We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

And this great salvation was first announced by Jesus, validated by apostles, and then confirmed by signs and wonders and mighty works of the Spirit. The writer to the Hebrews urges us to pay the closest and most careful attention to it and to not ignore it.

Why? Because we can easily be distracted. The early Christians were warned to do this during their immense persecution … but today, Satan’s plan of attack is of a different direction but has the same dire consequences. Why are we warned? Because it is easy to be apathetic towards this salvation we have known for so long and become so familiar with. It is easy for us today to not care enough. To think, we know it well enough. To believe that we are mature enough not to need reminding, let alone warning.

What’s in view is a gradual movement from the faith that may have involved a ‘succumbing to subtle pressures … by detaching yourself increasingly from public profession of the Gospel until it ceases to have any influence on your life’.

And so when the writer speaks of “drifting away”, the peril that’s spoken of is like a ring slipping off your finger on a cold morning, or like a boat that is gradually slipping away – no one lets their ring slip off on purpose, no one thinks it’s harmless for a boat to slip it’s mooring. This suggests a movement that may be subtle and undetected AND along with the term ‘neglect or ignore’ (2vs3) points to a gradual, unthinking movement away from the faith. It is clear that a community of God which drifts is a community in real danger.

Day by day, week by week, you may have just started to move. Undetected at first. Not seemingly worth worrying about each time. But cumulatively, it places you in dangerous waters. For that’s how the devil is derailing Christians in Australia today. Whether it be social pressure to ensure you do not display any public faith whatsoever– like the pressure we are seeing on Israel Folau – or whether it’s a torrential downpour of distractions in life – the outcome is the same … it’s a ‘succumbing to subtle pressures … by detaching yourself increasingly from public profession of the Gospel until it ceases to have any influence on your life’.

Yours in Christ,

Eric

St Phils Editorial