September 1, 2025 • 29 mins
Have you ever become numb to something extraordinarily valuable? That's the danger the writer of Hebrews confronts with the soul-piercing question: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
Pastor Timothy Mann delves deep into Hebrews 2 to explore what makes our salvation "so great" and why treating it casually carries eternal consequences. This message wasn't originally planned—it came as a divine interruption when God pressed this scripture on Pastor Tim's heart just days before delivery.
The greatness of salvation stems from two profound realities. First, its divine source: unlike human-created religions, biblical salvation comes directly from God Himself through Jesus Christ. The gospel isn't mankind's speculation about God, but God's revelation to mankind. Jesus is both the messenger and the message, making Christianity utterly unique among belief systems.
Second, salvation's greatness is revealed in its immeasurable cost. Christ was "made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death." His humanity wasn't just for sympathy but for substitution. When Hebrews says Jesus "tasted death for everyone," it means He drank the full cup of God's wrath that we deserved. The cross wasn't an accident but the God-appointed means of redemption.
Pastor Tim courageously addresses theological tensions with crystal clarity: Christ's death is "sufficient for all, but effective only for those who believe." This preserves both the genuine nature of God's invitation and the necessity of personal faith. Neither universalism nor hyper-Calvinism aligns with the full biblical picture.
For long-time believers, the greatest danger isn't outright rejection of the gospel but becoming desensitized to its wonder. Neglecting salvation means treating the cross as ordinary when it should continually astonish us. Every lash on Jesus' back, every thorn in His brow was the price of our redemption.
Don't drift from these truths. Don't delay your response. Instead, run to Christ, rest in Christ, and rejoice in Christ—because nothing is more precious than knowing Him, and nothing more tragic than missing Him.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the Bible
teaching ministry of PastorTimothy Mann and Providence
Church, ormond Beach, florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of Jesus Christ.
Now here's Pastor Timothy Mannteaching the Word.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Saved, understanding God's work in us.
We've been examining variousaspects of this truth of
salvation and what that meansand how.
That is true from God's Word,and we're continuing today.
It's not the last of it, we'vegot a few more to go with that
theme.
Take your Bibles and turn withme to the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews chapter 2, 9 verses,beginning in verse 1.
(00:47):
Therefore, we must give the moreearnest heed to the things we
have heard, lest we drift away.
For if the word spoken throughangels proved steadfast and
every transgression anddisobedience received a just
reward, how shall we escape ifwe neglect so great a salvation
(01:11):
which at the first began to bespoken by the Lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard Him, god also bearing
witness with both signs andwonders, with various miracles
and gifts of the Holy Spiritaccording to His own will, for
he has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in
(01:31):
subjection to angels.
But one testified in a certainplace saying and he quotes the
Old Testament here what is manthat you are mindful of him, or
the son of man that you takecare of him?
You have made him a littlelower than the angels.
(01:59):
Verse 1.
Nothing that is not put underhim.
But now we do not yet see allthings put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was madea little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,crowned with glory and honor,
that he, by the grace of God,might taste death for everyone.
(02:23):
We'll stop here.
This is God's Word that we'veread.
Imagine if you would beinginvited to the most crucial
event in history a coronation, arescue mission, a homecoming, a
victory celebration all in one.
It's the event where eternitycommences hanging in the balance
(02:50):
.
It is where heaven and earthcollide.
It is the fact when the king ofkings takes center stage.
But imagine being so distracted, preoccupied with small things,
worldly things, so numb to theinvitation, that you miss it
(03:10):
entirely.
That's the burden behindhebrews 2, verse 3.
How shall we escape if weneglect so great a salvation,
which at first began to bespoken by the lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard him?
This is more than a rhetoricalquestion.
It's a soul-piercing warning,it's a holy wake-up call.
(03:36):
The writer of Hebrews isn'twhispering, he's shouting an
alarm for those who are drifting, for those who are delaying,
for those who are dismissing thegospel.
And I want you to notice hedoesn't just say salvation, he
(03:56):
says so great a salvation.
Why?
Well, because there's nothingmore important, nothing more
important.
Well, because there's nothingmore important, nothing more
important, nothing more glorious, nothing more eternally
necessary.
Over these past several weeks,we've explored the awe-inspiring
scope of salvation.
Through these messages.
We've seen God's sovereignmercy in determining to save
(04:21):
sinners.
We've seen, we've observed, thefinished work of Christ who
took our place.
We've witnessed from God's Wordthe power of the Holy Spirit
that brings dead hearts to life.
We've seen God adopting genuinebelievers into His forever
family.
We've traced salvation from themoment of our rescue to the
(04:44):
very promise that our faith willendure by God's power and we
will one day be glorified withChrist.
We've seen all of that.
Hadn't that been good?
And every part of it, everymoment, every movement is filled
with grace.
We've seen that salvation isnot only an experience but also
(05:04):
a miracle.
We've seen that salvation isnot only an experience but also
a miracle.
We've seen that it's not only adoctrine but it's a deliverance
.
We've seen that it's not only abelief system but it's a new
birth from above.
And yet, with all of that thatwe've considered, the question
from hebrews still presses in.
Have you truly understood thegreatness of what God has done
(05:36):
for you in Christ, or have youkind of just become desensitized
, cold, indifferent?
