THE UNANSWERED QUESTION

HEBREWS 2:1

A. "HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?"
  1. It is noteworthy how the little word "so" is used in the Bible to give very strong emphasis to a specific truth:
    1. "For God so loved the world" - John 3:16
    2. "If God so clothe the grass" - Matt. 6:30
    3. "So worship I the God of my fathers" - Acts 24:14
  2. In our text, the word "so" is to call special attention to the greatness of the salvation offered through Jesus Christ our Lord:
B. THE GREATNESS OF THE SALVATION OFFERED TO US IS SEEN
  1. By what it costs:
    1. The scars on the body of the Son of God, inflicted on Him on Calvary, will speak very eloquently as to the price paid for our salvation - 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Rom. 8:31-39; 2 Cor. 5:21
    2. The broken heart of the dying Christ is still another added evidence of the price heaven paid to save us from damnation.
    3. The ministry of heavenly beings unto those who are to be heirs of salvation is added evidence of the supreme effort of God to save us - Heb. 1:13, 14; Ps. 34:6
  2. By what it offers:
    1. Complete and free pardon of sin to all who accept Christ Jesus as their Saviour - Isa. 55:7; Mi. 7:18, 19
    2. Complete deliverance from the power of sin - Acts 26:18; John 8:36
    3. Complete deliverance from the eternal consequences of sin - 2 Cor. 5:17
      1. It must be noted that salvation in Christ may not remove (in this present life) the effects of our transgressions - Gal. 6:7, 8
      2. When we violate the laws that control our bodies we may have to suffer the temporal consequences.
    4. But the fact remains that salvation in Christ is all inclusive -- body, soul, and spirit; the past, the present, and the future!
  3. By the method this salvation may be obtained:
    1. Free, absolutely without money or price; it is the free gift of God! Isa. 55:1, 2; Eph. 2:7, 8
    2. Through simple faith in Jesus Christ - Acts 8:37; 16:31; Rom. 5:1-3
    3. There is nothing that any sinner can do to merit salvation, nothing at all.
    4. By accepting Jesus Christ now, not tomorrow, now! 2 Cor. 6:1-3; Heb. 3:7-9 Illustrations of the practice of simple faith -
      1. All who were bitten by the poisonous reptiles were placed under the one condition -- "look and live" - Num. 21:6-8
      2. They could not go by feeling or emotion; their salvation rested in the exercise of faith in God's faithfulness.
C. THE UNANSWERED QUESTION
  1. Note, please, the part the little word "neglect" plays in being lost:
    1. How easy it is to be damned forever -- do nothing! Just stand by and be indifferent to God's efforts to save our soul.
    2. The inhabitants of Meroz were cursed, not because they did a lot of things. No, they were cursed because they did nothing, at a time they should have been active - Judg. 5:23
    3. The parable of the Lord about the great supper a man made for his friends speaks very loudly on the subject before us -- Read Luke 14:16-24
  2. There are three ways or types of criminal neglect:
    1. To be indifferent to what God says is a hideous sin in the sight of the Lord - Gen. 19:14
    2. To be preoccupied at a time when God calls is another mark of damnation - EXAMPLES -
      1. The people in the days of Noah - Matt. 24:36- 39; Luke 17:26-29
      2. The guests that failed to come - Luke 14:16-29
    3. Attempt to postpone our duty to God is another crime against the soul - Acts 24:25


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