Lest We Forget - Lesson 7, What Difference Does It Make

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. - Hebrews 2:1

   Hebrews 2:1 contains the words that originally caught my attention and inspired this study. In the initial outline I put together this verse was two lessons. The reality is Hebrews 2:1 can be an entire book. Not from the perspective of an expository or lexical study, but because so much of the Bible can be referenced to support the main point…Pay Attention or Drift Away. I’ll do my best to keep these notes relatively short.

Caution

   Without knowledge of how a survey is performed, the demographics of the participants, number of participants, etc., you should take all surveys & statistics with a grain of salt. That’s because, unfortunately, cited surveys and in many cases, the surveys themselves are performed with a certain bias. So, just be careful about blindly believing a survey or statistic.

   With that in mind, according to a Statista survey, about 33% of all American adults read the Bible at least once a week and about 11% read it daily. A study also found that there has been about a 10% drop in Bible reading since 2022. However, in more recent times world events and apps like the Hallow app, which inspires reading the Bible and praying, has had a major impact on reversing this trend with over 600 million prayers being logged through the app as of August 2024.

Back to The Scripture 

  I’ve mentioned many times, and more specifically in the last lesson, that the English language often falls short on Biblical translations as it does’t really capture the full essence of what the writer was trying to convey. This is in terms of the emotions behind the words. As an example, following is the literal translation of our text for today. The periods (.) were added to represent the separation of the words/phrases:

Because of . this . it behooves . more abundantly . to give heed . us . to the things . we have heard . lest . ever . we should drift away. 

   Because of this is translated to, therefore. Therefore is a reference to what was written just before what you are about to read. In this case it is referencing Chapter 1. We studied verses 1-4 of Chapter 1 but we did not study 4-14. However, 4-14 is simply an expository on the first 4 verses. So the writer is saying, because of what I just told you...because Jesus is God, because he died for our sins, because he is alive still today…what I am writing next is also relevant..

    It behooves is saying it is our responsibility to do what the author of our text writes next. This is more of a command than a mere suggestion.

   More abundantly places an emphasis on the Because of and Responsibility, meaning all the more, far more, even more so…

   To give heed to the things we have heard. This is pretty straightforward, even for the English language. Pay attention and take to heart the things you heard.

   Putting those together we get: Because Jesus is God, because he died for our sins, because he is alive still today it is very important to understand that we have a responsibility to actually apply what we’ve heard to our life and live by those lessons every day.

It Makes A Difference 

   lest we drift away from it. This is not a reference to losing your salvation, rather a warning that our natural bent to be selfish, self-serving, and sinful will overtake us if we take our eyes off of Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 makes it clear that we can fall away in our actions, but God will not leave us.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Even more powerful, we read in Romans 8:38-39,

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

   To Drift simply means to focus more on ourselves and be selfish, we can ‘worship’ or prioritize other things before God. However, we can’t be separated from him once we accept his free gift of grace and mercy. It is also good to know that because we can’t be separated from God, his love will also not be held back. And just like our response to those we love, namely our children, God will allow us to experience the consequences of our actions. But again, he will allow that because he desperately wants us to call out to him and draw close to him again.

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! - Psalm 107:17-21

How to ‘Cry out to the LORD?

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. - Romans 10:8-10

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Romans 10:11-13

   ‘Will Be Saved’ means to have eternal life in heaven. The alternative is eternal life in hell. There is no other option.

If Jesus Is Not God

   So, if the Bible is not true and Jesus is not God it really makes no difference what you choose to believe.

If Jesus Is God

   However, if Jesus is God (which the Bible clearly states he is) then believing he died for us and that he is alive, makes an eternal difference. 

To not believe is a ‘hell’ of a gamble

The Choice Is Yours, Please Choose Wisely