Because here's the soberingreality Neglecting this
salvation doesn't necessarilymean hating it.
It might not look like rebellion.
(05:59):
It could simply look like adistraction, like drifting, like
delay.
Neglecting this salvation meanstreating the cross as ordinary.
And I'm not talking about asymbol you wear around your neck
or something that's on asteeple of a church or something
(06:22):
you put on your wall.
That's not the cross I'mtalking about.
I'm talking about the cross ofJesus.
Neglecting this salvation meansignoring the gospel.
It means kind of yawning aboutit.
You know it's living as ifChrist's death and resurrection
have little impact on your dailylife, and that's eternally
(06:50):
dangerous.
It's eternally dangerous.
The word neglect suggestsindifference, apathy or even
just a failure to pay attention,like some of you will do
eventually through this message.
We have a hard time with that.
It's like this is like fallingasleep at the wheel spiritually,
(07:15):
it's disaster is approachingand you don't even realize
you're drifting.
That's why we're pausing herein Hebrews today, not to move on
from salvation.
I had an entirely differentmessage planned, studied out and
ready to go, but Thursdaymorning I shared with Pastor
(07:35):
Danny and Pastor Jesse andPastor David.
We got to put that one on hold.
The Lord really pressed thisscripture in on me.
Thursday morning we're pausinghere in Hebrews, not to move on
from salvation but to realignour hearts with it.
This message this morning isn'ta final point.
It's a call for clarity.
(07:55):
I think we need to regain thebig picture, the weight, the
height and the depth and thewonder of what God has done for
us in Christ.
Don't drift, don't delay, don'tminimize this great salvation.
Instead, run to Christ, rest inChrist and rejoice in Christ,
(08:22):
because nothing as we sang thatsecond song this morning nothing
is more precious than knowinghim and nothing is more tragic
than missing him.
So let's talk about this.
Y'all ready.
Hebrews 2 that's where we'relooking.
We'll.
We'll move around Hebrews alittle bit, but mainly Hebrews 2
(08:42):
.
This great salvation, the firstthing we have to touch base on
this morning, is its source.
Salvation is from God Himself.
The greatness of salvationstarts with its source Verse 3,.
Put your eyes on it.
How shall we escape if weneglect so great a salvation
(09:03):
which, at the first, began to bespoken by the Lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard it.
So this gospel, this message ofsalvation, doesn't come from man
.
It wasn't a product ofreligious tradition.
We were visiting with Todd andChristy last night at dinner and
(09:24):
boy, wasn't that fried chicken,good, brother?
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't a.
We were talking about being inRome and he told us.
He said, brother, in Rome,catholicism is on a whole new
level there and he shared withus just completely how 100 pagan
(09:45):
it is.
Just so you know, romancatholicism is a false gospel.
It is not the gospel of thebible.
Now you can get your feelingsheard on that if you want to.
Could there be some catholicswho will go to heaven?
Yes, if ultimately they're onlytrusting in jesus and jesus
alone, yes, but romancatholicism, catholicism rob,
(10:07):
say amen.
It a false gospel.
You know how he knows.
He was one.
Praise God, the Lord saved him.
The gospel isn't a product ofreligious tradition, it's not a
product of philosophicalthinking, it's not a product of
mystical experience.
It comes directly from JesusChrist himself.
And that truly makes all thedifference, because the message
(10:29):
of salvation is not man'sspeculation about God, but it's
God's revelation to man.
He is the way.
That's what he himself said.
He didn't just show the way tosalvation, he is the way.
That's what Jesus himself said,as recorded in the gospel of
John, chapter 14, verse 6.
And so the one who would die toredeem us is the very one who
(10:54):
first announced the good newsthe gospel of Mark, chapter 1,
verse 15.
From the very start of hispublic ministry, the Bible says
that Jesus preached the time isfulfilled and the kingdom of God
is at hand.
Repent and believe the gospel.
He didn't offer theories, hedidn't offer self-help.
(11:14):
He spoke with divine authorityas the eternal son of God.
And so the gospel isn'tsecond-hand information, it's
the voice of the shepherdcalling his sheep by name,
calling them to life and tofollow him.
And this is what makesChristianity unique compared to
(11:34):
all other religious systems,because in a world filled with
human effort and spiritualstriving, the biblical gospel
announces something completelydifferent, and that is that God
has acted, god has spoken andgod has come.
That's what it says.
It wasn't our idea to seek him,it was his idea to seek and to
(11:58):
save us.
We talked about this in anothermessage from titus, chapter 3,
verses 4 through 5.
That says but when the kindnessand the love of God, our Savior
, toward man appeared not byworks of righteousness, which we
have done, but according to hismercy he saved us.
So this salvation is God'sinitiative from start to finish.
(12:18):
God the Father planned it, godthe Son proclaimed it and
achieved it, and God the Spiritapplies it and secures it.
And, according to the Bible,even before the creation of the
world, god had this in mind andthat's why the gospel is
unshakable.
That's why the gospel isunstoppable.
It doesn't depend on man'sinvention, it doesn't depend on
(12:41):
man's emotion.
It's rooted in divine purpose.
That's why Hebrews, chapter 1,turn hebrews one.
Put your eyes on verses one andtwo.
That's why hebrews, chapter one, verse one and two really
begins with this foundation.
So turn, turn and look at itwith me.
