Save Completely

Hebrews 7:25

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

What a verse!  So deep; so encouraging; and so full of meaning!  I just love this thought of save completely.  In the ESV and the King James the phrase is save to the uttermost.  If you look up the Greek, the word is pantelēs and it has this connotation of all encompassing, completely, perfectly, for all time and forever.

This verse is telling us that because Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant (grace), because Jesus lives forever as our high priest (Hebrews 7) he is able to perfectly, completely and forever save us from anything. 

Oh, but there is more to this verse.  J. C. Ryle wrote “Able to Save” on this single verse and he outlines 3 key points to this verse:

1. You have here a description of all true Christians: they are a people who come to God by Christ.

2. You have the work that Jesus Christ is ever carrying on on behalf of true Christians: He ever lives to make intercession for them.

3. You have the comfortable conclusion built by St. Paul upon Christ's work of intercession. He says: "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, because He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

So wherever we are, whatever we are facing we can get through it when we turn to Christ.  And when we turn to Christ we can have confidence that he forever lives to make intercession for us. And as He intercedes for us we can trust that we will be saved completely, perfectly and forever!  Amen!

Grace and Peace!

Did He?

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. 

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

Periodically our church recites the Apostles’ Creed as a statement of faith.  The creed was written between the second and ninth centuries and is used as a summary of Christian doctrine.  It has been called the creed of creeds.  Recently we recited the creed and it caused a great discussion with my wife.  There is a controversial statement in the creed; He descended into Hell and the discussion hinged on – Did He?

There are Great theologians on both sides; theologians like Piper and Calvin.  But this question kept coming before me; Did He?

Did He as he was beaten for us (John 19:1-3, Mark 14:65)?

Did He as he was denied by us (Luke 22:60-62)?

Did He as he screamed in Mark 15:34?

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Did he for us?

I think G. I. Williamson summarized it best.  In his book The Heidelberg Catechism: A Study Guide, G. I. Williamson has written:

“There is no phrase in the Apostles' Creed that has caused so much difficulty as this: 'He descended into hell.' Also, there is disagreement as to what the ancient church meant when it included these words in this earliest Christian confession. Yet in spite of the difficulty, the church has never been willing to remove these words. How then shall we understand them? We cannot possibly take these words to mean that Christ, after he died, went to the place where lost men go to suffer forever. We know he did not go there because he told the believing thief who died at his side that he would be with him that very day in paradise (Luke 23:43). The biblical meaning must be that what Christ suffered on the cross was itself a descent into hell. Now at first sight it might seem ridiculous to say that Jesus, in a few hours of suffering, could have experienced hell to the fullest. But remember, he was divine as well as human. Remember, too, that his human nature was sinless. Just imagine how great the suffering must have been for him when he was forsaken by God. Yes, because of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, it was possible for him to suffer the full measure of the infinite wrath and curse of God—what damnation is for the wicked. And because he did, you and I can be sure that God's justice is fully satisfied, so that we shall escape that damnation. Here is the Christian's solid basis for hope.”

Amen and Amen!

Grace and Peace!

Love To Christ Everlasting

I was reading recently and came across the works of Thomas Doolittle. The Directory of Theology says of Doolittle:

 “Thomas Doolittle was born at Kidderminster, Worcestershire. While at the grammar school in Kidderminster, Doolittle heard Richard Baxter preach sermons that were later published as The Saints’ Everlasting Rest (1653). Those addresses led to Doolittle’s conversion in the early 1640s; thereafter, he called Baxter his “father in Christ.”

Shortly after conversion, Doolittle left his occupation as assistant to a county lawyer, who had demanded that he work on the Sabbath. Baxter encouraged Doolittle to enter the ministry. To prepare himself, Doolittle studied at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1653 and a master’s degree in 1656. His tutor was William Moses, who was later ejected from Pembroke. Doolittle quickly earned a reputation as a great preacher.

In 1653, he received Presbyterian ordination but committed himself to St. Alfege, London Wall, a Church of England congregation that he served until he was ejected for Nonconformity in 1662. His ministry there was eminently successful. In 1657, he wrote to Richard Baxter, whom he continued to consult for counsel and theological questions, “God hath given me abundant encouragement in my work, by giving me favor in the hearts and affections of the people…& others in the city” (Oxford DNB, 16:561).”

 One of Doolittle’s writings touched me deeply. Here is an extract from “Love to Christ Everlasting.”  

"Love is the everlasting grace that will continue in use and increase, even when other graces will have ceased. Some graces are particularly suited to our present state of imperfection in this world. At the present time, we live by faith, repent and mourn for sin, live in hope of the glory which will be revealed, and wait until we possess the mansions above. We patiently wait for all the good that is promised to us, but not yet conferred upon us. 

However, in the future faith will be turned into sight, hope into enjoyment, desires into gratification, and waiting into possession. When this happens, we will believe no more, hope no more, desire no more, and wait no more. But even then we will continue in love-- indeed, we will love more than ever, more abundantly, perfectly, and continually, without pause or alteration. We will love eternally. One reason why love is considered the greatest of the three Christian virtues, is that it will last the longest. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor 13:13. 

So it is that those who love Christ sincerely here, will love him perfectly hereafter, and be forever blessed in that love."

Grace and Peace!