OUR GLORIOUS ESCAPE THROUGH THE GREAT SALVATION

Gleans from Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi DCLM Worldwide Sunday  Service Message

DLBC Lagos HQ

25th March 2018

OUR GLORIOUS ESCAPE THROUGH THE GREAT SALVATION

Hebrews 2:1-4; 4:1,6,11,16; 10:19-23,35-39

Hebrews 2:1-4. As you think about yourself today, about time, eternity, opportunities and the great privilege of hearing the word of God every time,and the way of salvation made plain and clear; and as you are going to hear again today the plan, promise and provision of salvation made by the Lord Jesus Christ,Verse 3a says “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation…?” It is possible to neglect. There are those who reject, disagree, scoff, spurn and scorn outright the way, plan, promise and the provision of salvation. There are others who don’t really reject, nor scoff, scorn or outrightly disagree, but they neglect. To such people whether they have believed before or not, it says how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? As you think of eternity and the judgment that comes after death, you want to meditate on how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation. This Great Salvation is not an afterthought, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself first spoke of it so plainly and clearly as the greatest gift the Heavenly Father has given us. The apostles and other preachers after them also confirmed this great and gracious salvation to us; even the Spirit of God by signs and wonders, by miracles of healing and deliverance, confirmed it. If any of us neglect this great salvation made available to everyone, how shall we escape? The chapter begins,“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” (Hebrews 2:1). He says ‘therefore’.  What does this ‘therefore’ means? He had talked in Chapter 1 about the Lord Jesus and His exalted dignity; the power, provision, preeminence and perfection of Christ. If then Christ is greater than all men and angels and is eternal, therefore ..; if He made provision for us, loved, suffered and gave so much for us, therefore …; if His position is now above all others and He is seated on the right hand of God in majesty, therefore …: because of that exaltation and because you will never have any greater person declaring anything to you, so he says therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard. Paul the Apostle, the writer to the Hebrews, in his style of writing will give us some exhortation, explanation, encouragement and revelation, and then say therefore; telling us because of what he had said, here is what to do. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1). He had spoken about the promise of God of eternal life, of deliverance from sin and the privilege of getting to Heaven, and then he says, therefore let us fear lest we fall short of that provision. Hebrews 4:6b  …and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief.  Unbelief made them to neglect, scorn and reject the promise of God. The privilege, opportunity and provision of salvation were theirs and yet they missed them. Hebrews 4:11 – Labour to enter in. There is God’s sovereignty and there is human responsibility; you must take the step. That’s why he is saying, let’s rise up, and do something, get, receive and believe it. If the provision and the opportunity are there, get up and do something about it, to make use of this provision – Hebrews 4:16.  Heb 10:19-23: Every time he gives a revelation of the Saviour, Substitute and Sacrifice, he tells us that there is a promise, provision and pronouncement for us, then he always tells us there is something to do, and not to fold our hands and relax. Hold fast the promise and provision of God, and nobody will take this from you. You have a hope of heaven, don’t cast it away when you come to crossroads, times of challenges, trials and difficulties (Hebrews 10:35). “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36). You have need of patience and importunity, not giving up until you have it. Christ the Saviour, Healer yet a little while is coming to take the saints away in the Rapture, and He will not tarry. Temptations, persecutions, challenges and trials might come, friends may become enemies, but you will not draw back (Hebrews 10:37-39). Your soul will be saved, your life will be redeemed and He will prepare you for an everlasting life in Jesus Name.

Hebrews 13:12-14: Jesus suffered, paid the price and shed His blood for our sanctification, and for our holiness of heart and life, in the thought, in private, public and through and through, but we have to go unto Him. Christ Jesus has provided for the remission, forgiveness, purging of our sins, and for freedom from all sins, “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” (Hebrews 2:1). To escape eternal suffering, punishment in hell, the judgment of God, and an eternity of suffering, pain and anguish, the only way is to have this Great salvation. May you escape; and you will possess, preserve and live by this Great Salvation, in Jesus Name.

3 points;

POINT 1. A NECESSARY EXHORTATION TO EARNEST STEADFASTNESS

Hebrews 2:1; 1 Peter 4:7,17-18; 2 Peter 3:17; Proverbs 4:13,20; Luke 21:34-36; Proverbs 23:23