It says this god, who atvarious times and in various
(13:03):
ways spoke in time past to thefathers by the prophets, has in
these last days spoken to us byhis what?
Son?
By his son.
So check this out Jesus is boththe messenger and the message.
He's both.
So to hear him speak is to hearGod speak, and to neglect the
(13:23):
gospel is to ignore God himself.
That's why this warning is sourgent, is to ignore God himself
.
That's why this warning is sourgent?
Because if people invented thissalvation, well, it could be
flawed.
If people invented thissalvation, it could be limited
or it could be subject to change.
But because it comes from theLord himself, it is pure, it is
(13:45):
perfect and it is eternallybinding.
And so to reject this gospel isnot just foolish, it's
rebellion.
It's rebellion.
To ignore it is to insult thegod who graciously gave it.
That's why hebrews asks howshall we, how shall we escape?
(14:09):
How shall we escape?
Because God has revealed thegospel through his son.
Are you listening?
Have you responded to it withjoy and surrendered faith, or
are you drifting in distraction,in delay?
Drifting in distraction, indelay, because if salvation
(14:30):
really comes from God himself,what would it look like for you
to treat it accordingly, thatthis salvation actually came
from God himself?
What would it look like for youto treat it accordingly Not
just once, but every day, everyday?
What would it look like for youto treat it accordingly not
(14:51):
just once, but every day, everyday?
What would it look like in yourlife?
So we see its source, butthat's not all.
We also, we just can't help butsee the cost.
So if the source of oursalvation is divine origin from
god, then the cost really showsits infinite value.
Hebrews 2, verse 9.
We're going to go down to that.
(15:12):
I'm not going to expound everyverse in the passage I read this
morning verse 9 verse 9 expandshere on the weight behind the
salvation described in verse 3.
Look at the verse, verse 9.
But we see jesus who was made alittle lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,crowned with glory and honor
(15:34):
that he, by the grace of God,might taste death for everyone.
So it says who was made alittle lower than the angels.
Let me touch on that.
This refers to Jesus'incarnation, when the eternal
Son of God took on human flesh.
(15:55):
The phrase a little lower, madea little lower, that means
temporarily lower in rank andstatus.
Jesus humbled Himself bybecoming human and stepping into
our world.
The king and the creator of theuniverse condescended to us.
(16:16):
The salvation did not comecheaply.
It did not come cheaply.
It was not achieved throughreligious efforts or moral
effort at all.
It was bought with the blood ofJesus Christ and we need to
remember that.
(16:37):
Too often I think, especiallyfor those who have walked with
Christ for many years, itbecomes easy to just kind of
grow numb to the incredibletruth of the cross.
We become accustomed to it, weget used to it, we just kind of
(17:03):
take it for granted.
But I would hope this morning,my prayer today is that you will
let it settle fresh on yourheart that the eternal Son of
God suffered and died in yourplace.
It says for the suffering ofdeath, for the suffering of
(17:24):
death.
That states the very purposefor his incarnation.
Suffering of death, that statesthe very purpose for his
incarnation.
Jesus became lower than theangels in order to suffer death.
So his mission, actually thathe came for, required the full
identification with us, even tothe point of death.
(17:45):
And so his humanity wasn't justfor sympathy, it was for
substitution.
Jesus didn't just suffer, hesuffered to the point of death.
And he didn't just die, he diedfor sinners.
He didn't just die for yourbenefit, he just didn't die for
your good.
He didn't simply set an example, he became the substitute, he
(18:11):
became the substitute, he becamethe substitute.
And when, when hebrews here saysthat he tasted death for
everyone, that he tasted deathfor everyone, that doesn't mean
he just sampled it, it means hedrank the full cup, he drank it
all.
He bore the full bitterness ofthe grave and he endured the
(18:35):
wrath of God that we deserve forour sin.
So here's the heart of thegospel Jesus died in our place.
That's the heart of the gospel.
Jesus died in our place.
That's the heart of the gospel.
Taste death.
That doesn't mean a brief orjust a symbolic experience.
(18:56):
It means a whole experience ofdeath, of separation, but with
the implication here that heconquered it, because it says
he's crowned with glory andhonor the resurrection.
He tasted death for everyone.
That phrase for everyoneHighlights the universal scope
(19:23):
of his saving work.
His death is sufficient for all,but only effective for those
who believe.
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
who believe.
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
who believe.
Now, let me just take a momentand speak to that.
What does that mean?
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
(19:46):
who believe.
Well, first of all it means,when I say that his death is
sufficient for all, it meansthat the value and worth of
Christ's death is infinite andunlimited.
His sacrifice is sufficient topay for the sins of every person
who has ever lived or ever willlive Christ's perfect life and
(20:12):
His substitutionary death couldsave all people if they would
repent and believe the Bible,says John the Baptist.
When he sees his distant cousinwalking on the banks of the
Jordan River, john the Baptistsays behold, that's fancy talk.
For look y'all, look at him,the Lamb of God who takes away
(20:37):
the sin of the world.
John said in 1 John 2, 2, hehimself, meaning Jesus, is the
propitiation for our sins.
Propitiation is a fancy wordfor atoning sacrifice.
He is the propitiation for oursins, and not for ours only, but
also for the whole world,probably the most famous verse
(21:00):
in all the Bible John 3, 16,.
