Hebrews 2:1-3 “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”
How are we to understand warning passages like this? Well, it depends on who you ask. One group says that we can never be motivated to holiness by threats and warnings and another group says that we can. How you understand biblical warnings will certainly get you labeled either a legalist or an antinomian. To be honest, I have lost a lot of patience with the sanctification debates that have gone on the last few years…well, the last several hundred years anyway. I just read a book by Ernest F. Kevan called The Grace of Law and learned that “Tullians” and “Deyoungs” have been around for a long time, so I just want to offer a small observation that has been a helpful way for me to understand biblical warnings. You can decide whatever camp this puts me in. I see 2 options:
Option 1. I the believer can read warning passages like the one posted above and respond with my own hard work. “I don’t want to neglect my salvation so I better pay attention to this warning and stop neglecting it! I need to take holiness more serious, so I am going to yield to the Holy Spirit more and put off the old self more.”
Or….
Option 2. I, the believer, can read warning passages and let them throw me into the work of Another. When I read that passage and feel the weight of it, what do I do? How about imperfectly running to and resting in Christ? I see the warning and realize that I do neglect this great salvation every day- that is why I need Jesus so desperately. Spurgeon has a famous quote about suffering “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock.” I have come to view biblical warnings to believers as “the wave.” The wave throws me against the Rock, and it’s the Rock that I need today.
So as believers I don’t think we need to fear warnings. I think we can kiss them for throwing us against the Rock.
Leave a Reply