Hebrews 2:1-4 — Don’t Drift Away From the Truth

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. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Introduction: The Danger of Spiritual Drift

Hebrews 2 begins with a serious warning about becoming careless with truth that we have already heard. Most people do not wake up one morning and suddenly decide to abandon everything they believe. Moving away from the truth usually begins with a slow drift.

A Boat That Drifts

Imagine that you are sitting in a small boat near the shore. You are enjoying the sunshine, sitting back, and relaxing. Your mind becomes occupied with many different thoughts, but after a while you look up and realize that you are no longer where you started.

You did not start the motor or deliberately steer the boat away. You simply forgot to let down the anchor. The current moved you little by little until you unknowingly drifted far from where you were supposed to be.

It does not take much effort to drift. You simply stop paying attention to where you are going, and before long you may not even know where you are. The consequences can be severe. That is what makes drifting so dangerous: it is usually slow enough that you do not notice it while it is happening.

The same thing can happen in our personal lives as believers in Jesus Christ. Spiritual drifting does not begin when someone suddenly rejects the truth. It usually begins much earlier, when that person stops giving earnest attention to the truth.

You do not have to make a deliberate decision to drift. All it takes is for your mind to become occupied with things other than God. Little by little and day by day, your attention begins moving toward something or someone besides the Creator and Saviour of the world. That is the danger we are warned about in Hebrews 2.

Hebrews 2:1 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.

The Context of Hebrews 1

Hebrews 1 establishes the greatness and authority of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1–2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

In the past, God spoke to the fathers through the prophets, but now He has spoken to us through His Son. Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus created the worlds, upholds all things by the word of His power, purged our sins, and sat down at the right hand of God. The rest of the chapter establishes that Jesus Christ is far greater than the angels.

When chapter 2 says, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed,” the point is simple: because of who Jesus is, we must take what He has spoken seriously. We need to make sure our attention does not begin to drift away from the only One who truly matters. God’s Word does not move, but we can begin moving away from it.

Let us begin in verse 1 and look closely at this warning.

1. Give Earnest Heed to the Truth

Hebrews 2:1 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.

Hearing Is Not the Same as Heeding

Verse 1 says, “We ought to give…heed.” To give heed means to listen carefully, pay attention, and take seriously what has been said. There is a difference between hearing something and giving heed to it.

I may hear or see a tornado warning during a storm, but I am usually not quick to heed it. Milana, on the other hand, is trying to get everyone into the shower or the safest place in the house as fast as possible. Milana is doing a much better job of heeding that warning.

In the same way, you can hear the Word of God without heeding it or allowing it to change anything in your life.

Think about a warning light appearing on the dashboard of your car. You see it and know it is there, but seeing the warning is not the same as giving heed to it. If you keep driving and ignore it, the warning does not disappear. The problem may continue to get worse while you act as though everything is fine.

There are warnings in every area of life. There are warnings when a marriage is going in the wrong direction. There are warnings when children are going in the wrong direction. Those warnings can only help us if we take them seriously and respond.

Give the More Earnest Heed

Notice that the verse does not simply tell us to give heed. It says to give the more earnest heed. Earnest attention is serious, sincere, and deliberate. God’s Word deserves more than casual attention.

We should not approach the Bible as though it were background noise or something merely intended to fill a few minutes of our day. We are hearing the words of Almighty God, who created us and knows everything about us.

People give earnest attention to many things. Phones and television are two things to which billions of people devote a large portion of their lives. If we give so much attention to things with no eternal value, how much more attention should we give to God when He speaks to us?

Hebrews 1 established that God has spoken to us through His Son. Because the message came through Jesus Christ, it deserves the greatest possible attention.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard…

The Danger of Familiarity

This warning was given to people who had already heard the truth. They were not being corrected for something they did not know; they were being warned about becoming careless with something they already knew.

Sometimes the more often we hear something, the more familiar it becomes. That familiarity can cause us to pay less attention to it.

