~ He (Jesus) is also able to save
to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to
make intercession for them. -Hebrews 7:25
In
many situations we ask things like, "How bad is it?" We ask the auto
mechanic how badly the muffler is rusted, or we want the plumber to tell us how
much it will cost to fix the leak. We hold onto our wallets and hope things are
not so far gone that they can't be fixed.
In
spiritual matters we might ask the same question. How far has the decay of sin
advanced in someone's life? Selfishness, pride, and rebellion are bad enough;
yet they can cause immoral, criminal, or self-destructive behaviors. All sorts of painful despair might develop
from that kind of trouble.
But
even if the outward situation doesn't look so bad, the inward life is often
stormy or restless. We might drape some
bright wallpaper over a hole in the wall, but we can't ignore the reality when
someone pokes that hole and asks, "How bad is it?"
This
illustrates the theological term of "depravity." It's not that we are
all as bad as we can be. After all,
we're not all axe murderers. But, left
to ourselves, we are all as bad off as
we can be. On our own, we have ended up
far from God; and even when we are brought near to Him, we often choose our own
way instead of His. Outwardly or inwardly, we often despair.
But
Jesus, the great High Priest (see the post from two days ago), is able to save "to the
uttermost." This is a comprehensive
term! Fifteen different New Testament words use the "all" prefix to
mean things like "at all times" or "from every place." This
phrase, "to the uttermost," means something like "unto all
completeness." Nothing is left out.
Therefore,
we are never too far gone for Jesus. We can always come to God through Him. He
is always ready to entreat God on our behalf; and because He always lives, we
are never too late. Things might seem very bleak, whether outwardly or
inwardly, but His assessment is always one of hope and relief.
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