LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Perfected
When reading Hebrews, three verses about the Lord Jesus catch our attention. The first two are very similar to each other, and explain the sufferings of the Lord, "that having brought many sons to glory, he should by afflictions perfect the author of their salvation" (2:10). "And though he was a Son, yet by what he suffered he learned obedience; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, and was declared of God to be an high priest after the order of Melchizedek" (5:8-10). This shows us something very difficult to understand: that the Son of God, being God Himself, holy and pure and perfect, had to suffer in order to learn obedience and be perfected.
Then, the third verse is very precious: "For the law constitutes men as high priests, but the word of the oath, which is after the law, the Son, made perfect forever" (7:28). Here we see the finished work, the fruit of His sufferings, for the Lord has already been made perfect forever, He has already been perfected.
Undoubtedly, this work that God did in his Son in the days of his flesh, is the same that he is doing in his many children at this time. The apostle Peter says: "For Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). The Lord's footsteps followed the path of pain, with a view to maturity. How much more we, who are in a body of death!
In every Christian there are many areas that need to be touched, areas where the soul is opposed to the will of God. They are fortified, hardened areas, which must necessarily be struck, in order to break their resistance.
We do not know in what things, in what areas of his life, the Lord had to learn obedience. But we do know in what aspects of our life we have to learn it. It may be in the personal area, in the family, at work, or in all of them together. The Lord will go, step by step, touching one thing at a time. He will do it slowly, but inexorably.
There may be things that resist him today, only to come back with more force, after some time has passed, when we thought he had forgotten, touching and breaking every area that opposes him. His hand may be so firm in some cases that the Christian will find himself in great trouble and suffering. However, before he faints, when the heart is already failing, he will yield, the trial will cease, and peace will come.
His endurance is explained by His love, and the pain by our hardness. In Hebrews the veil is drawn aside to see our Lord in His painful path to obedience, which is the path to perfection.