“And being made perfect.” In the twentieth chapter of Exodus, we read of “the ram of consecration”—the ram of perfection in the original, or full ram, as the word full signifies complete, mature, perfect. The two rams mentioned in that chapter represent the atonement and intercession of Christ. He is our full, complete, or perfect sacrifice. “In him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead;” and he has the hand of a man to bestow blessings upon his brethren. “Of his fulness have all we received, and grace upon grace.” Our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption are all in the Son of man. Aaron never entered the holy place with empty hands, and our great High-priest hath gone into the celestial sanctuary, bearing with him his own most precious blood, wherewith to sprinkle the mercy-seat, and make it approachable to man. Thus suffering on earth, and pleading the merit of his suffering in heaven, “he becomes the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.”
III. This leads us to our third topic. The character of those who are interested in him as a Saviour—“all them that obey him.”
To obey is to submit to authority—to do what is commanded. What is the command of God the Father? That ye should believe on the name of his Son. What is the command of Christ, the Captain of our salvation? “Ye believe in God; believe also in me.” It is said that he is precious to them that believe, but unbelievers are disobedient. They are all a disaffected and rebellious army, who will not obey their Captain. They have made God a liar, and are condemned for their unbelief. The Father saith—“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry!” but they reply—“Away with him! away with him! we will not have him to reign over us!”
Is this your character? You are commanded to “behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” Have you obeyed? What are you doing? Are you determined to rebel? Will you risk the consequences of disobedience? O, you are reading the book of election, are you? You are looking for your names in the book of election; but lo! you find them written in the book of damnation, under the article—“He that believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him!” What shall be done in such a case? Obey the Captain of your salvation. Do ye not hear him, as he rides along the ranks, proclaiming—“To-day, if ye will hear my voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation! Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live!” Obey, obey this gracious exhortation. Come, with your petitions for pardon. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. Behold a door of hope opening for you in the blood of atonement. There is forgiveness and sanctification for all that believe. Does your sense of guilt overwhelm you with gloomy fears, and plunge you in despair? Do you tremble at the thought of the multitude and enormity of your crimes? Cry aloud, with all your hearts—“God be merciful to me a sinner!” Remember that your Prince “is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him.” Hear him calling you—“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light!” Who, then, would not obey thee, blessed Jesus?
“Had I, dear Lord, a thousand hearts,
I’d give them all to thee;
A thousand tongues, they all should join
The grateful harmony!”
We have a remarkable instance of faith and obedience in Abraham. There was no natural probability, there was no apparent possibility of the fulfilment of the promise; but Abraham believed, rested on the naked word of God, and went to mount Moriah to offer up his only son. Here was the triumph of faith, and it is recorded for our encouragement. Did the patriarch firmly believe the promise—“In Isaac shall thy seed be called?” Yes verily, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Did the patriarch believe, on the strength of that promise, that God would not permit him to offer up his only son? No, verily; but he was determined to obey God, and leave the event with him, well assured that God would fulfil his word, though it should require the miracle of Isaac’s resurrection. Thus your faith must soar above nature, and lay hold on the righteousness of Christ, which justifieth the ungodly. When you believe with all your heart, God will smile upon you, and calm your troubled soul, and hush the raging storms of a guilty conscience, for the sake of the satisfaction which he received in the obedience of Christ, as the substitute and surety of his people. This is the Urim and Thummim—light and perfection—of the gospel, beaming upon us through the twelve stars—the apostles of the Lamb, pacifying the conscience, and answering the important question—“What shall I do to be saved?” I feel within me a sea of corruption, but I know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.
Faith and obedience are inseparable, and the former is dead without the latter. They wrought together in Abel, and therefore he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. They wrought together in Noah, and led him to prepare an ark to the saving of his house. Abraham not only believed that God would give him and his seed the land of Canaan; but he set forth at the Divine command, not knowing whither he went. Moses not only believed that God would deliver Israel out of Egypt; but, in obedience to his command, he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Thus, true faith always leads to obedience. It is a living principle, by which the soul is quickened from the death of sin to a new life of holiness. It is the means through which, by the Holy Ghost, we are created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. It works by love, and love is always the great motive to obedience. It gives us large and clear views of the love of God in Christ; then “we love him because he first loved us;” and “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Thus, by faith, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts,” leading us to a holy life. Such is the connection between faith and obedience, and the necessity of one to the other.
And now, brethren, let us trust in the Captain of our salvation. In the ages before his advent, many sons were brought to glory through faith in his future sufferings. In the fulness of time, he visited our world; assumed our nature; atoned for our transgressions; and, ascending to the right hand of the Father, as our representative and intercessor, “became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.”
“O Captain of salvation! make
Thy power and glory known,
Till clouds of willing captives come,
And worship at thy throne!”