Flee to God’s Kingdom! THE apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, has some important things to say relative to escape. He covers two aspects: things to be observed and things to be avoided. In backing up his argument, he frequently quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures, with which his readers of that time—Jews who had become Christians—would be very familiar. 2 In the first chapter of Hebrews, Paul emphasizes the superior position of God’s Son over the angels. Then the apostle says: “That is why it is necessary for us [Christians] to pay more than the usual attention to the things heard by us, that we may never drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved to be firm, . . . how shall we escape if we have neglected a salvation of such greatness in that it began to be spoken through our Lord [Jesus Christ] . . .?”—Heb. 2:1-4. 3 The hope of salvation given through Jesus Christ is far better and greater than what was offered through the Law “transmitted through angels” at Mount Sinai. (Gal. 3:19) It is better because it is based on a “better covenant . . . legally established upon better promises,” a far better sacrifice (made “once for all time,” giving a “better hope”) and a superior priesthood, similar to that of Melchizedek. (Heb. 7:15-25; 8:6; 9:23-28) However, coupled with this “better hope” there is greater responsibility. Hence, there is the need to pay close attention and be careful so as to avoid any neglect, “that we may never drift away.” And while heavenly salvation is referred to here, similar responsibilities rest on those who have the hope of earthly salvation under God’s kingdom. 4 How much effort is required to start drifting? None whatever. If we are on a river, whether in a boat or in the water, we just get carried downstream by the current. It is the same in real life. If we, as Christians, commence to drift, we go along with whatever influences may float our way, either externally or from inward inherited tendencies. We begin to lose appreciation for spiritual values. This can develop gradually and is to be guarded against. Otherwise, we would no longer be keeping “a firm hold on the real life” and would be in danger of losing life altogether. (1 Tim. 6:19) As Paul pointed out, how can we escape the final disastrous consequences if this neglectful attitude and course remain unchecked? 5 By the apostle’s further words to Hebrew Christians, we are alerted to an even more dangerous course. He wrote: “Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God; but keep on exhorting one another each day, as long as it may be called ‘Today,’ for fear any one of you should become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.”—Heb. 3:12, 13. 6 To start drifting away requires no effort; but to commence “drawing away” from someone involves the taking of definite action. Though we may still be facing a person in an endeavor to retain his favor, yet we may begin to recede or retreat from him by taking backward steps. Why would anyone begin “drawing away from the living God”? The answer is: Due to a lack of faith. As the context shows, Paul is not speaking about a weak faith that has resulted from insufficient knowledge or incorrect understanding. Rather, he quotes the warning, “Do not harden your hearts.” That is what the fleshly Israelites did in the wilderness, although they had there seen Jehovah’s “works for forty years,” having enjoyed his constant miraculous provisions and protection. (Heb. 3:7-11) Hence, all true Christians today need continually to help and encourage one another so as to avoid taking backward steps due to becoming “hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” We should exhort one another to keep our faith alive. How? By works of faith. Remember, Abraham acted obediently in faith under severe test and thus “came to be called ‘Jehovah’s friend.’” We, as witnesses of Jehovah today, will win out only “if we make fast our hold on the confidence we had at the beginning firm to the end.”—Heb. 3:13, 14; Jas. 2:21-26. 7 Toward the end of his letter to the Hebrews, Paul takes up the same line of argument as he did at Hebrews 2:1-4. He shows the greater responsibility resting on Christians, as compared with the ancient fleshly Israelites. However, he uses an even stronger expression and says: “For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not [escape] if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens.”—Heb. 12:25. 8 To turn away from someone means deliberately to turn our back on that one and often indicates rejection. This was the attitude and course taken by the fleshly Israelites as a nation right down to Malachi’s time, when Jehovah said to them: “From the days of your forefathers you have turned aside from my regulations and have not kept them.” (Mal. 3:7) And if an anointed Christian, a spiritual Israelite, takes these progressively bad steps, what will be the outcome? There is grave danger that he will come into the category of those regarding whom Paul writes: “It is impossible as regards those who have once for all been enlightened, . . . but who have fallen away, to revive them again to repentance.” (Heb. 6:4-6) Of course, only Jehovah God and Christ Jesus can determine if a person has reached the point where it is impossible for him to be revived again to repentance. 9 We should take these warnings to heart. Loss of faith may begin with our allowing ourselves to take things for granted, showing a spirit of indifference, almost imperceptibly drifting away. One false step or attitude easily leads to another until we have gone too far, and we find we have fallen away to the point of no recovery. Before that happens Jehovah will no doubt subject us to some discipline, which Paul talks about in this same letter and which counsel we should wisely accept. Paul wrote to those Hebrew Christians: “You have entirely forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you are corrected by him; for whom Jehovah loves he disciplines; in fact, he scourges every one whom he receives as a son.’ . . . True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”—Heb. 12:5-11. 10 From the foregoing, we should not conclude that Paul was taking a negative or pessimistic view of his spiritual brothers. Neither should we today look upon ourselves or others in the congregation in such a way. Even after the apostle told those Hebrew Christians that they had ‘become dull in their hearing’ and were ‘needing milk, not solid food’—and after sounding the warning about those who fall away beyond repentance—he says: “However, in your case, beloved ones, we are convinced of better things and things accompanied with salvation, although we are speaking in this way.” Paul then gives fine encouragement to “be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”—Heb. 5:11, 12; 6:4-6, 9-12.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 00:22:44 +0000