Hebrews 2:1-3
2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 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.
To drift is to be carried away slowly by a current of air or water; it is a continuous slow movement from one place to another. When a boat or ship is brought into the harbor, they either drop the anchor or for a small boat they tie it so that it does not drift. If this is not done the waves will slowly carry the boat away and before long it will be out to shore.
The thing about drifting is that you don’t know when it’s happening. The writer of the book of Hebrews uses the term drift to warn us of how easy it is to walk away from the faith without even knowing it. Our anchor is the word and it is only when we pay close attention to it that we will not drift away. The moment we step away from the word, the moment we stop making it our point of reference then we have already begun the process of drifting without even knowing it.
We live in a world where entertainment has taken center stage. Every free time we get we look for something to entertain us, even in the church more and more we are allowing entertainment to take up our service times. We are replacing preaching the word with entertainment and because of this many have drifted away from what they heard having not paid careful attention to it. How then do we expect to escape having ignored such a great salvation?
The only way to stay on course is to carefully study the word so that we may walk in it.
Matthew 4:4 ESV
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
The God approved way to live life is to live it by every word that comes from the word of God. How then are we to do that unless we play close and careful attention to what we have heard?
God told Joshua;
Joshua 1:8 ESV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
The same applies to us because remember;
Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Are you drifting and you don’t even know it?
