Drifting away from the truth

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Hebrews 2:1-4

We cannot say that we have not been warned. We should “listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” Ignoring the words given to us from the Lord will lead to severe penalties. But if we listen, trust Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, and live out the new life He gave us we will be benefitted. This is what the author of the book of Hebrews was admonishing the readers from the text. They had heard the gospel but they kept on pushing it aside. We are called on to hold fast to the truth of the gospel or else “we may drift away from it.” Drifting away happens to those who were at one time professed faith in Christ. They have kept up appearances, but the years have carried them far away from their devotion. Though they have not disowned Christ but they have drifted far from their earlier faith that they are no longer interested in matters of spirituality. We can also drift away when we are over familiar with the truth. This can happen when we no longer experience an awe or adoration to the revelation of God from His word. When we find ourselves no longer moved by our love and devotion to God, we can get bored with our relationship with Him that we will start to ignore His promptings. Busyness can also lead to drifting away from the Lord. When we are overwhelmed with the cares and the things of the world, we can start to be isolated from experiencing the amazing greatness of God and if not addressed could lead to a deadly drift. When the anchor of our lives had been loosed for long and the strong winds of storm such as opposition, persecution and difficult circumstances come, we will be in great danger to be blown by the storm and hit massive rock and get shipwrecked. This is why we need to take heed of the warning: “how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?” If Jesus is God, how absurd it is to ignore His word and how dangerous to think what could happen if we turn our back to Him.

Blessings,