Paul the Apostle and the Holy Ghost found this necessary to give you necessary exhortation to earnest steadfastness. “Therefore….” (Hebrews 2:1). Because of the exaltation, preeminence, power and suffering of Christ on the Cross of Calvary, 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. This means you have no reason to neglect or reject the warning. “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7). The end of all things is at hand, the things that you are running after, and that look important to you, they are coming to an end and the Lord’s Coming is at hand. Therefore be earnest and diligent, be sober and make sure you come into the grace of God and remain, abide and be steadfast in that grace. (1 Peter 4,17-18). Don’t be led away through the error of the wicked (2 Peter 3:17). Whatever the wicked get, accumulate, acquire, you need to understand that the end is near, and that all these things shall soon come to an end, so do not be led away by their error. You will not fall. You will not leave your place of diligence, earnestness, and steadfastness because it’s about that time, the Rapture will soon take place. This is the time to stand firm and not look back.  “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee” (Revelations 3:3). We are liable to forget, we have the tendency of forgetting when the joy of something we have got gets into our brain; but we ought to remember and hold fast and not neglect. You will watch and be earnest, not lukewarm, and you will not look back in Jesus name. “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” (Hebrews 2:1). We ought to give proper attention, prompt obedience, constant thoughtfulness and not be like someone who does not know about hell; give attention to personal meditation, unwavering faith, and complete consideration to the word of God, to what we have heard, learned, and witnessed to other people, believed, taught, preached; and don’t let them slip, lest we become disinterested and become diverted by the things of this life. In the times of prosperity, celebration, adversity, sickness, oppression, attacks, and pressures of the world on us, we should not forget the word of God. At all times, in all places and in every situations of life, we should give the truth of Christ more importance than any other concern, or situation, or instruction in life. Sickness, persecutions, trials, persecutions, spiritual warfare and in time of departure from this earth, time of death, we should not let the word of faith, salvation and confidence in God, and the desire to get to heaven slip from us.  Don’t let them run out as from a leaking vessel, slip, leak out of our mind, memory and heart, lest we forget when we need them most.  Pray you will not forget. “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life” (Proverbs 4:13). Hold fast to the words you are hearing at the weekly meetings, retreats, congresses, and other church programs. It’s your very life, this is what will give you eternal and everlasting life, hold fast to it. You will not give it up, nor let it go, and you will not let it slip away from you.  The word will benefit and perfect you in Jesus Name. “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares…….. Watch ye therefore and pray…..” (Luke 21:34-36). Take heed to yourself, don’t let your mind be like a basket that the word of God to cleanse from sin cannot stay nor abide in your life. “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23). If you don’t give up on the truth, the truth will not give you up, the Lord will not give you up, and the salvation of the Lord will be permanent in your life in Jesus Name.

POINT 2. THE NEGLECTED ESCAPE FROM ENDLESS SUFFERING

Hebrews 2:2,3; Genesis 19:12-17,26; Jude 1:7; Luke 17:28-30,32; Jeremiah 11:11; Job 11:20; Acts 24:24-25; Matthew 23:25-28,33; Hebrews 12:25-29

The way, plan, provision and promise of escape were there, and the One that came to open the door of escape from eternal suffering; but those who neglect will suffer forever and ever.  “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” (Hebrews 2:3). The angels came from heaven to warn the people in Sodom through Lot that the end, judgement and eternal suffering was coming, but they neglected the word of God. “Bring them out of this place” (Genesis 19:12b). You don’t have any time to waste, come out of sin, from Sodom, from sodomy, from fornication, adultery, crime, and evil ways. They heard the word but they would not believe nor accept. Even Lot himself lingered; and though warned by the angels not to look behind them, his wife looked back. (Genesis 19:12-17, 26). Escape for thy life and look not behind to the old sin partners, places of gambling, hotspots where they commit sodomy, and all the places of crimes, drinking, dancing, cinemas and night clubs. We are going to escape. This is the more important than healing, money, lands, houses and wealth. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7). They should have escaped eternal fire, but they missed it because they did not take serious the message of the angels through Lot. Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). She looked back and became a pillar of salt, and is still suffering in hell fire after these thousands of years because she will not take the way of escape. You will not neglect this way of escape in Jesus Name.  Jeremiah 11:11: This is the day of salvation, and if you neglect this day and time, you will not be able to escape, but as you take hold of the opportunity of this way today, you will escape in Jesus Name. “But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost” (Job 11:20). The opportunity is there for you to be forgiven and to confess your sin to the Lord, and that you will not go that direction anymore, but if you don’t seize it, you will be lost.

