Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 2 * BOOK 50
Saved To The Uttermost – Part 2
Hebrews 7:20 – 8:10
Alright, let’s get right back to where we left off in our last lesson, and that was in Hebrews chapter 7 and we’ll go on now to verse 25. And I just told the girls sitting in the front row, we probably won’t even get past verse 25 in this half-hour because this is a loaded verse, as you will see.
Hebrews 7:25a
“Wherefore…”
Now remember whenever Paul uses that word wherefore, what does it do? Sends you back to what he’s just got through saying and he’s just been telling us that this man, the Man Christ Jesus, God the Son Who had finished the work of salvation in His death, burial and resurrection. This Man, in verse 24, has an unchangeable priesthood. He’s immutable. He never changes. Just because He took on flesh, suffered and died doesn’t mean that He never stopped being the Eternal Sovereign Creator God of the universe.
Hebrews 7:25
“Wherefore he (this Son) is able also to save them to the uttermost (in other words completely, not just partially) that come unto God by him,…”
Not some other way. John’s Gospel tells us that if they try to come in some other way, they are what? They are a thief and a robber, and so there is only this one way.
Now we’re living in a time where that doesn’t go down easy. I’ll probably get kicked off television someday for standing on this premise, that it’s an exclusive Gospel that saves us. It is not just one of many. The scripture is adamant that there is no other name given among men, whereby we must be saved. And the scripture is also adamant that this is the only way that God will accept mankind and so here we have it. Because of Who this Man Christ Jesus was with a priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. Because of Who He is, “He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him or through Him, and the reason being:
Hebrews 7:25b
“…seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
He ever liveth for all eternity, from past to future. Consequently He can make intercession or be the constant comfort for them who have placed their faith in His death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.
Now I’m going to take the time, because I get so many phone calls, over and over, asking “Well, how do I experience this salvation that you’re talking about?” I always feel as though I make it plain, but evidently I’m not making it plain enough for a lot of people. And so again we’re going to stop for a few moments and just show how to enter in to this great salvation that is completed at the moment that we’re saved by believing. We’re not just partially saved, but we have to do it God’s way. Not some denomination’s idea. Not my idea, but God’s way. And the best way is to just go back and search the scriptures.
Alright let’s go back again to where we were in the last program, in Romans chapter 3. And this is a point that someone reminded me of just the other day. They said, “Les, do you realize that most people do not understand that they’re lost from the day of their birth?” Well, I always thought that was a given. “No,” he said, “Most people don’t realize that. They think that they’re pretty good and that until they really start living an awful life that then they can recognize they’re sinners.” But, that’s not the way the Book puts it.
The Book tells us that because of Adam every human being born into the human race is a sinner. And we know that God’s grace covers those ‘little ones’ and they’ll be in glory, I’m confident of that. But as soon as a human being gets to an age of understanding right from wrong, he becomes responsible and he is guilty until God declares him innocent.Alright, let’s chase these Scriptures down. And again we have that flipside word, “But.” Even though the Law, up there in verses 19 and 20 was only good for making mankind guilty.
Romans 3:21
“But now…”
You see Paul uses those two words over and over. Ephesians chapter 2 is another one. “But God.” And in chapter 2 verse 13, “But now.” Why? Because all of a sudden on this side of the Cross, on this side of His resurrection power, my it’s a different ballgame! See, that’s why I maintain that Christ couldn’t preach this kind of a Gospel in His earthly ministry, He hadn’t died yet. And the disciples had no idea that He was going to die, even though He knew; they didn’t. But on this side of the Cross, now it’s a proclaimed truth that He has died for the sins of the world.
Romans 3:21
“But now the righteousness of God (not man’s righteousness, but God’s righteousness) without the law is manifested, (is put up in the spotlight. And of course, we’re not going to throw our Old Testament away because all of this that I’m teaching has it’s roots back there in the Old Testament.) being witnessed by the law and the prophets;” That’s the writers of the Old Testament. Verse 22.
Romans 3:22
“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith (or the faith in) Jesus Christ. (He is the epitome of our faith system and it goes,) unto all and upon all them that believe (plus what? Nothing! There’s nothing more added!) for there is no difference.”
Well, of course Paul is writing to Jews as well as Gentiles and the fact that Jews had a hard time swallowing was that now in this Age of Grace, there’s no difference. A Jew has to be saved just exactly like we Gentiles. He has to come the same way because of this no difference. Now then verse 23, which I always call the first step of saving faith. This is where every one of us who have been saved now, for however long, this is where we all began. And that is that we had to recognize that according to God’s Word and according to God’s look at who we are, we were sinners.
