Moving towards Perfection (1)

The Epistle to the Hebrews has one recurring note, and that is the word "perfection" in its varied morphology. There are, at least, nine mentions of the word, distributed throughout the epistle (2:10, 5:9 ,6:1, 7:11, 7:19, 7:28, 10:14, 11:40, 12:23). Three of them refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the remaining ones point to the reality of the believer.

Hebrews shows us some aspects of Christian maturity, that of the believer in the process of perfecting himself in the likeness of his Lord. The first two mentions (and the sixth) refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who was perfected through afflictions and sufferings, to become our Savior and High Priest. The last one already shows Him "made perfect forever" (7:28).

Christ is the example and model for the many children of God who aspire to share with him in future glory. As he was made perfect, so the children of God are to be made perfect.

Now, a first aspect that Hebrews highlights in the path to maturity is that of rest. There is a promise for God's people to enter God's rest. This rest is attained when, having left behind the works that the believer presumed to be of value for standing before God, he sees the perfect and finished work of Christ on the cross. Paul puts this truth in Ephesians chapter 2, when he shows the believer seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus (v. 6). But this is not only a precious truth, but a principle that should govern the life of the believer: the centrality and sufficiency of Christ.

Therefore, the first two chapters of Hebrews are full of Christ, both in his eternal glory and in his incarnation and redemptive work. When man appears, in his weakness, it is only as a recipient and beneficiary of Christ's work. When man stops his vain action to contemplate the Lord, then he is even able to go beyond His works, that is, to "know His ways" (3:10).

The rest of God is a blessing within the reach of the believer. Only unbelief, hardness of heart, can leave him beyond its reach. The exhortation of the inspired writer is: "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of disobedience" (4:11). So, the first thing Hebrews puts before us is the matter of rest. That which Joshua could not give to Israel, our Joshua, the Lord Jesus, gives to us freely, by faith.

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