There was a highly placed man, Felix, a Governor that voluntarily sent for Paul, to hear the word of life, salvation and faith in Christ, and he heard him concerning faith in Christ and trembled, but he never responded to the word that he heard, and he was lost. He heard about Christ, the way of salvation, of escape from the judgement of God, and of sound doctrine; yet he was lost (Acts 24:24-25). Are there some people here today, you have been coming to this church, and you have heard about repentance, and the way of salvation; have you repented? If today is going to be like yesterday, that you never repented, and you are never saved, still living in sin, how shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation? Pray that God will have mercy on you. There are people that substitute outward righteousness with salvation that will get them to heaven. There are people that look nice outside but internally are full of evil, corrupt, adulterous, fornication, and all the defiling thoughts in them; they look alright on the outside, but inside them they are rotten, full of iniquity, hypocrisy and unrighteousness (Matthew 23:23,28,30,33). They are like serpents, sneaking into places of evil and corruption, like vipers full of poisonous and evil thoughts. But I pray today will be the day of escape for you. If you will take advantage of the opportunity coming to you today and call upon the name of the Lord, confess and come out of all the hidden sin, salvation will come to you.  Hebrews 12:25-28: Moses spoke to Dathan, Korah and Abiriam, but they refused; they perished. The Lord spoke to Balaam and he refused and perished. As you come here, we speak the word of God to you, the word of salvation and holiness without which no man will see the Lord. You have heard, but have you accepted, believed; has the word touched your life? If you refuse, how can you escape? He is the God that gave us His Only Begotten Son, and He has sent His preachers and prophets to us, and yet you reject, refuse and are not paying attention to the word you are hearing. Hebrews 12:29 says, “For our God is a consuming fire.”  The Lord is warning everyone that you will not neglect, because the negligent will suffer forever and ever. Neglect is a great destroyer. A backslider does not have to throw the Bible away or run away from the church, but if he neglects repentance, and restoration, he will eventually seal his doom on the final Day. A church member does not have to quit coming to the church or say he does not accept the word of Holiness, but he only has to neglect Holiness and he will not see the Lord on the final day. The Lord is saying, great salvation has been offered unto us, He says repent, believe, receive and accept and that great salvation will be yours in Jesus Name.

POINT 3.  THE NORMAL EVIDENCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION

Hebrews 2:3; 5:9; Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:8-10; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:2

When somebody comes into the salvation of the Lord planned from all eternity, there is evidence. Thank God you will have it in Jesus Name. Hebrews 2:2-3; 5:9: Jesus says repent, believe, be doer of the word, and you accept and obey, then He becomes the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey Him. Yes, He came on earth, not just to heal and provide for all our needs, but foremost to give us the great salvation, and that great salvation is coming to you today (Matthew 1:21). “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). When salvation comes, it will transform and change you. If you were stingy, selfish before, you will be generous and be thinking of others now, for old things are passed away and all things are become new. If you are saved, you will be willing to do your restitution. You will hate what you used to love, you want to restore the things you had stolen voluntarily, and the lies you had told, you want to correct them. Salvation makes a great change in a man’s life. When you come to the Lord, and the word of God comes to you, it will make you sorrowful about your sin, make you want to repent and turn away from your sin. Entertainment does not lead to salvation, neither do rejoicing about your sin, covering up your sin and excusing your sin lead to salvation. It is godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). That salvation is here today, and the Lord will grant it to every one in Jesus Name. As you believe and turn to the Lord, salvation will be yours. Don’t push that salvation to other people. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). You must confess the Lordship of Jesus with your own mouth, and reject the lordship of sin, flesh, money, self and society over your life; and as you come to surrender your life to Jesus wholly, and believe, you will be saved for all eternity from sin, self, Satan and all the consequences of sin in Jesus Name. Now is the moment of salvation. “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Why is it called a Great Salvation? It is because:-

1. The Author is Great; He is the Great Saviour that offered a Great Sacrifice and He is the Great Substitute.
2. It saves from great sin, and from all sins in a moment of time.
3. It saves from great eternal damnation and great suffering here on earth and in hell for all eternity, forever and ever.
4. It brings you a great transformation.
5. It grants us great power for lifetime victory.
6. It exalts us to a great place, position and possession in heaven; gives eternal infinite happiness, honours and a great crown
7. It manifests the great love and makes sons and daughters of a Great Father, of the Most High GOD.

There are people in a time and day like this, that have come and are asking for toys from God. But salvation is a great blessing, and contains all other blessings. When you have salvation, healing, jobs, deliverance and every other thing will follow. So don’t ask for perishable toys, but ask for this great salvation. If you reject and neglect, how shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation. But if you accept, receive and believe, this salvation will be yours. Your name will be written in the Book of Life, and when saints go marching to heaven, thank God, I will be there and you will be there, in Jesus name.

Ponder on this! We ought to give proper attention, prompt obedience, constant thoughtfulness, personal meditation, unwavering faith, and complete consideration to the word of God, to what we have heard, learned, and witnessed to other people; what we have believed, taught and preached, and not let them slip. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Reflections – At all times, in all places and in every situation of life, we should give the truth of Christ more importance than any other concern, situation, or instruction in life. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Words on the Marble. There is God’s sovereignty and there is human responsibility. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

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