‘Wherefore, He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them."—Hebrews 7:25.
One of the biggest words in our language is the word “Uttermost.” No one has ever seen the uttermost nor traveled there. We have mapped the earth, pinpointed the stars and measured the distances between the planets, but in spite of all our learning and knowledge no one has located the uttermost!
The uttermost is like the horizon; it’s always further on. Our understanding of God’s love is like that. Just when we think we have begun to have a handle on it, it is then that we see that He loves us to a deeper extent than we have yet understood or imagined. He loves us to the uttermost! We read in John 13:1, “Having loved his own he loved them to the end (lit. the uttermost). The fullness of His love is beyond the next horizon; it is to the uttermost. His love is always greater than we can fathom. Its fullest extent, the uttermost, is always farther on.
When we look at Christ’s incarnation and life of obedience on our behalf, our understanding, helped by the Spirit, glimpses a measure of His love for us, but we are so dull that it remains only a glimpse. When we look at the cross we continue to get a sight of His love, but again we can’t grasp its fullest extent because the complete appreciation of His love is always further on. We are loved to the uttermost, but we have not yet arrived there in our understanding. Much as we grasp the wonderful things of the gospel, we are faced with a love that is greater than our comprehension, a love that is always further on.
Notice now in our verse that we have a Savior who not only loves us to the uttermost, but who is also able to save us to the uttermost. He saved us at the cross and now, as our ever-living High Priest, He richly applies that salvation.
When we look at the cross we see that He is able to save us because He did not save himself. We see that He is able to save us, because he took our guilt and condemnation. We see that He is able to save us because He satisfied divine justice. We see that He is able to save us because when He died, we died. He is able to save us because He, as our penal substitute, has loved us and paid for us to the uttermost. But He did not leave things there. Our savior priest is able to save: not only because he died, but also because he ever lives to make intercession for us. That same Priest who died on the cross is alive never to die again. That same Jesus who was buried in the tomb is living. He ever lives to make sure that His purchase is saved to the uttermost.
And He is well able to save. Many a doctor has wanted to save a patient, but was not able. Many a parent has been willing to transfer the suffering of their child to themselves, but they could not. The will was there, but there was no ability.
The wonderful thing about Jesus, however, is that He is not merely willing to save; he doesn’t just try to save or do His best to save, but He is ABLE to save to the uttermost all those who come to God by Him.
Christ Jesus succeeds where everyone else fails! He saves to the uttermost. He saves with an all- sufficient omnipotence. He takes us at our worst and saves us to the fullest extent of His power and love. He died for us and ever lives to ensure that everything He purchased for us is applied!
What an amazing gospel. Christ died, Christ is risen, Christ has ascended to the right hand of the Father and He now ever lives to make intercession for us. He is alive with the power of an endless life and as such He guarantees that His blood is applied. He ever-lives to pledge that we will be saved. He ever lives to guarantee the redemption which was paid in full at Calvary! As the Hymn writer said
“Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary They pour effectual prayers they strongly plead for me Forgive Him O forgive they cry That ransomed sinner must not die.”
Christ saves all who come to Him. He saves completely with an exhaustive, all-encompassing salvation. The Christ of the cross is now the High Priest of heaven interceding for us as the perfect mediator. Christ Jesus died on the cross, but unlike the priests of the Old Covenant, his death did not signal a cessation of His ministry. Jesus rose from the dead and as our Great High priest entered glory and presented us before God. And now, right now He is guaranteeing the entire purchased blessing that he obtained with His precious blood.
And that’s the Gospel Truth!