part but the scripture says something far different. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are the ones who have done the sinning, so how can the sinner reconcile himself? Of course, the answer is obvious - the man can't reconcile himself to God.
Now keep in mind why you must be reconciled to God; because we have sinned and sinned against God. Our sin has separated us from Him. (You have sinned – I have sinned – All have sinned) Sin cannot be excused, looked over, forgot about; it has to be paid for. And the payment for sin is death: Romans 6:23a. For the wages of sin is death; …..: because of our sin we are under the condemnation of death "….but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
How is God to reconcile us from this condemnation of death? For Him to be just and the justifier of him who believes there had to be an acceptable sacrifice for sin (Romans 3:26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Therefore God charged our sin to Himself through Christ., "…. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;…" If you buy something on credit the price is put on your account but in God's so great salvation your sin was put on Christ, 2 Cor.5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Christ was made sin by taking our sin.
God was in Christ reconciling us to Himself through Christ. There is the beauty of this so great salvation, Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. So the sacrifice provided for our sin is the God-Man, Christ and therefore He is an acceptable sacrifice for us. Reconciled is God bringing you near to Him through Christ. This is a completed work, already done!
And as God was in Christ, that makes Him, our sacrifice: a satisfactory Sacrifice, a sufficient Sacrifice, and a sure Sacrifice. In the words of Abraham to Isaac "Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Therefore, what must you do to know you are reconciled? Answer: You must believe you are reconciled! His Word clearly states you have been reconciled, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. And since it is true why not believe it?
We are to labor in the gospel for Christ, "….and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2Co 5:19b-20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
There was a minister who said when he got saved and joined the Church, they gave him a Junior Boys Sunday School Class to teach. He said that Junior Boys Sunday School Class almost caused him to quit serving the Lord altogether. He said there was one boy in that class by the name of Alvin. He said Alvin never had his shirttail in and Alvin never had his hair combed. He said Alvin's smile would just capture your heart, but he was always unkempt.
He was trying to visit all of his class and it came time to visit Alvin. When he got there his mother said, "Alvin's not home, but would you come in? He'll want to see you. Just wait on him a little bit—he'll be back. He thinks so much of you! He talks about you all the time." So, he said, "I'll wait a little while." So, he waited about 15 minutes and during that15 minutes, he talked to Alvin's mother about the Lord. Alvin's mother said she was saved. He got up and said, "I've got to go." She said, "Don't leave. Alvin will want to see you. Alvin wants to talk to you." So, he said, "I'll wait just a little while longer." It was in a very poor section of town and they didn't have anything at all. He said, "Finally I got to leave and opened the door and there was Alvin coming up the steps. There he was with his shirttail out and he couldn't comb his hair down—it was just sticking up all the time." Alvin said, "I'm glad you're here, I have been wanting to talk to you about how to be saved." So, he said, "I led Alvin to the Lord that night" and Alvin said, "I'll be there Sunday." He said, "He stuck that little finger out at me and said, "I'll be there Sunday."
Sunday morning came, and Alvin wasn't there. They went on with the service and got down to the end of the service and the door opened and there came Alvin. There he was with his shirttail out and his hair sticking up and he was really dirty, and all messed up. Alvin came up and said, "Preacher, I'm sorry I'm late, but my dad came home Saturday night drunk. He made me go with him, but I finally got away from him in the night, but I had to walk over 30 miles. I found an old car and I slept in it. I'm sorry I didn't get cleaned up some before I came to church, but I just got here." Preacher baptized Alvin. He said Alvin was a joy to have in his class.
He was there for about a year then Alvin moved to Garland, Texas. About three years later he got a call. This man said, "you remember Alvin Colwell?" And he said, "Yes." The man said, "Alvin's dead." The preacher said, "He can't be. He wouldn't be about 15." The man told him how he died and that preacher said he fell on his face and though, Lord he never had anything on this earth. He never had a father to love him or care for him. Now he's got one. He said he began to think of Alvin with his shirttail out and his hair not combed, and he could just see Alvin in heaven coming up to him with his shirttail out and his hair not combed, sticking that finger up saying, "I told you I'd be here." You know, there are Alvin's all over the world. We meet them every day and we don't really hear what they're saying.
The story of Alvin reminds us of the important issue of life: Be sure of Heaven and then value the life you live now.
So after hearing what God has done for you in Christ, in that He judged Christ for your sins and counted Christ's righteousness to you, how then can you know you have been reconciled? Answer: By believing you have been reconciled.
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Do you believe that if you believed that promise you would have everlasting life? If the answer is yes then let me ask you this question: Do you believe that promise?
Christ is the only one who can make that promise and guarantee its fulfillment. You see He won that right to give you eternal life by His death and resurrection. So what must you do to have eternal life? Answer: Believe that Christ gave you everlasting life He that believeth on me hath everlasting life
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