Obedience and Salvation

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which WE have heard, lest at any time WE should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall WE escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? ... And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF WE hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end... Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of YOU an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of YOU be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, IF WE hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end... Let US therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of YOU should seem to come short of it... Let US labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief... For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and WERE MADE partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame...

For IF WE sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge HIS PEOPLE. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God... Cast not away therefore YOUR confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For YE have need of patience, that, after YE have done the will of God, YE MIGHT receive the promise... Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which NO MAN shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble YOU, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears... But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

See that YE refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more SHALL NOT WE ESCAPE, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven... Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire" (From Hebrews). There you have it. Passages taken from the book of Hebrews in chronological order, beginning with the first verse of the 2nd chapter, and ending with the last verse of the 12th chapter. Anyone who believes in the "once saved always saved" teaching, otherwise known as "eternal security," simply isn't reading the Bible; or at least they aren't believing what they're reading. I'll give you a little tip about the book of Hebrews: Nothing in the remainder of the Bible contradicts the sobering and powerful truth contained in this book. Hebrews is one of the most graphically fearful books in the Bible, probably the most graphic; and one should never stray too far away from reading in it's sacred pages. If the fear of God is growing dim in your heart, just open up the book of Hebrews and start reading. It will return quickly, provided your reading is "mixed with faith," as the book itself states (Heb. 4:2). In reading through these passages slowly and thoughtfully, one can readily see the overwhelming truth of the ancient saying of Job which tells us, "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). All I have left after that is, AMEN!