After an introduction to the book of Hebrews in earlier articles, let’s pick up the next mini-series of articles from the second chapter of the book of Hebrews.
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.2.1-4.NIV
The readers of Hebrews need to pay attention – “careful attention” [NIV]; “much closer attention” [NASB] – to something that they have already heard. From these verses, that “really important message” is that of salvation. (Quick check: What did we – and the readers of Hebrews – need to be saved from? Eternal separation from God, the penalty of our sin, etc. Hold onto that thought for a bit.) This message of salvation wasn’t just casually shared, though:
- This message was first given by Jesus.
- Then it was confirmed by those who heard it from Jesus and passed it along to others.
- And, the message about salvation was testified to by God Himself.
Let’s consider what this means for us today. When we share the good news about salvation, is it still the exact same message that Jesus shared? I mean, I normally speak in English (rather than Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek) and we use phrases that make sense to those around us today. Still, are the facts still exactly the same as what Jesus taught? Do we teach salvation as being no more and no less than what He said it was? I hope so.
While we weren’t around in the first century (i.e., during Jesus’ ministry in that era), how do we ensure that we are passing along the truth? For one thing, we have access to the same Holy Spirit as the first-century apostles had, helping us know the right words to say. And, when I refer to the “right words”, I’m thinking both in terms of preserving the truth, and delivering the best message for someone we’re talking with (i.e., what they need to hear that day). For more about this opportunity of inspiration, read 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 [see also Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11-12].
Now, for the tricker question: Is the message of salvation that we are [hopefully] sharing with others attested to by God? Does God do amazing things through us? We might not notice as many signs, wonders, and miracles today as were recorded about the first-century church, despite the fact that God’s power hasn’t changed since then. Some of that might be the culture we live in not being as receptive to physical confirmation of spiritual messages. Some of that might be a lack of faith. Some of that might be a decision on God’s part, but I don’t know for sure.
Notice though, that one of the ways that God testified to this message of salvation was “by gifts of the Holy Spirit”. So, when we consider whether God affirms the message of salvation that we pass on to future generations, our behavior – when we do what can only be enabled by the Holy Spirit – is a testimony from God to the truth of what we share.
After all, we need the Holy Spirit’s help to live righteously, so when we do better than our human nature would allow by itself, we attest to the Spirit’s role in living like Jesus did. And, I think that it’s good to mention that fact out loud sometimes, when we realize that we’re only doing as well as we are with the Spirit’s help. Otherwise, people might just think that we’re doing good on our own, even though those of us who have been Christians long enough know that we do not have that kind of power on our own.
Along those same lines, are we using our gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, for instance) to show a lost world how God has enabled us to build up His kingdom? Based on this passage from Hebrews 2, it seems to me that using gifts of the Holy Spirit isn’t only about building up the church (although that’s certainly a key part of it). In addition, using our gifts of the Holy Spirit can also serve as a testimony to our message about salvation through Jesus Christ. So when we serve others with abilities that we didn’t have without God’s help, we can show the world that God is real and that God is affirming our message about salvation for others.
So, pay attention to the truth of Jesus. It is good news. It is both necessary and sufficient for our salvation. It must not be ignored. And, it is not something that we just accept and then move on with our lives. We need to continue to learn more and more about Jesus, striving to walk with Him better each day, getting help from the Holy Spirit within us, and pleasing God the Father with our choices.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for January 11, 2026
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Hebrews, by Jim Girdwood and Peter Verkruyse. © 1997 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 