Chapter two verses 1-4: Verse one contains a dire warning to all who would embrace the Lord and keep himself in that atoned position until the end (Mat. 10:22). We must “give more earnest heed” to those things we have heard from God’s ministers who teach us HIS WORD. Otherwise, we will allow them to “slip” (pararrao–pass away) from our minds. Note that this admonition does not include church doctrine which should be rejected outright. Being “heirs of salvation” (1:14) does not guarantee one’s future salvation. Many an heir to the family business has disqualified himself by not being found dependable, in which case the family leader awarded someone else the top position. Recall the Apostle Paul’s warning that all of us run the race for eternal life, but only those who run according to God’s Race Rules will win the prize. I recall a word from my youth–“backslidden”–which meant that a parishioner had “fallen from grace,” which meant that he had stopped following church doctrine. In this verse God is referring to those who are part of His true church body, but who allow sin to separate them from Him (Isa. 59:2). One cannot be separated from another with whom he has not at one time been with. Remember the five foolish virgins to whom Jesus will say on Judgment Day, “I know you not.” He had “known” them in the past, but due to their “backsliding,” will not remember them then.

In verse 3 the Lord uses the word “neglect” relative to salvation, meaning that though we are in line for eternal life, we can neglect “that which was spoken by the Lord” to His prophets and apostles who then spoke and wrote His Words for us. He then followed His Words (Truth–Jn. 17:17) by bearing them “witness” (confirmation) with signs, wonders and miracles. This is the reason why such miracles are still necessary today. The Lord has not changed, and His Word has not changed–has remained “steadfast” (vs 2)–therefore confirmation of the Truth that is His Word is still necessary. If God’s Word as spoken by Jesus Himself needed to be confirmed, then surely God’s Word spoken by anyone else needs to be  confirmed by signs, wonders and miracles.

There are those in the Institutional Church who claim that God stopped performing such signs many years ago because we have other ways of handling our physical and mental problems. In other words, the God Who does not change (Mal. 3:6) has changed. This Satanic attitude has infected much of the church system. And just as he has rejected most of God’s doctrines and practices, Churchman, believing himself to be God’s change agent, has brought on board many heathen practices and doctrines. See the Introduction to this website. Over time those pagan “truths” became untouchable. No one asks where they came from or who concocted them. They have become “Bible truth” because they have been believed and practiced by so many people for so many years. And Satan smiles. L.J.