For God so loved the world.
And so when I say his death issufficient for all, that
reflects the gracious and broadoffer of the gospel that anyone
who hears the good news is trulyinvited to come to Christ,
truly invited to come to Christ.
There's no limit in the offeror the sufficiency of His death.
(21:22):
And if you believe otherwise,you don't believe the Bible.
So I disagree with that.
Pastor Tim, that's all right.
You can reserve the right to bewrong.
That's okay, that's all right,and that is.
That is, in my humble yet mostaccurate opinion, all right.
So yeah, and also this meanswhen I say there is death is
(21:49):
sufficient for all, but it'seffective only for those who
believe.
That part also means that thesaving benefits of Christ's
death listen to me verycarefully the saving benefits of
Christ's death, which isforgiveness and justification
and eternal life, and all thosethings we preached about for
these last several weeks, thesaving benefits of Christ's
(22:10):
death are only applied to thosewho repent and trust in him.
Only applied to those whorepent and trust in him.
And so, though the cross issufficient to save everyone, it
is efficient, or we could sayeffectual, only for genuine
believers.
(22:31):
So without repentance hear meclosely without repentance and
faith, a person remains undercondemnation, despite Christ's
work being sufficient.
The Bible says John 3, 36,.
Jesus said this he who believesin the Son has everlasting life
(22:54):
, and he who does not believethe Son shall not see life.
Ephesians 2, verse 8,.
By grace you have been savedthrough faith.
Verse 8,.
By grace you have been savedthrough faith.
Acts 16, 31,.
We preached on this in thesecond sermon on this series.
Believe on the Lord, jesusChrist, and you will be saved.
(23:20):
Now let me just go a littlefurther and just go ahead and
make some of you even more upsetwith me.
I'll be ready for your emailstomorrow.
I promise you that I will.
I'll be ready.
Let me just go a little furtherand tell you why this matters.
This this death is sufficientfor all, but effective for only
(23:43):
those who believe.
Let me tell you why this matters, because that distinction helps
protect two biblical truths.
The first biblical truth isthis God's gracious invitation
is real.
It's a bona fide offer.
There's no phoniness in it.
(24:05):
There's no fakeness in it,there's no bait and switch.
His invitation is real and it'swide.
Anyone can be saved.
Secondly, here's the otherbiblical truth Salvation is only
experienced through faith, isonly experienced through faith.
(24:27):
No one is automatically saved.
Without a personal response toChrist, nobody.
And also this reality His deathis sufficient for all, but
effective only for those whobelieve.
It also guards against twoextremes, and one is this
(24:53):
Universalism.
It guards against universalism.
Yes, sir, I've never heard ofthat in my life.
I want to tell you what it is.
It's the false teaching thateverybody is saved and goes to
heaven, regardless of belief inJesus.
That's a lie.
And it also guards againstanother extreme, and that's
(25:17):
hyper-Calvinism, the falseteaching that the gospel
shouldn't be offered to allpeople because Christ didn't die
for all.
You might ask me this morning,pastor Tim, you a calvinist?
No, you might ask me, pastortim, are you an armenian?
No, I'm a biblicist.
I want to stand where the biblestands no more, no less.
(25:40):
And if I can't figure it allout, it doesn't matter to me.
I don't have to cross your t ordot your I.
I'm going to stand where thebible stands no more, no less.
You can lock it or you can lumpit.
You can get on the board withjesus.
Listen, that's not going to beour fight here.
It's not going to be our fighthere.
I'm going to say it one moretime it's not going to be our
fight here.
If I've been about as clear asI can be, we're going to stand
(26:05):
on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
God's business is his business.
Our business is to makedisciples and take the gospel
and I believe with full, clearconscience.
I can look anybody in the eyeand say you need to come to
Jesus, repent and believe,because Christ died for you.
I don't have to hedge my bets.
(26:27):
I don't have to for you.
I don't have to hedge my bets.
I don't have to stutter, Idon't have to blush.
Jesus died for you.
Yeah, hope that clears the airfor some of you.
Yeah, oh, we need to see andunderstand the cost of salvation
(26:47):
this morning.
The Apostle Paul said it well inRomans, chapter 5, verse 8.
God demonstrates His love, hisown love, toward us in that
while we were still sinners,christ died for us.
So the cross was no accident ofhistory.
It was the God-appointed meansof redemption.
Jesus was not a victim, he wasa willing sacrifice.
(27:08):
He came to die.
He came to die.
He himself said it.
Luke 19, 10,.
The Son of man has come to seekand to save that which was lost
.
1 Peter, 2, verse 24,.
The apostle said this whohimself, meaning Jesus, bore our
sins in his own body on thetree that we, having died two
sins, might live forrighteousness, by whose stripes
(27:30):
you are healed.
This is why salvation isn'tjust a religious idea.
It's a blood-bought fact.
It was paid for at the highestprice possible by the grace of
God might taste death foreveryone.
1 Corinthians 6.20,.
For you were bought at a price.
You were bought at a price.
If you're a Christian in herethis morning, you don't belong
(27:51):
to you.
The reality is you don't haveany rights.
You don't belong to you.
You were bought at a price.
Therefore, glorify God in yourbody and in your spirit, which
are God's.
And so this price, this blood,this death, really should
influence how we see things andit should influence how we live.
