“For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him” (Hebrews 2:2-3)

I was five years old when I asked Jesus into my heart. I can still picture sitting in my bedroom with my mom and my siblings as she explained the gospel in a way my young mind could grasp. Surrounded by my family, I invited Him to be my Savior that day. We all celebrated, filled with a simple, happy joy knowing we belonged to God.

Years later, around the age of thirteen, this truth began to take on a new reality in my life. I started to understand what Jesus truly did for me. My understanding grew beyond a simple mental belief. There was an awakening inside me, a deep knowing that this message of grace was profoundly true.

Why does the gospel have this effect? It’s because the message is confirmed by the Holy Spirit. When we hear the truth of God’s love, He witnesses to our spirit, validating its power and reality. Jesus came to introduce this message of unconditional love, and now He has sent the Holy Spirit into the world to confirm it. This is why the gospel is so powerful; it comes with the full authority of God. Paul reminds us of this in Romans: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The Spirit's Confirmation of Salvation

Because we have the witness of the Holy Spirit confirming the gospel, we are left without excuse for rejecting the message of Jesus. Before we even come to faith, the Spirit’s role is to lead and draw us to Christ (John 6:44). He works on our hearts, often bringing people into our lives who show us God’s love in tangible ways. When the gospel is finally presented, our hearts have been prepared to hear and accept it. Then, He confirms the truth by His witness in our spirit, so we can know it is real.

This truly is a great salvation. It is God’s unconditional love and mercy expressed through the person of Jesus Christ. He came to earth to die in our place, taking the punishment for our sins so we could be forgiven and freed from accusation. Now, Jesus offers us eternal life if we simply believe in His name and trust in Him to save us. This is the good news that was first announced by the Lord Himself and then passed down and confirmed to us.

A Sobering Lesson from the Law

The writer of Hebrews draws a serious comparison to help us understand the gravity of this offer. He looks back to the Old Testament Law.

“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28-29).

When the Law was given, it was put into effect by angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). It was binding, and every act of disobedience was judged. An early example involved a man who was stoned to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath, which was forbidden (Numbers 15:32-36). This seems extreme to us now, but the point is that the Law, which was delivered by angels, carried immense weight with God. If every violation of that message received its just punishment, how much more serious is it to reject the message delivered by God's own Son? The writer of Hebrews concludes, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

This is why God sends the Holy Spirit to confirm the gospel message within our hearts. He doesn't want anyone to miss it. He desires for us to accept Jesus, to receive His forgiveness, to embrace His payment for our sins, and to accept His invitation to live eternally with Him. God loves us and has done everything necessary to bring us into a relationship with Him, yet He still gives us a choice.

The options have been made very clear: Jesus is the only way. We can choose Him and find life, or we can reject Him and suffer the consequences of that decision. This is the weight behind the question in Hebrews. Jesus is the only path to the Father, His gift of grace is free, and the offer is open to everyone. It is a brilliant and powerful message. My prayer is that you understand its truth and place your trust completely in Jesus to save you.

Personal Reflection Questions

1. How does the seriousness of the Law help you grasp the greatness of Jesus’s grace?

2. When did the gospel become real to you, and how did the Holy Spirit confirm it?

3. What does it look like for you to not ignore this “great salvation” in daily life?