Jesus Saves (Oct 2014)

From Gospel Translations

Sometimes we need to put things on pause and reflect deeply on the simplest and most basic of Christian truths. The author of Hebrews helps us with this, telling us in chapter seven and verse twenty-five of his letter that Jesus “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” A couple of brief observations should suffice.

First, only Christ can save. My emphasis is on the word only. Don’t be swayed by the politically correct mood of the culture which says that it is nothing more than arrogance and elitism when Christians insist that the only hope for salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. If you ever hope to “draw near to God” it can only be “through him,” that is, through Jesus and what he has done in his life, death, and resurrection for lost and hell-deserving sinners.

It isn’t through the saints of the Roman Catholic Church that we draw near to God. They don’t pray for us or make intercession for us: only Jesus does. It isn’t through his mother Mary that we draw near to God. Nothing in Scripture indicates that she prays or intercedes for us: only Jesus does. And you can throw into the mix the Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, and every other religious leader or philosopher.

Second, only Christ can save. Save from what? Only Christ can save from the righteous wrath of an infinitely holy God. It does no good whatsoever if during this life you are “saved” from financial bankruptcy only to face an eternity of separation from God. It does no good whatsoever if during this life you are “saved” from an Islamic terror attack or from a painful and crippling disease only to face an eternity of condemnation and judgment. It does no good whatsoever if during this life you are “saved” from psychological distress or emotional turmoil only to face an eternity of suffering for the guilt of your sins. My point is that Christ is able to save us from the wrath and judgment of God, and that to the uttermost!

And never think for a moment that what this means is that God the Son, Jesus Christ, is for you and that God the Father is against you. It was the unified purpose of our great Triune God from eternity past that out of love for lost sinners God the Father would send God the Son to voluntarily and freely and with great joy endure the wrath of God that we each deserved. Thus as I often say, the love of God sent the Son of God to die under the wrath of God that we might draw near to God.

Jesus saves! Praise God!