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. Heb. 2:1
The translation quoted above would give the thought that there is a
danger of the hearer of the Gospel allowing truth revealed by the Son
to slip away. There are, however, many who believe the thought is
that the careless hearer of the Gospel may drift by it, thus simply
ignoring that which is revealed by the Son. Brother Darby’s translation
reflects this. “For this reason we should give heed more abundantly to
the things we have heard, lest in any way we should slip away.”
The imagery here is of a boat slowly drifting away from or past a safe
and secure harbor. Just drifting aimlessly along, carried by the
currents, without any regard for the signs of danger which lie ahead.
Many who hear the Gospel today could be described in this way. They
have heard the message which was brought Personally to this lost world
by God Incarnate. One vastly superior to the created angels who
functioned as Divinely sent messengers, and yet they are carried by the
currents of this world and drift right on by. (Heb. 1:4–14; 2:5–9) The
writer warms, if disobedience to the message of the angels brought just
judgment, “how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which
at the first began to be spoken by the Lord.” (2:2–3) It is a
dangerous thing to take the Gospel of Christ which was Personally
delivered by God through His Son casually and simply drift silently
past to eternal damnation.
Isn’t this also a warning to those of us who know Christ, those who
have believed His report. Isn’t there the real danger of slowly
drifting away from the things of Christ? Not losing our salvation, but
being carried by the currents of this world away from the things of
Christ. Was this not true of Demas, about whom Paul writes, “For Demas
hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.” (2 Tim. 4:10)
This drifting is not sudden and swift, but slowly, silently, almost
without any sense of movement. A meeting missed, a day without prayer,
a new hobby found, an advancement in business, and one step leads to
another until we find ourselves carried further and further away from
the things of the Lord. The writer of the Proverbs gives a very clear
picture of this departure in chapter 24:30-34.
“I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man
void of understanding; And, it was all grown over with thorns, and
nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was
broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and
received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little
folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that
travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.”
He sees a field filled with thorns, obviously not cared for. No doubt
productive at one time, but now producing that which is not only of no
value, but harmful. His observation was that the owner took a little
break, sat back, folded his hands, and fell asleep. Isn’t this the way
a once production spiritual life comes to ruin. A slow, silent drifting
away until one awakens to see a tragic scene.
There is a principle given to us here. “Unkept soil always returns to
nature.” There is no need to deliberately plant weeds, just doing
nothing will bring out the weeds of the flesh. Taking a little break,
as David did, and our unfed soul will slowly return to the control of
nature. The writer of the Proverb likens it to a traveler. “So shall
thy poverty come as one that travelleth.” (v. 34)
I remember the days our family packed up the car and drove to the
shore. My parents and three brothers packed in the car with the trunk
jammed full and maybe things tied to the roof. No air conditioning in
those days, nor Interstate highways. Seventy five miles on two lane
roads through the hot, flat, sandy land of southern New Jersey. We kept
asking our parents, “How much further?” It seemed like we would never
get there, but given time, we did! So too with the saint who takes a
spiritual nap. He never envisions the weed filled life, but given time
he arrives there.
Is it possible that this is an accurate picture of your life as a
Christian? You met the Savior and went on well, until you took a little
break. A little folding of the hands. Just a short nap, but without
realizing it you began to drift. For whatever reason you started to
miss meetings, and your interest became centered in things which were
not spiritual. You began to watch and to read things which were far
from edifying. You saw little of your former Christian friends. And now
your life, with its potential of being productive for the Lord, is
filled with the weeds of the flesh.
What a warning to us all. A spiritual nap can be the beginning of
spiritual ruin. There must be an alert mind, one constantly aware of
the slightest drifting, and when noticed, fleeing to the security of
the throne of grace.