“Therefore He is 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
Through the New Testament there is a solid emphasis on the death and resurrection of our Lord. This is essential and so valuable to reflect continually upon. The writer of Hebrews is aiming the readers to understand Christ, not only as the resurrected Savior from Calvary, but as one who is living and continues to live, as Revelation 1:18 declares “alive forevermore.” This is the driving theme of Hebrews, the living, eternal and heavenly Christ.
The continual abilities of Christ are tremendous. Above, in bold, we read “He is able to save,” this is the third time we read of His ability or His “able-ness.” In chapter 2:18 we read “He is able to aid.” Other versions translate this as “able to help,” or “able to run to the cry to assist and relieve.” In 4:15 we read of His understanding as He is able to “sympathize,” and of course this third mention of His ability to “save.” This ability of Christ is a tremendous truth of importance and one that is foundational in the life of the Christian. Consider the mention of scenarios in which it is Christ who is our ability. “God is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14:4); “able to establish you” (Rom. 16:25); “able to keep you from stumbling” (Jude 24); “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (II Cor. 9:8); “able to keep” (II Tim. 1:12); “able to build you up” (Acts 20:32); “able to subdue all things” (Phil. 3:21); and of course Ephesians 3:20 –– “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” I appreciate the wisdom from Griffith Thomas, “The more we are occupied with the power of the living Christ, the fuller, deeper, and richer will our spiritual life become.”
The well-regarded evangelist and pastor of the 1800’s D.L. Moody was one who exhibited reliance on God… Moody’s God was “able.” Often it is asked “Why did God use such an unlikely man as D.L Moody?” A question not easily answered, and of course only known to God Himself. But it is interesting to note that when Moody was visiting England, he heard Henry Varley say, “The world has yet to see what God can do in and through a man who is totally consecrated to Him.” Moody could not get those words out of his mind. He pondered deeply on this and thought “Varley did not say an educated man, or a gifted man… he said just ‘a man!’” Then Moody said, “By the grace of God, I’ll be that man!”
Our God indeed is able, not exclusive to Moody, but also for you and me.
Maranatha!