We are not saved because weturn over a new leaf.
(28:13):
You can turn over a new leaf.
It'll be dirty too.
We're not saved because we makea fresh commitment.
We're not saved because wefinally took god serious.
No, we can be saved, and we aresaved because Jesus took our
place on the cross.
I want you to hear me well.
Every lash on his back, everythorn that pressed into his brow
(28:33):
, every drop of blood was theprice of our salvation.
And since that is true, howdare we treat this gift lightly?
Because neglecting salvationisn't just ignoring a gift, it's
trampling the cross, it'staking mercy for granted.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
You've been listening to Foundations of Truth, the
Bible teaching ministry ofPastor Timothy Mann at
Providence Church, ormond Beach,florida.
Thanks for tuning in toFoundations of Truth.
Keep building your life onGod's eternal truth and we'll
see you next time.
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the Bible
teaching ministry of PastorTimothy Mann and Providence
Church, ormond Beach, florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of Jesus Christ.
Now here's Pastor Timothy Mannteaching the Word.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Saved, understanding God's work in us.
We've been examining variousaspects of this truth of
salvation and what that meansand how.
That is true from God's Word,and we're continuing today.
It's not the last of it, we'vegot a few more to go with that
theme.
Take your Bibles and turn withme to the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews chapter 2, 9 verses,beginning in verse 1.
(00:47):
Therefore, we must give the moreearnest heed to the things we
have heard, lest we drift away.
For if the word spoken throughangels proved steadfast and
every transgression anddisobedience received a just
reward, how shall we escape ifwe neglect so great a salvation
(01:11):
which at the first began to bespoken by the Lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard Him, god also bearing
witness with both signs andwonders, with various miracles
and gifts of the Holy Spiritaccording to His own will, for
he has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in
(01:31):
subjection to angels.
But one testified in a certainplace saying and he quotes the
Old Testament here what is manthat you are mindful of him, or
the son of man that you takecare of him?
You have made him a littlelower than the angels.
(01:59):
Verse 1.
Nothing that is not put underhim.
But now we do not yet see allthings put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was madea little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,crowned with glory and honor,
that he, by the grace of God,might taste death for everyone.
(02:23):
We'll stop here.
This is God's Word that we'veread.
Imagine if you would beinginvited to the most crucial
event in history a coronation, arescue mission, a homecoming, a
victory celebration all in one.
It's the event where eternitycommences hanging in the balance
(02:50):
.
It is where heaven and earthcollide.
It is the fact when the king ofkings takes center stage.
But imagine being so distracted, preoccupied with small things,
worldly things, so numb to theinvitation, that you miss it
(03:10):
entirely.
That's the burden behindhebrews 2, verse 3.
How shall we escape if weneglect so great a salvation,
which at first began to bespoken by the lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard him?
This is more than a rhetoricalquestion.
It's a soul-piercing warning,it's a holy wake-up call.
(03:36):
The writer of Hebrews isn'twhispering, he's shouting an
alarm for those who are drifting, for those who are delaying,
for those who are dismissing thegospel.
And I want you to notice hedoesn't just say salvation, he
(03:56):
says so great a salvation.
Why?
Well, because there's nothingmore important, nothing more
important.
Well, because there's nothingmore important, nothing more
important, nothing more glorious, nothing more eternally
necessary.
Over these past several weeks,we've explored the awe-inspiring
scope of salvation.
Through these messages.
We've seen God's sovereignmercy in determining to save
(04:21):
sinners.
We've seen, we've observed, thefinished work of Christ who
took our place.
We've witnessed from God's Wordthe power of the Holy Spirit
that brings dead hearts to life.
We've seen God adopting genuinebelievers into His forever
family.
We've traced salvation from themoment of our rescue to the
(04:44):
very promise that our faith willendure by God's power and we
will one day be glorified withChrist.
We've seen all of that.
Hadn't that been good?
And every part of it, everymoment, every movement is filled
with grace.
We've seen that salvation isnot only an experience but also
(05:04):
a miracle.
We've seen that salvation isnot only an experience but also
a miracle.
We've seen that it's not only adoctrine but it's a deliverance
.
We've seen that it's not only abelief system but it's a new
birth from above.
And yet, with all of that thatwe've considered, the question
from hebrews still presses in.
Have you truly understood thegreatness of what God has done
(05:36):
for you in Christ, or have youkind of just become desensitized
, cold, indifferent?
Because here's the soberingreality Neglecting this
salvation doesn't necessarilymean hating it.
It might not look like rebellion.
(05:59):
It could simply look like adistraction, like drifting, like
delay.
Neglecting this salvation meanstreating the cross as ordinary.
And I'm not talking about asymbol you wear around your neck
or something that's on asteeple of a church or something
(06:22):
you put on your wall.
That's not the cross I'mtalking about.
I'm talking about the cross ofJesus.
Neglecting this salvation meansignoring the gospel.
It means kind of yawning aboutit.
You know it's living as ifChrist's death and resurrection
have little impact on your dailylife, and that's eternally
(06:50):
dangerous.
It's eternally dangerous.
The word neglect suggestsindifference, apathy or even
just a failure to pay attention,like some of you will do
eventually through this message.
We have a hard time with that.
It's like this is like fallingasleep at the wheel spiritually,
(07:15):
it's disaster is approachingand you don't even realize
you're drifting.
