“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will…” Hebrews 13:21
How great and far reaching is this salvation which Christ has won for mankind on the cross? Can it be measured or grasped this side of heaven? If through the writings, and questions, of Isaiah we are faced with the Creator, who, “…measures the waters in the hollow of His hand; and measured out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance,” how can mortal man grasp something of the greatness of the salvation which Christ offers to every man? If the nations are but a “drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance, and the isles as a very little thing,” how can we grasp and understand the wonder of the saving work of Christ, we being, as the hymnwriter put it, “…whose native sphere is dark, whose mind is dim, before the Ineffable appear, and on our naked spirits bear, the uncreated Beam?” How can we even begin to measure the enormity, beauty, greatness, perfection, of a work so eternally good, pure, holy, and complete, as that of Christ, who tasted death for every man? If we are to begin to worship at Christ’s feet, in thanksgiving and praise for such a work, while only understanding a little, then we must begin with the sovereign mercy and grace of God, revealing to mankind His love, and purpose to save that which was lost. In other words, we must begin with Christ, and end with Him, for in Him is the complete picture, and blessed means by which we begin to understand, responding in a manner that is well-pleasing to Him.
Perhaps for mankind, the greatest, and yet, the most terrible of all words that Christ ever pronounced were those singular simple three that He pronounced from the cross: “It is finished.” In those words are revealed the culminating point of all the revelation of God brought to fruition and completion with respect to the redemption of men, that work of purchasing all men from death, and the bondage to sin and Satan, to set free all that would truly believe on Him. From the Scripture’s declaration of a Savior who was to come, immediately after man had fallen into sin, to the day that the angel proclaimed to shepherds in a field caring for their flocks, to the moment when, thirty-three years later when the Son of man died on Calvary, the message of redemption had been proclaimed. Indeed, the whole testimony of Scripture, from before the creation of the world to that very day of Christ’s death, was a declaration of the fulfilment of the message of the angel to the shepherds, and to mankind: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) This was specifically the same message that God had given Isaiah to write down at least seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6) This is why, if we are to understand something of the greatness and wonder of salvation, we must begin and end always with Christ.
How is the knowledge of such a great Savior to be applied to saved sinners as we are? Part of the answer lies in the answer to the question: “Can we doubt His tender mercy?” Another part is found in Jude’s words: “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy.” (v.24) This is Christ’s everlasting work.
Dear Father, Enlarge our limited vision. In Jesus’ name, Amen.