Perfection

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

PERFECTION

Heb 5:1-10

5:1 Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." 6 And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."  7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

NIV

This author continues to show the high honor and divinity of Jesus and going back to the law is not the correct way to live. Under the law, although they had high priests who were appointed by men to represent them before God. How can any man who is selected by men do justice for them before God because being a man, that high priest also had sins, he must atone for. The law cannot save anyone from the penalty of sin. We know that we Christians are fully aware we do not live under the law but have our faith in Jesus for salvation. He is the high priest who does not need to offer sacrifices for his own sins. The author points out that Jesus is called, and rightly so, the Son of God who is the Father. Jesus is also called a priest in the order of Melchizedek. This person as far as the scripture reveals had no beginning and no end thus, we know this is who Jesus is. He has no beginning, Jesus was always there and is always and will always be. He is the only way to salvation. We do wonder if we believers, who put our faith in Jesus, have become too invested in works more than grace. We know works cannot save us, but are we so concerned about works being the proof of our holiness or spirituality, in other words, how good of a Christian we are. We wonder why we believers would even boast about how much we do, for we know we should only boast about Jesus. The apostle Paul makes it clear the only thing he can boast about himself is his weakness. Yet, we see believers boasting about their works rather than their weaknesses. Why would we believers even admit we are weak? We heard one believer confess he could not remember the last time he sinned. Was he admitting perfection? We have witnessed some believers today using social media to boast about all their religious activities, which seems to be sort of lifting oneself up, rather than lifting Jesus up. Of course, we are not suggesting we do nothing for the kingdom of God. We know serving our Lord is essential as a way of life, rather than serving ourselves, which is where we came from. We know we should be about benefiting the kingdom of God and doing so being a humble servant of our Lord. We are weak, and because we admit our weakness, Jesus makes us strong. He is the one who started this work in us. He has called us and empowers us to do what He has planned for our lives. It is not our strength, our education, credentials, abilities, skills, talents, titles, or position that entitles us to boast, for we are but weak sinful people, unable to satisfy the justice of God, by anything conferred upon us by men, just as the sinful high priests selected by those Jews of the past. Let us not boast about anything regarding ourselves. We are totally dependent on Jesus, and it is faith alone that saves us. We need to serve him with a humble heart, knowing our weaknesses, and our failures and knowing he is the power who works through us, for His glory. Let us always give all the glory and honor to Jesus for whatever we do to benefit the kingdom of God. Just as we are filled with weakness, Jesus is perfect.