So GREAT a Salvation!

Part 1 of 2

The writer to the Hebrews has correctly labeled our salvation as a great salvation. He said, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him..." (Heb 2:3). This word "great" means, "vast in magnitude, mighty, of so great a size, in bulk". This word is the same word as "great" found in 2 Corinthians when the Bible says (of Jesus), "Who delivered us from so great a death..." (1:10).

The writer no doubt was divinely inspired to use this word, I believe, in order to communicate the vastness and all-sufficiency of the salvation that is given to the saints of God. So "great a death" required "so great (a) salvation". I fear that we often do not reailze the full implications of our salvation. Do we understand the fullness that has become our potential? Do we really see the immenseness of Jesus' sufficent and eternal sacrifice? It is simply amazing to me when I consider the many different facets of life that have been "re-won" by our Lord in His death and resurrection. It's almost as if we've put all our "wishes of reconciliation" into a bottle, and cast it to heaven, only to have the Lord Jesus find it, read our wants and give us even more than we asked for! He's won facets of reconciliation that we haven't even realized were lost! How wonderful! What mere man may have lost and surrendered to Satan, God Himself victoriously took back! It's quite an interesting study. Observe with me how completely the Lord Jesus bore the full consequences of man's sin..

First, let's notice the aftermath which fell upon Adam (and federally upon all of mankind) as a result of his disobedience:

(1) First, man's consequence for his fall was a curse upon the ground (Gen 3:17).

(2) Next, in sorrow man was to eat of it (the ground) all the days of his life (Gen 3:17). Furthermore, of the woman we read, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children" (Gen 3:16).

(3) Thirdly, thorns and thistles the ground was now to bring forth (Gen 3:18).

(4) Next, in the sweat of man's face was he to eat of his bread (Gen 3:19).

(5) Fifthly, unto dust was man to return (Gen 3:19).

(6) Next, a flaming sword barred his way to the Tree of Life (Gen 3:24).

(7) Finally, because of man's tresspass, he would surely die (Gen 2:17).

Wow! What aweful effects of Adam's disobedience! Now we can better understand the pleadings of Job: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one" (Job 14:4). And again Job cries, "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?" (Job 25:4). Friend, there was and is only ONE answer to such pleadings! His name is Jesus!

Now let's notice Jesus' complete absorbance of the effects of man's fall. He lovingly and willingly took such disasterous effects upon Himself! He bore the full consequence!

(1) First of all, the Bible tells us that Christ was made a curse for us: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree..." (Gal 3:13). What a superior counter-effect that Jesus has accomplished for us!

(2) Next, we see that Jesus was thoroughly acquainted with grief and sorrow. So thoroughly, in fact, that He was termed "the man of sorrows" (Isa 53:3).

(3) Thirdly, in order that we might know how literally the Holy One bore in His own body the consequences of Adam's sin, we read "Then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of thorns" (Jn 18:8). Thorns, which were an effect of man's sin, were literally thrust into the head of Jesus, and even used as an agent to mock His kingship.

(4) Next, corresponding to the sweat of his face in which the first man was to eat his bread, we learn concering the last Adam, "And His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Lk 22:44).

(5) Fifthly, just as the first Adam was to return to the dust, so the cry of the Lord Jesus, in that wondrous prphetic Psalm, was "Thou hast brought Me unto the dust of death" (Ps 22:15)!

(6) Next, the sword of justice which forbade the way to the Tree of Life was, in fact, sheathed in the side of God's Son! The Scriptures testify to this truth, when God has said, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My fellow" (Zech 13:7). Wow! Truly, He bore the sword that once was our barrier (Heb 6:20). The Bible testifies to this truth: "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent" (Matt 27:51). We now have access (Heb 4:16)! Hallelujah!

(7) Finally, the counterpart of God's original threat to Adam (death), was signified in Jesus' words: "My God, My God, Why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt 27:46). Truly, at this event, Jesus bore our spiritual death, that is, the seperation of the soul from God. He also bore our natural deaths, for because of His painful victory it is written, "there shall be no more death" (Rev 21:4). Such a disconnection must have been agonizing for Him who was so fully intimate with His Father!

It's so beautiful how our Lord identified Himeself with those which were lost, took their place, and sufferred, the Just for the unjust! How wonderfully apparent it is that Jesus, in His own precious body, did bear the curse entailed by man's fall!

Are you grateful for Him today?

Next, we will see the overall effect of such a merciful act by our Lord Jesus. Surprinsingly, His sacrifice was so greatly sufficient indeed, that the effects thereof prove to set us in a greater place than before the fall!