Title: The Qualifier
Can someone give me an example (real or hypothetical) of this scenario:
You’re having a discussion with someone and they say something rather bold and then immediately follow it with “Let me qualify that statement.”
Why is it so important to offer that qualification?
9 And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him,
10 being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
“Having been perfected”
Greek: teleioō (tel-i-o’-o)
to make perfect, complete
to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end
to complete (perfect)
add what is yet wanting in order to render a thing full
to be found perfect
to bring to the end (goal) proposed
to accomplish
bring to a close or fulfillment by event
of the prophecies of the scriptures
Q: What was the FINAL event of Jesus’ perfection? Why?
A: The Resurrection, because it demonstrated The Father’s approval of Jesus’ work and stated His victory over death.
“He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him…”
This is huge.
Does the author tell us that Jesus becomes salvation for everybody?
No, there is a qualifier, obedience.
(Is anyone saying, “Uh-oh”)?
Why?
Because we don’t always obey him do we?
So how do we reconcile that?
(Take answers)
There are 1000 verses and passages I could reference here to give you confidence, but I’ll just share one, it might be my favorite “reminder verse” when I’m struggling with “what I want to do” vs. “my sinful actions”
1 John 4:15-17
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.
16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world.
Slide of behavior (obedience) and God’s Standard (perfection)
What closes the Gap?
Grace.
Ephesians 2:8–9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them
“according to the order of Melchizedek”
(If memory serves, I believe it was Cathy Siwek who asked a great question to clarify what this reference to Melchizedek meant)
Matthew Henry quote from our Sermon in September on Hebrews 5:6
Another expression that God used in the call of Christ we have in Ps. 110:4:
“Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
God the Father appointed him a priest of a higher order than that of Aaron.
The priesthood of Aaron was to be but temporary; the priesthood of Christ was to be perpetual: the priesthood of Aaron was to be successive, descending from the fathers to the children; the priesthood of Christ, after the order of Melchizedek, was to be personal, and the high priest immortal as to his office, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life.
The other thing that I would remind you of is that in the O.T. Melchizedek served a dual role as Priest (Spiritual Leader) and King (State Ruler). In making this reference, the author of Hebrews is reminding us that Jesus is both our High Priest and the King of our Kingdom, in which we are his subjects.
What’s more terrifying, having this man as your president (picture of me)
Or This man as your pastor (Trump picture)
Fortunately, God provides us a candidate that is superior to both of these options, in both of these offices, amen?
Pray/QA