That's why we're pausing herein Hebrews today, not to move on
from salvation.
I had an entirely differentmessage planned, studied out and
ready to go, but Thursdaymorning I shared with Pastor
(07:35):
Danny and Pastor Jesse andPastor David.
We got to put that one on hold.
The Lord really pressed thisscripture in on me.
Thursday morning we're pausinghere in Hebrews, not to move on
from salvation but to realignour hearts with it.
This message this morning isn'ta final point.
It's a call for clarity.
(07:55):
I think we need to regain thebig picture, the weight, the
height and the depth and thewonder of what God has done for
us in Christ.
Don't drift, don't delay, don'tminimize this great salvation.
Instead, run to Christ, rest inChrist and rejoice in Christ,
(08:22):
because nothing as we sang thatsecond song this morning nothing
is more precious than knowinghim and nothing is more tragic
than missing him.
So let's talk about this.
Y'all ready.
Hebrews 2 that's where we'relooking.
We'll.
We'll move around Hebrews alittle bit, but mainly Hebrews 2
(08:42):
.
This great salvation, the firstthing we have to touch base on
this morning, is its source.
Salvation is from God Himself.
The greatness of salvationstarts with its source Verse 3,.
Put your eyes on it.
How shall we escape if weneglect so great a salvation
(09:03):
which, at the first, began to bespoken by the Lord and was
confirmed to us by those whoheard it.
So this gospel, this message ofsalvation, doesn't come from man
.
It wasn't a product ofreligious tradition.
We were visiting with Todd andChristy last night at dinner and
(09:24):
boy, wasn't that fried chicken,good, brother?
Yeah, yeah, it wasn't a.
We were talking about being inRome and he told us.
He said, brother, in Rome,catholicism is on a whole new
level there and he shared withus just completely how 100 pagan
(09:45):
it is.
Just so you know, romancatholicism is a false gospel.
It is not the gospel of thebible.
Now you can get your feelingsheard on that if you want to.
Could there be some catholicswho will go to heaven?
Yes, if ultimately they're onlytrusting in jesus and jesus
alone, yes, but romancatholicism, catholicism rob,
(10:07):
say amen.
It a false gospel.
You know how he knows.
He was one.
Praise God, the Lord saved him.
The gospel isn't a product ofreligious tradition, it's not a
product of philosophicalthinking, it's not a product of
mystical experience.
It comes directly from JesusChrist himself.
And that truly makes all thedifference, because the message
(10:29):
of salvation is not man'sspeculation about God, but it's
God's revelation to man.
He is the way.
That's what he himself said.
He didn't just show the way tosalvation, he is the way.
That's what Jesus himself said,as recorded in the gospel of
John, chapter 14, verse 6.
And so the one who would die toredeem us is the very one who
(10:54):
first announced the good newsthe gospel of Mark, chapter 1,
verse 15.
From the very start of hispublic ministry, the Bible says
that Jesus preached the time isfulfilled and the kingdom of God
is at hand.
Repent and believe the gospel.
He didn't offer theories, hedidn't offer self-help.
(11:14):
He spoke with divine authorityas the eternal son of God.
And so the gospel isn'tsecond-hand information, it's
the voice of the shepherdcalling his sheep by name,
calling them to life and tofollow him.
And this is what makesChristianity unique compared to
(11:34):
all other religious systems,because in a world filled with
human effort and spiritualstriving, the biblical gospel
announces something completelydifferent, and that is that God
has acted, god has spoken andgod has come.
That's what it says.
It wasn't our idea to seek him,it was his idea to seek and to
(11:58):
save us.
We talked about this in anothermessage from titus, chapter 3,
verses 4 through 5.
That says but when the kindnessand the love of God, our Savior
, toward man appeared not byworks of righteousness, which we
have done, but according to hismercy he saved us.
So this salvation is God'sinitiative from start to finish.
(12:18):
God the Father planned it, godthe Son proclaimed it and
achieved it, and God the Spiritapplies it and secures it.
And, according to the Bible,even before the creation of the
world, god had this in mind andthat's why the gospel is
unshakable.
That's why the gospel isunstoppable.
It doesn't depend on man'sinvention, it doesn't depend on
(12:41):
man's emotion.
It's rooted in divine purpose.
That's why Hebrews, chapter 1,turn hebrews one.
Put your eyes on verses one andtwo.
That's why hebrews, chapter one, verse one and two really
begins with this foundation.
So turn, turn and look at itwith me.
It says this god, who atvarious times and in various
(13:03):
ways spoke in time past to thefathers by the prophets, has in
these last days spoken to us byhis what?
Son?
By his son.
So check this out Jesus is boththe messenger and the message.
He's both.
So to hear him speak is to hearGod speak, and to neglect the
(13:23):
gospel is to ignore God himself.
That's why this warning is sourgent, is to ignore God himself
.
That's why this warning is sourgent?
Because if people invented thissalvation, well, it could be
flawed.
If people invented thissalvation, it could be limited
or it could be subject to change.
But because it comes from theLord himself, it is pure, it is
(13:45):
perfect and it is eternallybinding.
And so to reject this gospel isnot just foolish, it's
rebellion.
It's rebellion.
To ignore it is to insult thegod who graciously gave it.
That's why hebrews asks howshall we, how shall we escape?