At this church, we constantly talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The more you hear it, the greater the risk that you might begin giving it less attention. There are times when Josh will talk about the gospel during the announcements, then during a soul-winning testimony, and then again during the preaching.

Some people might think, “Didn’t we just hear this five minutes ago? Isn’t this the same thing we just heard?” Yet the same person may have checked TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or the news five minutes ago—or even thirty seconds ago. Has anything really changed since the last time they looked?

People give their full attention to vain and meaningless things and repeatedly return to them. How much more should we repeat and give our attention to the greatest message of all time—the gospel of Jesus Christ? There is nothing greater, nothing superior, and nothing higher than that message. It is impossible to repeat it too many times.

However, it is not impossible for us to forget it or allow it to lose our attention. That is why we are being warned.

The Warning Applies at Any Time

Hebrews 2:1 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.

The warning applies “at any time.” There is never a point at which we no longer need to pay attention. It does not matter how long you have been saved, how much Bible you know, or how many sermons you have heard. None of us is beyond the danger of slipping and drifting away.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

The person in the greatest danger is the one who thinks he could never drift from the truth. It is good to have confidence in God’s Word, but it is dangerous to have confidence in ourselves. That is why Hebrews says, “We ought.” The writer places himself under the same warning.

This does not teach that a believer can lose salvation. However, a saved person can forget important truths, believe something false, and begin living contrary to what God has said. Consider Peter’s attitude toward biblical truth:

2 Peter 1:12–13 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

That is the attitude we should have. We should never want to forget, slip, or drift away from the truth. Verse 1 warns us to give earnest heed because truth can slip from our attention. Verse 2 explains why this is so serious.

2. Take God’s Warnings Seriously

Hebrews 2:2–3 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

The Word Spoken by Angels

The “word spoken by angels” refers to the law given to Israel at Mount Sinai. God was the source and author of the law, but the Bible also tells us that angels participated in its delivery.

Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

The mediator was Moses. God gave the law, angels were involved in delivering it, and Moses communicated it to the people. The Bible does not explain every detail of what the angels did, so there is no reason for us to speculate. The main point is that this message carried the full authority of Almighty God.

The law—the word that was spoken—was stedfast. Stedfast means firmly fixed and established. Man’s law is not stedfast; it is constantly changing. Man’s law allows murderers and kidnappers back into society, while God’s law says they shall surely be put to death.

A Just Recompence of Reward

Hebrews 2:2 …and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

The word “reward” here does not mean something good. A recompence is a repayment—receiving the result or consequence of an action. Their disobedience received the consequence God had declared.

Notice that they received a just recompence. God is never unfair, and He never overreacts. His judgment is completely righteous.

How Shall We Escape?

Hebrews 2:2–3 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

If disobedience under the law brought a just consequence, how could anyone expect to escape after neglecting the salvation proclaimed by Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator of a far better covenant established upon better promises?

If an unsaved person neglects Jesus Christ and has no regard for what He has done, there is no one else who can save that person. There is no other sacrifice that can pay for sin.

But this verse specifically says, “If we neglect so great salvation.” The writer does not stand at a distance and ask, “How shall they escape, if they neglect so great salvation?” He asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect?”

The same language runs through the entire passage: “We ought to give the more earnest heed,” “the things which we have heard,” “lest we should let them slip,” “how shall we escape?” and “if we neglect.” The writer places himself under the same warning as everyone receiving the letter.

This is not only a warning for an unsaved person who has never believed the gospel. It is also a warning to believers who have already heard and received the truth. How shall we as believers escape if we neglect so great salvation? We will not escape the consequences.

A Believer Can Neglect Salvation

This does not teach that we can lose our salvation. Our salvation is secure because Jesus Christ keeps us. But being eternally secure does not prevent us from becoming careless, disobedient, or spiritually distant from God. Salvation makes us children of God, but it does not force us to pay attention, obey His Word, or live for Him.

