The Nature Of Neglect

For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?  It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him^.  Hebrews 2:2

Once unbelievers have been introduced to the Gospel, they should not neglect the salvation Christ offers.  Why?  Because the very nature of neglect is dangerous.

It is just as dangerous to me.  This scripture was also written to believers, to remind us not to neglect the salvation that is still ours today.  If I only see the cross as what was necessary to make me a follower of Jesus, I will miss the essence of sanctification.  The salvation Jesus offers affects every single day of my life and without the cross as my focus, my sin edges toward becoming a stronghold and my conscience hardens in the process.

Paul said in His letter to the Corinthian church, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” I Cor. 1:18   Because Peter was writing mainly to believers, ‘’being saved’ refers to my ongoing salvation from sin. Every single day, I am called to do what God has historically done, separate light from darkness.  It starts in my thought life.  Is it a light thought or dark thought?  I decide to nurture the first and shun the latter, or vice versa.  If I choose light, I call upon the grace of God to save me from allowing my dark thought to lead to action.  This is the daily battle.  This is the fight for faith.

So, what about the nature of neglect?  Whatever I choose to neglect will become easier and easier to avoid.  I think about a chore I’m not looking forward to. “I don’t want to do that today.  I think I’ll save that for another day.”  Guess what!  Tomorrow, it will be even easier to put it off again.  Neglect is a cancer.

It’s never wise to put off dealing with sin but the consequences are dire when it involves a person’s eternal destiny.  The decision about what to do with Jesus is high stakes Russian roulette but quite shockingly, most gamble by assuming they will have tomorrow to think about it.  They don’t realize that, by then, they will probably be repelled by the idea.

What changes to your life has God been asking you to make?  Why have you neglected it?  Knowing that neglect metastasizes, confront it today.  It’s not the time to be stubborn.  The only ones that pay for that are you and me!  We may as well announce, “I’m putting off abundant life for another day.”

Neglect doesn’t mean I’ve gotten away with anything.  Lord, help me see that I’ve already paid dearly for the blessings I’ve missed.  Amen