(14:09):
How shall we escape?
Because God has revealed thegospel through his son.
Are you listening?
Have you responded to it withjoy and surrendered faith, or
are you drifting in distraction,in delay?
Drifting in distraction, indelay, because if salvation
(14:30):
really comes from God himself,what would it look like for you
to treat it accordingly, thatthis salvation actually came
from God himself?
What would it look like for youto treat it accordingly Not
just once, but every day, everyday?
What would it look like for youto treat it accordingly not
(14:51):
just once, but every day, everyday?
What would it look like in yourlife?
So we see its source, butthat's not all.
We also, we just can't help butsee the cost.
So if the source of oursalvation is divine origin from
god, then the cost really showsits infinite value.
Hebrews 2, verse 9.
We're going to go down to that.
(15:12):
I'm not going to expound everyverse in the passage I read this
morning verse 9 verse 9 expandshere on the weight behind the
salvation described in verse 3.
Look at the verse, verse 9.
But we see jesus who was made alittle lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,crowned with glory and honor
(15:34):
that he, by the grace of God,might taste death for everyone.
So it says who was made alittle lower than the angels.
Let me touch on that.
This refers to Jesus'incarnation, when the eternal
Son of God took on human flesh.
(15:55):
The phrase a little lower, madea little lower, that means
temporarily lower in rank andstatus.
Jesus humbled Himself bybecoming human and stepping into
our world.
The king and the creator of theuniverse condescended to us.
(16:16):
The salvation did not comecheaply.
It did not come cheaply.
It was not achieved throughreligious efforts or moral
effort at all.
It was bought with the blood ofJesus Christ and we need to
remember that.
(16:37):
Too often I think, especiallyfor those who have walked with
Christ for many years, itbecomes easy to just kind of
grow numb to the incredibletruth of the cross.
We become accustomed to it, weget used to it, we just kind of
(17:03):
take it for granted.
But I would hope this morning,my prayer today is that you will
let it settle fresh on yourheart that the eternal Son of
God suffered and died in yourplace.
It says for the suffering ofdeath, for the suffering of
(17:24):
death.
That states the very purposefor his incarnation.
Suffering of death, that statesthe very purpose for his
incarnation.
Jesus became lower than theangels in order to suffer death.
So his mission, actually thathe came for, required the full
identification with us, even tothe point of death.
(17:45):
And so his humanity wasn't justfor sympathy, it was for
substitution.
Jesus didn't just suffer, hesuffered to the point of death.
And he didn't just die, he diedfor sinners.
He didn't just die for yourbenefit, he just didn't die for
your good.
He didn't simply set an example, he became the substitute, he
(18:11):
became the substitute, he becamethe substitute.
And when, when hebrews here saysthat he tasted death for
everyone, that he tasted deathfor everyone, that doesn't mean
he just sampled it, it means hedrank the full cup, he drank it
all.
He bore the full bitterness ofthe grave and he endured the
(18:35):
wrath of God that we deserve forour sin.
So here's the heart of thegospel Jesus died in our place.
That's the heart of the gospel.
Jesus died in our place.
That's the heart of the gospel.
Taste death.
That doesn't mean a brief orjust a symbolic experience.
(18:56):
It means a whole experience ofdeath, of separation, but with
the implication here that heconquered it, because it says
he's crowned with glory andhonor the resurrection.
He tasted death for everyone.
That phrase for everyoneHighlights the universal scope
(19:23):
of his saving work.
His death is sufficient for all,but only effective for those
who believe.
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
who believe.
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
who believe.
Now, let me just take a momentand speak to that.
What does that mean?
His death is sufficient for all, but only effective for those
(19:46):
who believe.
Well, first of all it means,when I say that his death is
sufficient for all, it meansthat the value and worth of
Christ's death is infinite andunlimited.
His sacrifice is sufficient topay for the sins of every person
who has ever lived or ever willlive Christ's perfect life and
(20:12):
His substitutionary death couldsave all people if they would
repent and believe the Bible,says John the Baptist.
When he sees his distant cousinwalking on the banks of the
Jordan River, john the Baptistsays behold, that's fancy talk.
For look y'all, look at him,the Lamb of God who takes away
(20:37):
the sin of the world.
John said in 1 John 2, 2, hehimself, meaning Jesus, is the
propitiation for our sins.
Propitiation is a fancy wordfor atoning sacrifice.
He is the propitiation for oursins, and not for ours only, but
also for the whole world,probably the most famous verse
(21:00):
in all the Bible John 3, 16,.
For God so loved the world.
And so when I say his death issufficient for all, that
reflects the gracious and broadoffer of the gospel that anyone
who hears the good news is trulyinvited to come to Christ,
truly invited to come to Christ.
There's no limit in the offeror the sufficiency of His death.
(21:22):
And if you believe otherwise,you don't believe the Bible.
So I disagree with that.
Pastor Tim, that's all right.
You can reserve the right to bewrong.
That's okay, that's all right,and that is.
That is, in my humble yet mostaccurate opinion, all right.
So yeah, and also this meanswhen I say there is death is
(21:49):
sufficient for all, but it'seffective only for those who
believe.
That part also means that thesaving benefits of Christ's
death listen to me verycarefully the saving benefits of
Christ's death, which isforgiveness and justification
and eternal life, and all thosethings we preached about for
these last several weeks, thesaving benefits of Christ's
(22:10):
death are only applied to thosewho repent and trust in him.
