Jump Start # 1370

Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard”

The Pew Research Center reports that 1 in 5 Americans who say they grew up as Christians have abandoned the faith. They are not claiming to be a Christian today. They have moved on and moved away from the faith of their fathers. This report isn’t shocking to us. We have seen our country becoming more and more secular and defined by good feelings and happiness rather than conviction in the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are some things we need to note here:

First, just sitting in a pew on Sunday doesn’t make one a Christian. I have sat in a race car before. That didn’t make me a race car driver. I have held the bat of a professional baseball player. That didn’t make me a professional. Could it be that many who claimed that they “grew up as Christians” really mean that their parents took them to church services, but their hearts were never there. That’s something to consider.

Second, there is a growing disconnect between what happens on Sunday and the rest of the week. Many do not see worship, the sermon or prayer as being relevant to their world. It may be the fault of the church. It may be that there has been too many theories knocked down and questions answered that no one asks any more. The struggling family today is not burdened with the “isms” that some feel are the threat to doctrine and the church. Finding time, balancing the budget, raising the family, remaining pure, growing deeper in the Lord, dealing with stress, worry, fear and doubt—these are the things that keep moms and dads up at night. Congregations need to structure classes that are both practical and helpful to young families.

Third, the survey didn’t tell us what these 1 in 5 turned to. They left Christianity. They left it for what? Nothing? Materialism? Atheism? There are some core fundamental principles that were lacking. Jesus isn’t for Sunday only. Jesus is as important on Tuesday in the conference call, the little league practice, the grocery store as He is in the church house on Sunday. Our faith is not like the pie that is sliced up into pieces. At work, it’s work. At home, it’s home. On Sunday morning, it’s Jesus’ time. That thinking is crooked and wrong. Jesus is the pie pan. Everything and every where is affected by Jesus. Who I am is going to determine what I do and how I act. I cannot turn my faith on and off. I am to be the same person in the pew as I am in the stands as I am on my couch. I am a follower of Jesus. That core belief is not based upon a church but the Bible. It shapes me and molds me. It changes me. Leaving Christianity for what? What happens when we must journey through valleys? What happens when it’s time to face death?

Fourth, for too long, many have lived their faith through the church and not through Christ. This is illustrated this way. When things are well down at the church house, one feels strong and close to the Lord. When things are stinkin’ down at the church house, then the faith seems to be slipping. Brethren encourage, warn, teach and help us, but my faith must be personal and in the Lord directly. My faith doesn’t rely upon another person, especially the preacher. My faith is real, genuine and living. It must be fed, guarded and protected, like all living things. It must be exercised and used, like all living things.

Our passage today is a great place to remind ourselves of this principle. The Hebrews were throwing in the towel on their faith. Things had become difficult. Persecution started. Many had quit. Things were easier when they were Jews. Stop Christ and return to being Jewish, that thought was crossing many of their minds. This book was written to show the error of such thinking. Going back wasn’t an equal swap. They were giving up their salvation, their hope and Heaven by doing that. Forgiveness was in Christ, not in cows. The blood of Jesus, the covenant of Jesus, the priesthood of Jesus, the role of Jesus was far superior to anything that they would find anywhere else. So the passage asks, “How can you neglect so great a salvation?” How can you?

We understand that word neglect. It’s not a nice word. Someone tells you that you have neglected things, that is not a compliment. A neglected child, a neglected assignment, a neglected marriage—like a neglected house, falls to ruins. Our salvation needs our attention. It’s not one of those things that you can put off. It’s not one of those, “when I get a round ‘to it,” kind of things. Don’t neglect it.

Got some questions? Find the answers. Got a sore spot in your soul? Do some forgiving. Worry seems to be creeping in? Strengthen your faith. Feel lonely? Go to the Savior. Been a while since you worshipped? Get to the church house. Got dust on the Bible? Open it up and read. Been too long since you really prayed? Get started today. Neglecting your soul will not make it stronger. It will not put you in a better position.

Those that quit, I expect even those in that statistic, started drifting away long before they gave up. Few have a blow out in their faith. It’s that slow leak that we neglect that leads to a flat heart and dead faith. Why did the marriage end? Too busy to pay attention to it. Why did worry win? Didn’t deal with it when it first surfaced.

No one knows our situation and our faith as well as we do. Deceiving ourselves we allow our faith to fall apart. We may still come to church services, but our hearts and our minds are somewhere else. Long before the prodigal ever asked his father for the inheritance, his heart was already in the far country. That could be us as well. By the time people see the action, the moving out of the house and the ending of a marriage, the dropping out of services, things have been happening. Neglect, pride and other factors will keep us from dealing with them. Much too often, a person is about to go over the waterfalls of trouble before he begins to pray to God for some oars. Sometimes it’s too late. The marriage ends. The prodigal leaves. The hope dies.

Don’t neglect your salvation. Feed your soul. Watch your soul. Protect your soul.

One in five…that also means 4 in 5 didn’t throw in the towel. I wonder why the results were not presented that way? Was the statistics used to open the door for others to quit? Was it wishful thinking that America no longer believes? It’s like the weather in Indiana. The forecasters will tell us that there is a 20% chance of rain. To me, that says there is an 80% chance that it won’t rain. Time to grab the golf clubs or mow the yard. It’s probably not going to rain. Four out of five are finding something in Christ. Four out of five have chosen to stay with things. Four out of five have not let their faith die.

Now, that’s something to report about!

Roger