HOW WILL WE ESCAPE BY NEGLECTING SUCH A GREAT SALVATION?

(Hebrews 2:3, 12:25)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, how impactful it would be to once again ask ourselves the question: How will we escape God’s wrath by neglecting such a great salvation? This is a crucial question that calls for serious reflection with a proposed solution as follows.

Describing the greatness of this great salvation offered by God to humanity

• “God’s wrath and neglect”
• The magnitude of salvation
• How to flee from God’s wrath?
• Best resolutions.

Description of God’s wrath and neglect

God’s wrath here is not a punishment or condemnation. In clear terms, it is a warning and an expression of His love for His people, ready to grant His mercy and forgiveness as specified in Acts 17:30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed.”

This theme is recurrent in Scriptures, powerfully illustrated in Nahum 1:6-8, where God’s wrath is likened to a burning fire, like an erupting volcano, capable of destroying everything in its path. Through Exodus 20:5, Psalm 7:11, and Isaiah 5:25, we understand that this wrath is not to be taken lightly. It shakes the great mountains, and even the heavens disappear before its majesty. How then can frail human beings hope to escape it? By neglecting such a great salvation, we risk exposing ourselves to this wrath.

Neglect

Neglect, as described in Proverbs 1:24-33 and Matthew 25:1-13, can be considered a subtle sin. It is often more serious than visible sins like sorcery or adultery because it results from a silent indifference to divine truths. Characteristics of neglect include contempt, laziness, idleness, and flawed reasoning based on unbelief.

A striking example of neglect is found in Luke 7:30, where the Pharisees reject the baptism of John the Baptist, depriving themselves of God’s purpose. Similarly, the rich young man, mentioned in Matthew 19:21-30, refuses to sell his possessions and give to experience true salvation. These examples highlight the gravity of neglect when it comes to our relationship with God. In the Gospels, Jesus illustrated the conduct of the neglectful activists of Noah’s time in the face of the urgency to participate in the construction of the ark to escape the flood. “In the days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 24:36-40. The same fate awaits those who follow the same example of neglect.

Such a great salvation?

This salvation is of immense value (Colossians 1:15-20, Ephesians 2:4-10). It should not be despised or compared to the salvation offered by the law of Moses at Mount Horeb. “Anyone who obeys God’s law will find life through it.” Galatians 3:11-14. Ignoring this salvation is equivalent to losing invaluable eternal privileges. This great salvation includes paradise, divine glory, eternal happiness, and treasures that God has reserved for those who love Him. It is eternal because God is eternal and infinitely great. It far surpasses any earthly inheritance. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17. The apostle Paul and John had visions of it, as evidenced in 1 Corinthians 12:10 and Revelation 20:1-9. Our desolation would be immense if we were to lose this divine treasure. Faith in Jesus Christ is our only means of accessing this salvation.

c) How to flee from God’s wrath?

The answer lies in faith in the Gospel. As Mark 16:15-17 says, “Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.” John 3:16 also reminds us that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. To grasp this great salvation, it is imperative to renounce the pleasures of this world and completely surrender to God, even at the cost of our lives. The Bible urges us to flee these traps (1 Timothy 6:11) in a world dominated by greed and dissatisfaction.

We must prioritize our relationship with God over the illusory promises of material wealth. The Word warns us that those who want to get rich fall into deadly traps. The relentless pursuit of possessions can lead us astray from our relationship with God and our eternal salvation.

d) Making better resolutions by relying on God.

Job 22:28 Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.