Only applied to those whorepent and trust in him.
And so, though the cross issufficient to save everyone, it
is efficient, or we could sayeffectual, only for genuine
believers.
(22:31):
So without repentance hear meclosely without repentance and
faith, a person remains undercondemnation, despite Christ's
work being sufficient.
The Bible says John 3, 36,.
Jesus said this he who believesin the Son has everlasting life
(22:54):
, and he who does not believethe Son shall not see life.
Ephesians 2, verse 8,.
By grace you have been savedthrough faith.
Verse 8,.
By grace you have been savedthrough faith.
Acts 16, 31,.
We preached on this in thesecond sermon on this series.
Believe on the Lord, jesusChrist, and you will be saved.
(23:20):
Now let me just go a littlefurther and just go ahead and
make some of you even more upsetwith me.
I'll be ready for your emailstomorrow.
I promise you that I will.
I'll be ready.
Let me just go a little furtherand tell you why this matters.
This this death is sufficientfor all, but effective for only
(23:43):
those who believe.
Let me tell you why this matters, because that distinction helps
protect two biblical truths.
The first biblical truth isthis God's gracious invitation
is real.
It's a bona fide offer.
There's no phoniness in it.
(24:05):
There's no fakeness in it,there's no bait and switch.
His invitation is real and it'swide.
Anyone can be saved.
Secondly, here's the otherbiblical truth Salvation is only
experienced through faith, isonly experienced through faith.
(24:27):
No one is automatically saved.
Without a personal response toChrist, nobody.
And also this reality His deathis sufficient for all, but
effective only for those whobelieve.
It also guards against twoextremes, and one is this
(24:53):
Universalism.
It guards against universalism.
Yes, sir, I've never heard ofthat in my life.
I want to tell you what it is.
It's the false teaching thateverybody is saved and goes to
heaven, regardless of belief inJesus.
That's a lie.
And it also guards againstanother extreme, and that's
(25:17):
hyper-Calvinism, the falseteaching that the gospel
shouldn't be offered to allpeople because Christ didn't die
for all.
You might ask me this morning,pastor Tim, you a calvinist?
No, you might ask me, pastortim, are you an armenian?
No, I'm a biblicist.
I want to stand where the biblestands no more, no less.
(25:40):
And if I can't figure it allout, it doesn't matter to me.
I don't have to cross your t ordot your I.
I'm going to stand where thebible stands no more, no less.
You can lock it or you can lumpit.
You can get on the board withjesus.
Listen, that's not going to beour fight here.
It's not going to be our fighthere.
I'm going to say it one moretime it's not going to be our
fight here.
If I've been about as clear asI can be, we're going to stand
(26:05):
on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
God's business is his business.
Our business is to makedisciples and take the gospel
and I believe with full, clearconscience.
I can look anybody in the eyeand say you need to come to
Jesus, repent and believe,because Christ died for you.
I don't have to hedge my bets.
(26:27):
I don't have to for you.
I don't have to hedge my bets.
I don't have to stutter, Idon't have to blush.
Jesus died for you.
Yeah, hope that clears the airfor some of you.
Yeah, oh, we need to see andunderstand the cost of salvation
(26:47):
this morning.
The Apostle Paul said it well inRomans, chapter 5, verse 8.
God demonstrates His love, hisown love, toward us in that
while we were still sinners,christ died for us.
So the cross was no accident ofhistory.
It was the God-appointed meansof redemption.
Jesus was not a victim, he wasa willing sacrifice.
(27:08):
He came to die.
He came to die.
He himself said it.
Luke 19, 10,.
The Son of man has come to seekand to save that which was lost
.
1 Peter, 2, verse 24,.
The apostle said this whohimself, meaning Jesus, bore our
sins in his own body on thetree that we, having died two
sins, might live forrighteousness, by whose stripes
(27:30):
you are healed.
This is why salvation isn'tjust a religious idea.
It's a blood-bought fact.
It was paid for at the highestprice possible by the grace of
God might taste death foreveryone.
1 Corinthians 6.20,.
For you were bought at a price.
You were bought at a price.
If you're a Christian in herethis morning, you don't belong
(27:51):
to you.
The reality is you don't haveany rights.
You don't belong to you.
You were bought at a price.
Therefore, glorify God in yourbody and in your spirit, which
are God's.
And so this price, this blood,this death, really should
influence how we see things andit should influence how we live.
We are not saved because weturn over a new leaf.
(28:13):
You can turn over a new leaf.
It'll be dirty too.
We're not saved because we makea fresh commitment.
We're not saved because wefinally took god serious.
No, we can be saved, and we aresaved because Jesus took our
place on the cross.
I want you to hear me well.
Every lash on his back, everythorn that pressed into his brow
(28:33):
, every drop of blood was theprice of our salvation.
And since that is true, howdare we treat this gift lightly?
Because neglecting salvationisn't just ignoring a gift, it's
trampling the cross, it'staking mercy for granted.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
You've been listening to Foundations of Truth, the
Bible teaching ministry ofPastor Timothy Mann at
Providence Church, ormond Beach,florida.
Thanks for tuning in toFoundations of Truth.
Keep building your life onGod's eternal truth and we'll
see you next time.
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