A son or daughter can neglect the instruction of a father and mother. That disobedience does not cause the child to stop being their son or daughter, but neither does being a child allow that person to escape correction. In fact, the correction happens because that child belongs to the parents and is loved by them.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

A saved person will never face the eternal punishment of hell because Jesus paid for all of our sins. Nevertheless, we can experience the chastening of God and the earthly consequences of neglecting His Word.

How Believers Neglect So Great Salvation

We neglect salvation when we stop giving attention to the Word that tells us how we ought to live. We neglect it when we possess the greatest message in the world but never think about sharing it with anyone else. We neglect it when the things of this world receive our time, energy, and affection while the things of God are pushed aside.

We neglect so great salvation when we know what Jesus saved us from but willingly drift back toward the same sin that nailed Him to the cross. As believers, we can neglect the great salvation Jesus Christ obtained for us when we fail to give earnest heed to the things we have heard and allow those truths to slip away.

That does not mean we have lost salvation. It means we are failing to live in light of the salvation we already possess.

If you think, “That will never be me. I will never let those things slip. I will never neglect salvation,” then you are already in danger. Take heed lest you fall. I have seen drifting happen to others, and I have seen it happen in my own life.

The moment you begin giving other things a higher priority than God, the drift begins. Sometimes you can wake up and recognize what is happening before you get far. But there may come a day when you drift too far and invite severe consequences into your life. When the Bible asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” the answer is that we will not.

That should cause all of us to stop and consider: Am I giving earnest attention to the salvation God has given me, or have I slowly begun drifting from the truth?

3. God Confirmed the Message

Hebrews 2:3–4 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

At the end of verse 3 and into verse 4, we are shown why this message deserves our complete attention. It was not a message invented by men. It was spoken by the Lord, confirmed by those who heard Him, and witnessed by God Himself.

Spoken by the Lord and Confirmed by Eyewitnesses

Jesus Christ personally proclaimed the message of salvation. The apostles did not come along later and invent a new religion; they received this message directly from the Lord.

1 John 1:1–3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

If an important event takes place and several witnesses independently testify that they saw and heard the same thing, their testimony confirms what happened. But in this case, there was something far greater than human testimony: God Himself bore witness that their message was true.

God Bore Witness With Signs

Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

The word “them” refers to those who heard the Lord and carried His message to others. As they preached, God bore witness to their testimony and confirmed that these men were speaking the truth. He did this “with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost.”

God enabled them to perform supernatural works that could not be explained by ordinary human ability.

Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Notice what the signs confirmed: the word. The focus was not the greatness of the men performing the miracles. The purpose was to establish that the message they preached had come from God.

We see this throughout the book of Acts. The apostles preached Jesus Christ, and God performed undeniable miracles through them. Those miracles gave visible confirmation that God was bearing witness to their message.

According to His Own Will

Look at how verse 4 ends:

Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

God decided which gifts were given, who received them, and how they were used. These gifts were not controlled by men or produced whenever someone wanted to put on a show. They operated according to the will and purpose of God.

The message we are warned not to neglect was spoken by the Lord, confirmed by eyewitnesses, and authenticated by God Himself. Now we have that testimony preserved for us in the Word of God.

Conclusion: Hold Firmly to the Truth

The question is whether we will give heed to God’s Word or allow it to slip. Maybe there was a time when you gave the Word of God greater attention than you do today, but somewhere along the way your attention began moving toward other things. Do not ignore that drift.

Maybe you have never given God’s Word the attention it deserves. Let today be the beginning. Do not convince yourself that everything is fine simply because you are in church. Ask God to show you what has captured your attention, and be ready to change. We all need to return our attention to God.

The best time to stop drifting is the moment you realize that you have moved.

If you are not sure that you are going to heaven, do not neglect the salvation Jesus Christ purchased for you. For those of us who are saved, remember how great your salvation is. Do not let the things we have heard slip away. Do not allow the truth to become background noise while the world receives your full attention.

Hebrews 2:1 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.

God has spoken. Give heed to what He said. Hold firmly to the truth. Don’t drift away.