Hebrews 2 - Don't Drift Away
Salvation through Christ alone is not just a heady concept, it's a reality you can cling to every day.
Read / Listen to the chapter:
Other resources for this chapter
Read the chapter in an outlined format
Hebrews 2 (ESV)
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
2 For since the message declared by angels
proved to be reliable,
and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
It was declared at first by the Lord,
and it was attested to us by those who heard,
4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles
and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.
6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What
is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him
for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him,
he left nothing outside his control.
At present,
we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels,
namely Jesus,
crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death,
so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he,
for whom and by whom all things exist,
in bringing many sons to glory,
should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.
That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood,
he himself likewise partook of the same things,
that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect,
so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God,
to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
18 For
because he himself has suffered when tempted,
he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 2 Summary
Hebrews 2 continues to shine the light on the main message of the Bible: That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who as made propitiation (atonement / payment) for the sins of the people and is now sitting at the right hand of God ruling all things.
Dig Deeper
Hebrews 2 is one of those awesome passages in the Bible that contains everything we need to know about our salvation. There are several key verses that are worth memorizing:
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (v1)
This is why we read the Bible each day, because the world is doing everything it can to drag you away from this good news.
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (v3)
Understand that your hope must be in Christ alone. Your good deeds will not save you. Your Bible reading and church attendance will not save you. Having parents and siblings that are strong Christians will not save you. You must not ignore the one thing that church attendance and scripture point to: salvation by Christ alone.
[God has put] everything in subjection to Him (v8)
It may not often seem like it now, but be reminded that everything in your life and in this world are in Christ's control.
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (v18)
This is an incredible promise! Christ is indeed victoriously ruling over all things, but He's not just looking down hoping that you have enough wherewithal to reach up and grab salvation from Him. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is actively with you at all times, strengthening you to persevere and continually drawing you to Him.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God your Father is the one for whom and through whom everything exists (v10)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and endurance to 'pay most careful attention to what you've heard (v1),' so that you will not 'ignore so great a salvation (v3).
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