Romans 3:23
“For all (not just some. Even the best of the human race, even those who are so benevolent and they are so good but their nature is sin oriented and so) have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” I think maybe some other translations put that all have “missed the mark.” We haven’t hit the bull’s eye, we’re missing the mark.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Stop right there a minute and keep your hand in Romans. Flip all the way over to chapter 5, still in Romans. Now this is what the Book says. This isn’t my idea. This isn’t some denomination’s idea. This is what God’s Word says:
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man, (not one woman) sin entered into the world, and death (came along with it) by sin. (and so because of Adam’s disobedience) and so death passed upon(how many?) all men, (not just the worst. ALL men, the whole human race) for all have sinned:” All have sinned, every human being. Black and white, rich or poor, Oriental or Western makes no difference – the whole human race is included in this word “all.” Death has passed upon all. Sin has been declared as a part of all and there’s nothing more that we can add or take away that Adam precipitated all of this curse that we call ‘sin and death.’ Don’t ever forget that. By one man, Adam, sin entered and with it death came as well.
I guess we could look at some more. Let me go ahead and go to I Corinthians chapter 15, and dropping all the way over to verse 45. Remember, I Corinthians 15 is the tremendous resurrection chapter. But here again, we have to show this difference between Adam, who has set the whole human race under the curse and under sin and death; as compared to the second Adam – Christ, Who made provision to bring every human being out of it, as we saw back in Hebrews.
I Corinthians 15:45
“And so it written, The first man, Adam was made (or created) a living soul; the last Adam (which is a reference to Jesus Christ) was a quickening (or a life giving) spirit.” Do you see that? Then drop down to verse 47.
I Corinthians 15:47-49
“The first man Adam is of the earth, (he’s) earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: (Those of us who are of the race of Adam.) and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” That is once we enter in to God’s tremendous saving grace. And without it we are doomed for total separation from God.
Alright now, if you’ll flip back to Romans chapter 3 because we’re going to spend most of this half-hour on that verse that says, “wherefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him.”
Well, the only way we can come to God is as a sinner. We can’t come to God and say, “Now look. I’m just here to bargain; I want to get as good a deal as I can. I’m not all that bad so I might as well get as much as I can.” No. Every human being has to come before God recognizing that he has missed the mark; he’s a sinner, he’s lost. And we’re walking dead people. Dead spiritually.
Alright now then, verse 24, and look what it says immediately. “Being justified freely.” It’s just like back in Genesis 3. Just as soon as man fell as a result of Adam’s sin, God comes right back and sets in motion a plan of redemption, promising the seed of the woman. Well it’s the same way here. Just as soon as Paul declares every human being a sinner, the very next verse he gives us that escape route. Isn’t it glorious? And the fact that most people won’t take it is even worse. But nevertheless, here we have it.
Romans 3:24
“Being justified (declared just as if we’d never sinned) freely (see all these words and how loaded they are? We’re not justified because we’ve earned it. We’re not justified because we really deserve it. No. We’re justified freely) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
And what’s grace? Unmerited favor. God doesn’t justify us because we have one ounce of deserving. He justifies only because of His grace. And that grace was epitomized; it was brought to the crescendo through the redemption or the process of buying us back that is in Christ Jesus. Now just mull that over for a minute. Through the grace of God, when we recognize that we were sinners, God could come right back immediately and say, “That’s fine, I know you’re lost, but I’ve already bought you back.”
You remember years ago I gave the story of the little boy, who had made a boat. Some of you remember. I bet Sharon does. I should pause right here and tell our whole television audience, Sharon is now doing ‘closed captioning.’ for us which is laborious. So she knows what I’m talking about because she’s probably seen this story in the last several weeks.
But anyway, this little fellow had made a boat. Spent months making this tremendous little boat. And so one day his parents took him out to the seaside. And he started sailing his boat and he was just having a ball with it but, as kids are prone to do, his mind was suddenly changed to something else. And he ran off and left his boat unattended, and when he came back, his little boat was gone. He was just heartbroken.
But, months later, he and his Mom were walking down the street and they went by a pawn shop and in the window of that pawn shop was his little boat. It was still beautiful, and hadn’t been hurt a bit. And he said, “Mama I’ve got to go in here.” So he takes off into the pawn shop and he runs up to the fellow at the counter and he says, “I want my boat.” “Well, what are you talking about, the pawn broker asked?” The boy pointed to the boat in the window. “It’s mine, I made it.” The fellow says, “Sorry buddy, but I’ve got money in that boat. You can have it when you pay the price.”
Well, whatever the price was the little fellow went out and told his Mom, “I’ve got to work.” And so he did. He mowed lawns, he raked leaves, he scooped snow. He did everything he could until he finally had enough money to go back to that pawn shop and he bought his boat. Now are you getting the picture? He made it. He worked for it. He lost it. And now he had to work so he could buy it back. And as he was carrying it out the door, he said to his Mama, with tears running down his cheeks. “Mama, this boat that I made, I’ve bought it back! And now it’s mine!”
You see that’s exactly what God has done. He made us. He created us, but He lost us. Where? When Adam fell. Now when I’m teaching Genesis, you know, I make it very clear that every human being was in Adam and because of Adam’s rebellion we all inherited that sin nature. And that’s why we’re born sinners. And so God lost us, when He lost Adam.
