Hello everyone! For one of the passtimes Bicento and I love,is to jump into our car and go exploring our island; it seems there are always place we have not seen or not in a long long time. This particular picture was taken in the North East part of the island not long ago:large spacious areas filled with rocks and stones that make you stand in AWE! Here is one particular stone that intriqued us!

And now to what the Bible teaches us about Negligence to God's Word:

In our past three blogs we emphasized the importance of faith. We actually could have gone on writing on the importance of the doctrine of faith, because all other fundamental doctrines are interlaced or interconnected with the faith. Apart from faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is quite impossible to please our God. That is why in this short message today we want to write about the matter of NEGLIGENCE or IGNORING.
In Hebrews 2:1-3, we read the following words, “We must pay the more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by the angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”
Dearly beloved friends of our Heavenly Father, and by our Lord Jesus Christ Who gave Himself voluntarily to free us from the bondage of sin by means of His death on the cross. It is to us who are alive today that this solemn warning is directed.
Very many people living here in Aruba and in the Antilles have heard the Gospel again and again. Yes, we have heard it from our childhood. Do not forget that the word “Gospel” means Good News. And that Good News is that we can receive forgiveness of our sins, if we repent and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our only Savior.
Now, what does to neglect or ignore mean? Actual every day in one form or another we experience the meaning of that word. At this very moment that I am writing, my wife is busy in the kitchen preparing food. She is putting either what is fish or meat in a pan and putting it on the burner to simmer or cook. What will happen if she begins to do other work and neglects or ignores the pan on the lit burner? Well, She will come back to find the pan and food burned into charcoal. This can easily be taken care by buying another pan and purchasing other food.
HOWEVER, in relation to the blessed Gospel of our Lord, it is another matter and here in Hebrews 2:2 we read the following words: “HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT (ignore) SUCH A GREAT SALVATION?” The message and warning in those words is that there is NO ESCAPE. During my short life span, I have heard about other chances or opportunities after death. We were even taught that there is a place called purgatory, where a person goes after death with sins not confessed. That person will pass through the purgatory fires till he is purified of his or her sins. Such teaching is not Scriptural; it is not found in the Bible, and what is more, it contradicts the Gospel of Grace. The clear and persistent teaching in the Word of God is that: whoever hears the message of pardon and eternal life which is only in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and is thus convinced by the Holy Spirit of God, such a person, whoever that may be, admits that he is a lost sinner.
Then that person repents of his sins and puts his or her faith absolutely and completely in the Lord Jesus. That person then receives pardon of all sin, and begins a new life. The Bible calls that transformation, regeneration or being born again. No matter if you are someone advanced in age, or a young person, or a child who has reached the age of understanding… you are a new creation. However, you are a baby in spiritual matters, and are in need of the spiritual milk of the Word of God. You will need to grow and become an adult in spiritual matters. (Read Ephesians 4:1-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31).
In conclusion for today I give this warning in the love of Christ. Remember I started this message using the word “negligence”. There are so many precious souls living here in Aruba and in the Antilles, and yes, around the world who permit this danger of negligence to overtake their lives. Many, no matter what age, when hearing the Gospel – the Good News – say, “yes, it was a good message, lovely words,…” but what happens? Nothing! The person keeps on living his or her life, religiously not religiously, and does not OBEY, God by repenting and believing ( having faith) in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By doing NOTHING, the just judgment remains: “HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION?”