Jesus: The Savior of His Family
The eternal Son of God, Jesus Messiah, came into the world to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21), to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Heb 2:17d). In order to do this, the Son of God had to be made like His brothers (Heb 2:17a). Jesus partook of flesh and blood (Heb 2:14); He became a man (Jn 1:14). He was like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15).
There is only one name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus Christ is our God and Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13; 2 Pet 1:1); who did not consider equality with God the Father a thing to be grasped (Phil 2:6). God the Father and God the Son are one in essence (Jn 10:30). To have seen Jesus is to have seen the Father (Jn 14:7–9); and see what kind of love the Father has for us (1 Jn 3:1), His children (1 Jn 3:10).
In love, God the Father predestined us to adoption as sons (Eph 1:5). In love, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). In love, the Holy Spirit was poured out into our hearts (Rom 5:5), causing us to be born again of God (1 Pet 1:3). The agape love of God never fails (1 Cor 13:8). It has been sent into the world, in the person of Jesus, to bring many sons to glory (Jn 3:16; Heb 2:10).
Before the foundation of the world, God chose a people for salvation (2 Thess 2:13). This chosen remnant became the people of God’s own possession (Rom 11:5–6; Col 3:12; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet 2:9). God the Father gave His elect to God the Son (2 Tim 1:9; Heb 2:13). Their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life in eternity past before the creation (Rev 13:8; 17:8; 21:27).
The writer of Hebrews refers to Jesus as “the originator of their salvation” (Heb 2:10). Jesus is the author and perfecter of each Christian’s faith (Heb 12:2). He is also the One who sanctifies His brothers and sisters (Heb 2:11), as our elder brother. The children of God are made holy as God is holy — set apart from sinners (1 Pet 1:15–16).
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is our heavenly Father (Jn 20:17). Together, they send the Holy Spirit to whomever they wish to receive Christ (Mt 11:27; Jn 14:17; Col 2:6; Jn 1:12–13). This is the Spirit of adoption who testifies with our spirits that we are the children of God (Rom 8:15–16, 23); and that is what we are in Christ (Jn 13:33; 1 Jn 2:1, 12, 28).
Christians are descendants of Abraham by their receipt of the seed of Abraham, promised to the patriarch long ago (Gen 22:18; Gal 3:16). It is the will of God, that one receives Christ or not (Jn 1:12–13). We receive Christ, by the Spirit of Christ given to us as a gift (Acts 2:38; 10:45). It seems foolish to give a gift to dead men, unless that gift makes dead men alive (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13). The Holy Spirit is the Lord, the Giver of life (Jn 6:63), who implants the Word of God into our hearts as the very seed of new life (Jas 1:21). Christ Himself is our life…indwelling us (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11; Col 3:4).
In Adam all die; in Christ, all are made alive (1 Cor 15:22). All people head-for-head are in Adam (Rom 5:12); but not all people are in Christ. One must be transferred into His kingdom (Col 1:13); for by His doing, one is in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:30). Stated another way, one must be grafted into the true and living Vine (Jn 15; Rom 11:17–24). This is one’s adoption into the family of God, which came at a very high price, the purchase of blood (Acts 20:28).
The descendants of Abraham are sinners like all the rest of humanity. We must remember that not all (ethnic) Israel is (spiritual) Israel (Rom 9:6). Jesus Himself is the faithful and true Israel of God (Is 49:1–6). He is the Head of His holy nation of royal priests (1 Pet 2:9); His church (Mt 16:18); the Israel of God (Gal 6:16); His body of many members (Rom 12:4–5; 1 Cor 12:12–24).
As our great high priest, Jesus (Heb 4:14), solved our sin problem. He suffered in order to set us free from slavery to sin (Jn 8:32–36; Heb 2:15). He destroyed the slave master, Satan, using the very instrument the devil employed to keep people in bondage…death (Heb 2:14). In other words, through death, Jesus defeated death (Hosea 13:14; 1 Cor 15:55–56).
The death of death in the death of Christ is Christ’s triumph over the last enemy (2 Cor 2:14). His victory became evident when God raised Him from the dead (Acts 17:31). The power of death was removed from the dominion of Satan. Now, Christ holds the keys to death and Hades (Rev 1:18).
The life journey of Jesus Christ was marked by many sufferings, culminating with Messiah’s grueling death upon the Roman cross at Calvary. Jesus Christ did everything for His beloved bride, the sheep of His pasture (Ps 23; Jn 10). Therefore, Jesus is not ashamed to call His people — brothers and sisters (Heb 2:11). We who are called by His name are not ashamed of the Gospel because the mystery is that the Gospel is Christ Himself (Rom 1:16; Col 2:2; 4:3), who is the wisdom of God, the power of God (1 Cor 1:24).
As Jesus proclaimed the Father’s name to His brothers (Heb 2:12), as was prophesied He would do. In turn, we proclaim Him (Col 1:28), Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 1:18, 23, 2:2, 4). In calling all men everywhere the repent of their sinful rebellion (Acts 17:30), we know some will do so and declare, “I will put my trust in Him” (Heb 2:13), as did Jesus. Jesus said to His disciples, “Believe in God. Believe also in Me” (Jn 14:1). We do so with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27).
In the midst of the assembly on earth, the Spirit of Christ is our song leader (Jn 4:23–24). In the midst of the assembly in heaven, Christ Himself is the song leader for His church victorious (Heb 2:12). Together, we sing praise to God our Father, who is forever worthy of our worship. It was for this very purpose that Jesus Christ came and saved His family, our family, which is the family of God, the redeemed of the Lord en route home to glory.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
April 26, 2024
Hebrews 2:10–18
