So Great Salvation

(Heb. 1-2:4)

Hebrews Ch.1 puts before the reader the kingdom glories and rights of the "heir of all things;" the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:2) Ch. 2:1-4 brings in a short warning. Then the theme of the Son and millennial earth (the scene of Christ's kingdom) is picked up again in 2:5, where we are reminded that it is "the earth to come" of which the author is speaking.

That the kingdom of Christ is in the writer's mind in the early portions of Hebrews (and throughout the epistle) can hardly be denied. (see 1:8-9; 2:5; 4:9; 9:28; 11:13-16; 12:22-24, 28)

Kingdom Salvation

When referring to salvation (1:14; 2:3), the writer has the kingdom in mind. The fact that the words salvation and kingdom are related to each other is nothing new to Scripture. Of course, context must determine when salvation and the kingdom are being related.

For examples of the word "salvation" that relate to the future millennial kingdom of Christ see: Acts 28:22-28; Rom. 11:25-27 [refers to Israel only]; 13:11; 1Thess. 5:9; 2Tim 2:10; Heb. 9:28; 1Pet. 1:5; Rev. 12:10.

Inheriting Salvation

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation?" (Heb. 1:14)

Salvation is to be inherited. Since justification and new birth are not "inherited," but by faith alone, inheriting salvation here cannot refer to new birth, but reigning with Christ.

Inheriting the kingdom means reigning with Christ in His millennial kingdom. The Scripture teaches that if believers are disobedient now and fail to persevere as faithful servants, they shall not inherit the kingdom - they will not reign with Christ. (Rom. 8:17, 11:11-22; 1 Cor. 6:10; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; Col 3:23-25; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26-28; Rev. 3:21)

We do not "inherit" justification with God, for that is by faith alone in Christ alone. (Rom. 5:1) Such a standing can never be taken away. (Jn. 3:16, 10:28-29, 1 Jn. 5:13) But we do inherit the kingdom through good works and obedient living. The promises related to Messiah's kingdom are not gained by faith alone, but by faith and works ("patience"). See Heb. 6:12. If believers become more interested in pleasing themselves rather than their Lord, then they can lose, like Esau (a true child of Jacob), their firstborn right to inheriting millennial reward and blessing. (Heb. 12:12-17)

Prospective Salvation

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation?" (Heb. 1:14)

In the Greek, "shall" is in the present participle, which means that the prospect of salvation is theirs. It potentially belongs to the redeemed. Also, the word is used with the infinitive to express future - lit. "to be about to." This further strengthens the idea that salvation is not something we enter into now, but later, in the kingdom..

Commencing Salvation

How shall we escape if we have been negligent of so great salvation, which, having had its commencement in being spoken [of] by the Lord." (Heb. 2:3)

Salvation (becoming a child of God) did not start when the Lord Jesus came, otherwise none before Christ could be saved. Also, the reality of new birth was not "new truth" that began with Christ. That Israel was to undergo a change in order to receive blessing is truth taught in the Old Testament (Ezek. 36-37:1-14; Jer. 31:31-34) The Lord held Nicodemus responsible for failing to realize this. (John 3:10)

In what sense did this salvation have its commencement (lit. 'having received a beginning')?

The commencement of this salvation was not at the cross, but during the ministry of our Lord - "having had its commencement in being spoken of by the Lord." (Heb. 2:3). It is as Preacher, not Sacrifice, that salvation here had it's beginning in Christ.

The message of our Lord as Preacher was the message of the kingdom. Let the reader do a study on the word "kingdom" in the gospels and he shall readily see that this subject was a major topic in our Lord's teaching.

Did not the OT bear witness to the kingdom of Christ? Surely it did! But the kingdom message did not commence with the OT prophets, nor John, but with Christ. The OT foretold of the kingdom, but it commenced with the coming of the King; the Lord Jesus Christ.

"The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the glad tidings of the kingdom of God are announced, and every one forces his way into it." Lk. 16:16

The "announcing" of the glad tidings had its commencement in the teaching of Christ, not the law. The law/prophets and the glad tidings of the kingdom are distinct in this respect.

Confirmed Salvation

"How shall we escape if we have been negligent of so great salvation, which, having had its commencement in being spoken of by the Lord, has been confirmed to us by those who have heard; God bearing, besides, witness with them to it, both by signs and wonders, and various acts of power, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to his will?" (Heb. 2:3-4)

Notice, the whole Godhead is involved in confirming this salvation. Christ ("the Lord") spoke about it, God bore witness to it and the Holy Spirit displayed wonderful signs in order to testify to it. The Bible says, "Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be confirmed." (Due. 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1) During the ministry of Christ, the three Persons of the Godhead take part in confirming this wondrous kingdom salvation!

Also, the fact that the kingdom of God had finally come was illustrated through the signs and wonders that accompanied the messages of Christ. Such miracles were in keeping with what Isaiah prophecided regarding the time when Jehovah would return to Zion and establish His kingdom.

"Be strong, fear not; behold your God: vengeance cometh, the recompense of God! He will come himself, and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf be unstopped; then shall the lame [man] leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing..." (Isaiah 35:3-6)

The miracles of our Lord confirmed and bore witness to the fact that the kingdom had come. Notice what Christ says to John the Baptist when he had doubts about His Messianic office:

"But John, having heard in the prison the works of the Christ, sent by his disciples, and said to him, Art thou the coming one? Or are we to wait for another? And Jesus answering said to them, Go, report to John what ye hear and see. Blind men see and lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear; and dead are raised, and poor have glad tidings preached to them: and blessed is whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Mt. 11:2-6)

To John's question "Are you the Messiah?" Jesus replies, "Yes I am, because I do the miracles in keeping with the power and time of the kingdom." What confirmation!

Conclusion

Indeed, this kingdom salvation that saints are to inherit and is their prospective hope, which commenced at the preaching of Christ and was divinely confirmed to men, is so great a salvation!


Vin Santanelli