I have begun to realize that many believers have missed the Major Way of escape with it's extensive networks of helps.   Many, many will be utterly shocked when they are shown the reason they missed so many of the small escapes was a direct result of missing the Major Way of escape.   No one will ever miss the Major Way of escape by accident, it can only be missed by a persistent disregard of the abundant warning signs posted mile after mile on the way of life.

 

Consider the most common cause we miss the Major Way of Escape - NEGLECT!

 

Neglect is a word of French origin from    ("ne" - not)   +  ("legere" - to gather).

Neglect  literally means "not to gather".

 

Webster defines neglect this way: "to leave undone or unattended to, especially through carelessness; to pass over without giving due attention."

 

The Major Way of Escape offers the promise of "never falling", and also offers insurance against being "ineffective and unproductive" in our knowledge of the Lord.   This Major Way of Escape involves "giving all diligence to add to your faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love."  Peter adds - "If these things be in you and abound"  they will keep you from.......   and you will......  Giving all diligence to add these elements to our faith secures both preventative and protective help.  Failure to add them invites problems that can be of eternal consequence.

 

Missing the Major Way of Escape involves "not gathering" the things that we should be adding to our faith!

Those who leave this gathering undone are "neglecting so great a salvation" and will miss the escape of the eternal judgment that is coming.   "How shall we escape who neglect so great a salvation?"

 

Failing to give all diligence to "add to your faith" = NEGLECT - the choice not to gather through carelessness and passing over this way of escape without giving it due attention.

 

NEGLECT is never accidental - it is always INTENTIONAL DISREGARD.

 

The only reason many, many will MISS the MAJOR WAY OF ESCAPE is that they INTENTIONALLY IGNORE the instructions to "give all diligence to add to your faith" and choose "not to gather".