Salvation Looks Different Sometimes, But It Always Looks Like Jesus
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
God is the highest class of any being.
Next are the angels.
Then comes people.
But God didn’t make all of creation and consequently – salvation – for angels. He made it for us. Through the fall of mankind and the rebellion of the angels in heaven, God worked salvation for all of us who believe in Him.
In order to cover all of that, He Himself became human. So look at that: the highest of beings became the lowest of beings so that He could be in the midst of His creation WITH us.
And inevitably, to participate in our suffering as people.
God’s patience and love is not to be confused with weakness. Jesus participated in the suffering of mankind to show us how perfect He was. Even today, He doesn’t fix everything and make it perfect because not everyone is ready for that.
One time I prayed that Jesus would return in glory the next day. My friend said “Bro! No, Pray for one more day! [So and So] isn’t ready for Jesus to return because he doesn’t believe!” That weird combo of urgency, compassion, longing, and love is what God feels every day He looks on our suffering and thinks through that phrase “a little while.”
Jesus knows what it is like to be less powerful than angels even while having access to the Supreme Power of the Universe. He modeled it and lived it out for us.
We can call on His name for rescue and help. We can also have fellowship and friendship with Him when the help doesn’t save us like we wanted.
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