A Fragile Gospel

April 7, 2022 (Thursday)

 

The gospel is both sturdy and fragile. It is sturdy in the sense that it changes people. It is fragile in the sense that we must stick to it or else. "This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it." [Hebrews 2:1 CEB] The fact that we could drift from it is sobering. If we couldn’t drift away, it would never have been mentioned in the Bible.

 

The real question is, “how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” [Hebrews 2:3a CEB] Theologically there are five explanations about someone leaving or drifting away from their faith in Jesus.

 

First, the assumption is that they never had genuine faith. Second, God would take them before they crossed the line into apostasy. Third, even if they leave, they haven’t left (or God would bring them back before death). Fourth, some version of free will in entering into a right relationship with God and exercising that free will to deliberately walk away. There are those who hold to a fifth explanation; the idea that we can lose our salvation by accident or neglect.

 

Drifting is a way of deliberately not paying attention. Ignoring is deliberately disregarding reality. The reality is that if we have salvation, why would we want to live our lives as if we did not have it? That’s the "sticking point." Desire has a lot to do with the direction and force of our lives. I understand that much of life is out of our control or in the control of someone else (politics, work, family). One thing we can control is our desires and where they take us, or in some cases, drag us to.

 

Next, we read one example of the “Trinity” at work. “It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him. God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted.” [Hebrews 2:3 – 4 CEB] The Lord is Jesus. God is “the Father.” The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who is credited as the power behind the action and effects.

 

Jesus announced our salvation. God the Father vouched for (confirmed, testified to) our salvation. The Holy Spirit empowers us. What more could anyone want? There is another sticking point. Can we accept something that is completely out of our hands from a God who knows us completely and loves us even more?