Hebrews 2:1-4 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.… I. THIS REPRESENTS A STATE WHICH IS FEARFULLY POSSIBLE (Hosea 6:4; 1 Timothy 5:15). 1. Tide is so in part because we are not always moored to Christ when we are brought to Him. A ship may be skilfully guided into the harbour, her crew may be able to leap ashore, and there she will remain till the tide turns; but then, unless her cables are thrown out and she is fastened there, she will drift to sea again. So we may be brought to Christ, a number of influences may lead us to Him, we may be so affected by religious emotion and reverence for Him. and even a belief in our personal salvation as to be ready to endure " reproaches and afflictions," and we may seem to be Christians, yet we may not have joined ourselves to the Redeemer by an act of living faith. Whilst the tide runs that way (and that may be for years) our safety is unsuspected even by ourselves; but let a change come, and slowly we slip away, and at length on some distant coast others come across the fragment of a wreck that bears our name. We may be close to Christ for long without the cable of faith binding us to Him, and thus the soul may drift away even from Him and be lost. 2. Besides which there are powerful adverse currents which tend to carry us from the Saviour. Difficulties occur, the fear of man begins to tell, the winds of temptation blow, the current of worldly custom runs strong, the unseen force of old habits and depraved inclination increases, and then I well, however strong the came, it will creak and strut., and every fibre of it be needed to bold the ship. But what if there be no cable — no vital faith? Why, then the soul will inevitably part company with Christ. 3. And this drifting away is more likely, because our departure from Christ may be for some time inperceptible. How many Christians there are whose religion once a delightful reality has become poor, who think distressingly, "Oh, that, I were as in days that are past! " who can see how tar they have drifted, but did not know they were drifting at the time, and who scourge themselves because of it! II. TO DRIFT AWAY FROM CHRIST IS TO DRIFT TO RUIN. 1. To drift away from Christ is to forsake the only refuge for sinful men. The blessings we so sorely need are there alone, away from Him is but the wintry shoreless sea of doom. 2. To drift away from Christ is to disregard the supreme claims of Christ. For there is another aspect of drifting away from the Saviour; it isn't simply how it affects us, but how it affects Him. Oh, could we have but a glimpse of Him and of His authority, great horror would seize us at the thought of departing from Him. But when we further see this glorious One for us men pour out His soul in the anguish of the cross, and still cleave to us notwithstanding our worthlessness and sin, we are self-condemned to the lowest perdition if we suffer anything to let. us drift away from Him, and may well ask in awe, "How shall we escape?" 3. To drift away from Christ is to resist the grace that has brought us close to Him. III. THIS, THEN, IS A LOUD CALL TO EARNEST HEED LAST WE DRIFT AWAY. 1. If we are moored to Christ our blessedness consists in the maintenance of close fellowship with Him. 2. Though we are close to Christ, we are in great peril till we are anchored here. 3. If we are drifting away from Christ, everything depend, on our returning before we get further off. (C. New.) Parallel Verses KJV: Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. |
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