And now He has paid the price of redemption, through that work of the Cross. Like the little boy who had to go and do all the various menial jobs, Christ in turn did it when He went to the Cross. And so He paid the price of redemption. But remember, whenever we present salvation to the human race, it’s always on the basis; yes, it’s all done. The price has been paid. Forgiveness has been declared. Reconciliation has been declared but you cannot appropriate it without coming by faith. It’s not an automatic.
Now you know, there are people that try to teach that everybody will make it sooner or later because of all this. No, no. Because God has demanded that we accept all this by faith – plus nothing. With no works attached. With nothing, except recognizing that yes, I’m a fallen creature. I’m a sinner because I’m a son of Adam. But, I believe in my heart that Christ has done everything in dying for me, and being raised from the dead! So when we do that, then God in grace reaches down and does everything that needs to be done.
I guess I’ve been putting it on the program in the morning lately. All the things that God did the moment we believe. Oh, He Redeemed us, He justified us, He sanctified us, He glorified, and forgave us. He placed us into the Body, and He gave us the indwelling Holy Spirit. He secured us forever, He made us alive, and He translated us. I think I had probably 15 or 20 things that God did the moment we were saved when we believed. It’s done! That’s what Hebrews means, “He saved us to the uttermost.” He didn’t do just part of it and say, “Well, if you measure up, I’ll finish it.” No, He did it all. And that’s the whole idea of salvation.
Alright now then, let’s move on just a little bit further in chapter 3, down to verse 26, I’m going to skip verse 25 because that big word ‘propitiation’ might scare somebody.
Romans 3:26
“To declare, I say, at this time his (not ours) righteousness; that he (God) might be just, (which means exactly what it says. He’s not cutting corners. He’s not making a deal. He is totally just) and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (I Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:9-10)
It’s so simple. Yet I don’t want to oversimplify. When I say, we believe it, I mean we TOTALLY TRUST IN IT. You remember a few weeks ago, we were in Hebrews chapter 6 and I made it so clear that a lot of people make a fly-by at it. They’re enlightened; they have a taste. But it never takes and they go right back into their old lifestyle. But for the believer who totally, totally relies on this finished work of the Cross to save them, then God has guaranteed that we are His forever. As long as He lives!
Alright, now back up a page to Romans chapter 1, and here we have another tremendous salvation verse that I think that we’ve used over and over through the years. Romans 1 verse 16.
Romans 1:16a
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (the Gospel) is the power of God unto salvation (and again) to every one that (what?) believeth;…” Plus? No. To everyone that believeth. Oh my goodness, there are so many of these, especially in Romans, but let’s go on a little further. I’m going to go ahead to I Corinthians chapter 1, and my what a statement! Now this is God’s Word, this isn’t me. Like I said a moment ago this isn’t from some denominational book, this is from the Book. And Paul, writing to a Gentile congregation down in wicked Corinth says:
I Corinthians 1:17a
“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:…” The same Gospel of salvation that Romans 1:16 referred to, “how that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried and rose from the dead.” Now finishing the verse.
I Corinthians 1:17
“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” In other words, not with smooth silver-tongued oratory. Now here’s the verse I wanted you to see. Verse 18.
I Corinthians 1:18a
“For the preaching of the cross (let that sink in) is to them that perish (the lost world, yes to them it’s) foolishness;…” Today they would probably say, “You mean to tell me that somebody that was on a Roman Cross two-thousand years ago has anything to do with me? I can’t believe that!” Well, then they are perishing. So for those who hear the preaching of the Cross and they perish, it’s foolishness. Now for the flipside.
I Corinthians 1:18b
“…but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
For those of us who have latched on to this great salvation it is the power of God. Years back I made the statement on the program and I haven’t said it lately and so I’m going to repeat it. When God saves a sinner, whether it’s me or you or a Mafia or a well-heeled real nice socialite, makes no difference. It takes more power to save that person out of the clutches of sin and death than to create the universe. Now that may be a play on words, but nevertheless, hopefully it will sink in. That’s why Paul is always emphasizing the power of Christ’s resurrection, when He defeated all the forces of Satan and death and hell and set us free from it. And it took tremendous power, because Satan is powerful.
Now he’s not as powerful as God, but he’s powerful. And he’s not going to let go of anybody without a fight. And I think most of us have experienced it. We’re plagued with doubts and that’s the satanic power see? And so always remember that “the preaching of the Cross is to us who are saved the power of God.” Let’s go down to verse 21, here in chapter 1 of I Corinthians.
I Corinthians 1:21
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom (the philosophers, the intellectuals) knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness (as the world calls it, he was) of preaching to save them that (again, what?) believed.” Plus? Plus? Plus? No! “To them that BELIEVED.” Now verse 22.
I Corinthians 1:22
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom;” Now that’s evident. All the way through their history the Jew had to have a sign in order to understand that God was in it. And so they “required a sign and the Greeks were seeking after wisdom (the philosophy and all that) but, unto those of us who are called it’s Christ the power of God.”
There’s that power again. The same power that caused Him to perform the miracles, but now that’s been imparted unto us by virtue of our faith, and the wisdom of God which beats any intellectual power on earth.