Drifting Away
Category: Failure of vigilance
Could endure: Pay careful attention to salvation.
“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (Hebrews 2:1)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 4:23; Colossians 2:6–7.
Chose wrongly: Neglected so great a salvation.
“…how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 22:5; 1 Timothy 1:19.
Endured (negatively): Risked judgment.
“This salvation… was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” (Hebrews 2:3, warning context)
Cross-Refs: 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Revelation 2:4–5.
Why (wrong motive): Neglect, spiritual laziness.
“Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths.” (Hebrews 5:12)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 24:30–31; 2 Peter 1:9.
Result: Loss of growth, danger of falling.
“…solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves.” (Hebrews 5:14 — contrast)
Cross-Refs: James 1:22; Matthew 25:26–30.
Unbelief and Hard Hearts
Category: Failure of faith
Could endure: Enter God’s rest through faith.
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:7–8)
Cross-Refs: Psalm 95:7–8; Romans 10:17.
Chose wrongly: Hardened hearts in rebellion.
“Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?” (Hebrews 3:16)
Cross-Refs: Numbers 14:22–23; Jude 5.
Endured (negatively): Excluded from God’s rest.
“So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 1:35; Matthew 13:58.
Why (wrong motive): Distrust, deceit of sin.
“…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:21.
Result: Fell in the wilderness.
“Their bodies perished in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:17)
Cross-Refs: Numbers 14:29; 1 Corinthians 10:5.
Falling Away After Receiving Truth
Category: Failure of perseverance
Could endure: Press on to maturity.
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity.” (Hebrews 6:1)
Cross-Refs: Philippians 3:12–14; Colossians 1:28.
Chose wrongly: Fell away after enlightenment.
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened… if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance.” (Hebrews 6:4, 6)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 12:31–32; 2 Peter 2:20–22.
Endured (negatively): Crucified Christ afresh, public disgrace.
“…to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:6)
Cross-Refs: Galatians 5:4; Jude 12.
Why (wrong motive): Neglect, turning back to sin or Judaism.
“But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed.” (Hebrews 10:39)
Cross-Refs: John 15:6; Revelation 2:4–5.
Result: Fiery judgment.
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” (Hebrews 10:26)
Cross-Refs: Numbers 15:30–31; 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9.
Refusing God’s Voice
Category: Failure of obedience
Could endure: Listen to Him who speaks from heaven.
“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.” (Hebrews 12:25)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 17:5; John 10:27.
Chose wrongly: Ignored God’s warnings.
“If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?” (Hebrews 12:25)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 18:19; Acts 7:51.
Endured (negatively): Shaken, lost inheritance.
“At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’” (Hebrews 12:26)
Cross-Refs: Haggai 2:6; Revelation 6:16.
Why (wrong motive): Pride, unbelief.
“…that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 29:18; James 1:21.
Result: Exclusion from the unshakable kingdom.
“Our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 4:24; Revelation 21:8.