Perfection Through Suffering

Hebrews 2:10–11 NKJV

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one (family), for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

It seems strange to some that Jesus became perfect or complete in His earthly sufferings.

And yet, because of this statement, some have understood this verse to deny Jesus' Deity.

But, if in His perfection we understand the writer correctly, we find theological continuity, and a clear understanding of how that deity was manifested in Jesus Christ.

Jesus, intrinsically needed nothing to perfect what was already present in the triune Godhead.

His perfection speaks only to His role as the sacrificial lamb of God.

He could not be the perfect sacrifice for sin and the author of eternal life for mankind without true real suffering.

So let’s look at the -

The Purpose in Jesus' Sufferings. Vs.10

I. The Purpose in Jesus' Sufferings. Vs.10

We must remember that Jesus stepped down from glory to become lower than the angels which He created.

Yes God in the second person of the trinity suffered for our sins, but not only as deity, but also as Man.

His Deity provided the power in His sacrifice.

His Humanity provided the suffering in His sacrifice.

And together in what is known as the hypostatic union of Christ, that is where all God and all man inextricably became the perfect lamb of God; the Lord Jesus Christ became the perfect suffering sacrifice for our sins and our redemption.

He led the way to holiness paying for our sin debt with His very life!

This tells us something about His character.

A. It displays His great love for us.

This is also a great example for us. How far will we go for those we are commanded to love?

I am always amazed at the depth of His love for me!

I didn't deserve it 30 years ago, still don't, and never will!

But it is that ever present thought that keeps me going strong for the Lord.

I didn't earn it!I can't take credit for it!I can't even keep it!

Because it's by grace that I've been saved through faith and not of myself, it is a gift from God, Not of works lest I should become boastful.

But not only does it display His great love for me -

B. It demonstrates how far God will go for those He loves.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Ain't no mountain high enough

Ain't no valley low enough

Ain't no river wide enough

To keep me from getting to you!

The song by Marvin Gay, intended to convey something different, and yet a truth about the love of Christ for His own.

There is no obstacle too big for me to reach you!

And He's still pursuing His own, no matter where they are!

II. The Unity of our sufferings. Vs.11

The verse tells us that the one (Jesus) who continues to sanctify, and those that are being made holy, are all of one.

And we take that to mean, that He is still saving today and that His blood sacrifice is making people holy that come to Him.

We can also see that we are all of one family!

As John says in his first epistle, "That truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son."

And so as members of His body and of the family of God, we not only partake of the blessings of Christ, but as is stated in , the fellowship of His sufferings.

Philippians 3:10 NKJV

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

(NKJV): that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

And just as Deity and humanity are equally present in Jesus, Blessings and sufferings are also inextricably present in the body of Christ.

That’s right! Blessings and sufferings are intertwined together and are virtually inseparable!

That’s right! Blessings and sufferings are intertwined together and are virtually inseparable!

Well does the Apostle Paul show this in where he tells us that because of the great vision he saw being caught up into the 3rd heaven, God kept him humble by giving him a thorn in the flesh. We find later in the chapter that this suffering that he asked God three times to take away, became an actual blessing for him.

We are blessed in Him!

We also suffer in Him!

But, we also derive strength in Him to suffer as we are being conformed to the very image of Christ!

And so even in being conformed to Christ, there are two aspects:

Being conformed to life.

I’m being fit for heaven.

I am growing in Him, and walking closer with Him daily.

But, I’m also -

Being conformed to death.

Bein

That is the death of my old man, all the sinful ways, all the sinful wants, all of the me!

as the apostle said, “I die daily”!

We suffer in this death to self, because it goes against the natural man.

and it goes against the world.

It relinquishes the sinful flesh to the grave, and the spiritual being to the Lord.

It relinquishes the sinful flesh to the grave, and the spiritual being to the Lord.

That's why Paul said in Romans 7:24

Romans 7:24–25 NKJV

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:24 NKJV

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

-26

And so I gladly accept this fate as a Christian.

That I may be blameless in Christ!