We usually don't think of carelessness as being a major sin. But it is. According to the New Testament, carelessness is sufficient to prevent us from going with the Lord when He appears. Carelessness is enough to cause us to have our Kingdom gifts taken from us and given to another, and to have us thrown into the outer darkness.

"So that we do not drift away.?

"Drifting away" is the central topic of the Book of Hebrews.

We understand from reading the Book of Hebrews that the people being addressed were experienced believers. They had seen the mighty works of the apostles. They had been taught doctrines beyond what is known in the Christian churches of our day, such as the doctrines of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

(Our weak, unscriptural doctrine of the "pre-tribulation rapture" is no substitute for the true, biblical doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.)

They had joyfully suffered the confiscation of their property.

Yet the Book of Hebrews is one long rebuke. Why is this? Because the believers were drifting away from the intensity required to press into the rest of God. The rest of God is that place in the center of God's Person and will where we are to dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the "perfection" mentioned by the writer of the Book of Hebrews.

It is obvious these Christian Jews were being tempted to go back into sin. The write reminds them that sinning willfully is enough to make one the enemy of God and to experience the fires of Divine judgment.

He points out that they are called to be brothers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as such they are holy. He warns them about dying in the wilderness of life on the earth because of disobedience and unbelief.

They were neglecting to assemble in church meetings, and evidently were dismayed by the chastening they were receiving at the hand of the Lord.

It seems to me, when one thinks about all that is said in this book, the Jewish believers were being rebuked for their lack of fervor. They were not pressing forward in the manner of the Apostle Paul.

It reminds us of the Jews who returned from Babylon to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. They began enthusiastically, but then the Lord had to rebuke them for paying more attention to their paneled houses than they were to the work of rebuilding the Temple.

How many people begin in the Christian way and then settle down and pay more attention to their daily cares than they do to pressing forward in the Lord?

The writer of the Book of Hebrews warned these believers sternly concerning their carelessness, just as the Lord Jesus warned His followers about the deadly consequences of becoming careless with the things of God.

We could understand the severity of the warnings found in the Book of Hebrews if the believers were living in adultery, or robbing people, or using profanity, or lying. But drifting away? They were going to lose their inheritance in Christ because they did nothing worse than drifting away?

Given the lukewarm state of numerous believers in America, I think we need to consider the dangers of carelessness.

The Lord spoke two parables about carelessness. One of the parables is that of the ten virgins. The other parable has to do with the talents given to the Lord's servants.

Both of these parables illustrate the extremely harmful consequences of carelessness in the things of God.

To be continued.