LEARNING DAILY

 

Hebrews 2:1, So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. (New Living Translation)

 

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews is giving a strong warning that the message of Jesus Christ be taken very seriously. He is writing to those who have accepted salvation through His sacrifice on the cross to be diligent about walking on the narrow way to God’s kingdom and eternal life with Him. If this is not done there is the possibility of drifting away from truth. One must look at the previous verses to understand the writers meaning to this verse; he was responding to those who were teaching that Jesus, the Messiah was an angel and not equal to God. The intended audience was to Christians that had a Jewish background.

 

The concept of drifting away has a nautical implication, as when a ship is drifting past a harbor to become shipwrecked (from notes in LSSB). Or you might think of a small boat that has not been secured to the harbor which no one notices it moving away with the current. The writer’s warning is for Christians to pay close attention to Christ’s teaching, to take them seriously so one does not drift away from them. As with the illustration of the boat not secured and slowly drifting away without notice, the suggestion is those people not securing their faith in the Word of God could slowly allow their walk on the narrow way to erode.  Neglect or apathy can be fatal! The Word is neglected, truth becomes blurred and, if we are not careful, we find ourselves confused and swept up in the cares of the world; we find ourselves drifting away from truth.

 

Perhaps it is human nature to be too busy so we do not take the time to read and study God’s Word. Maybe we think we know enough and there is no need for it. Or, perhaps we believe there is nothing new in it for us. So, we just drift away. We can do so without realizing it! This must not happen. You and I must keep God’s Word fresh and we must keep a deep interest in it, continually allowing it to direct our lives.

 

I have often written about the deception of false teachers in the world today. You and I must know truth in order to know false teaching when it comes (It is already here, by the way!). There are many thoughts and opinions about the Word of God today. You and I have to know truth to combat the opinions of man. Man’s opinion means little if the person has not studied the Word; it is just an opinion without support. The writer of Hebrews is giving us a warning about neglecting or being careless about our salvation and life in Christ for fear that we drift away.

 

Do not be careless about God’s Word. My prayer is that each of us spend more time – that we make time – each day to be in God’s Word. Read it and study it, be diligent about doing so. It will transform your life!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.