Slipping away

“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” (Hebrews 2:1). The word “slip,” as defined by Louw and Nida, means “to give up a belief, to drift away from a belief.” While the church, as a collective group of saints, should edify each other (Romans 14:19; 1 Corinthians 3:9-10; Ephesians 2:20-21), most of the emphasis of the New Testament is directed toward individual Christians.

We are to edify ourselves and grow in Christ. Paul wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Peter added, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ …” (2 Peter 3:18).

It is so sad, however, is to see people in our congregations who are slipping away. Perhaps the saddest is to see teenagers. They only attend when their parents make them, they pay more attention in Bible class to Facebook than to the teacher and the lesson, and they couldn’t care less about participating in the church’s work. Those of us who are older know where it’s headed — apostasy. Churches do have to take care that they worship appropriately and enthusiastically. They have to make sure that classes are taught competently with emphasis on obedience/application. They have to urge young ones to involve themselves in the worship assemblies, teaching classes, and serving others. But above all this, they have to be encouraged to grow themselves. Ultimately, their faithfulness is up to them.

It makes me profoundly sad to stand and preach, knowing that some of our young ones in the audience will leave the Lord and never come back. I may play a part in that, and it must motivate me to be better, but I have to constantly draw the attention of our young ones to “working out their own salvation.”

Kyle Campbell