There are two things that Jesus does for " His own " which have been very precious to my own soul, and I pass them on to you, dear brethren, for your comfort and joy likewise. He "saves to the uttermost" and He "loves to the end." What a blessed and precious thought ! As the Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens (Heb. 4:14)-who has an everlasting and unchanging priesthood (chap. 7:24), He is able to "save them to the uttermost that approach unto God by Him " (ver. 25). It is not sinners coming to the Saviour for salvation, but saints who approach God as worshipers; it is the same word as "draw near" in chap. 10:22. It became God that Christ should come down and be perfected as the Captain of our salvation (chap. 2:10). It became us that He should go up as our High Priest (chap. 7:26) in order to succor us-minister to us in our infirmities, sustain us in our weakness-in a word "save us to the uttermost," and this He is and does, blessed be His peerless Name.
Then along with that He "loves to the end " (John 13:i). All the warmth and love of His blessed loving heart goes along with the strength of His all-powerful hand. Spite of all the difficulties against us-the weakness and wickedness within us-the defilements around us-His eternal, unchanging, untiring love keeps Him occupied with us and makes Him still our Servant, to remove whatever would hinder the enjoyment of His presence and love, and our consequent blessing. If He is there as our Great High Priest to save to the uttermost-He is there also as the everlasting loves of our souls, occupied still with "His own that are in the world," that all the strength and warmth of His affection may be known and realized through all the weakness and defilements that beset us in this changing scene till we see His face. He served us on the cross-He serves us still while in weakness and need here-He will serve us forever when He takes us home on high (Luke 12:37). Matchless, precious, peerless Saviour! Thou art surely enough. What need we more ?
Affectionately yours in Christ,
W. Easton