(DATED APRIL 1738)
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
THE EXHORTATION THAT THE WRITER OF HEBREWS GIVES BELIEVERS in the verse preceding our text is to remember and follow the good teaching and examples of their ministers. “Remember them who have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” The last part of the exhortation is to follow their faith. By following their faith, the author seems to intend adhering to the Christian faith and those wholesome doctrines which their pastors taught them, and not depart for from them. Apparently many others had.
The doctrine ends with these words, “Considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Christ is the focal point of their lives, lifestyle, and livelihood. Because of this they should follow the faith of their ministers and cling to the doctrines they have been taught. For Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and forever.
As professing Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, they should cling to the same doctrines that they have been taught. They should cling to the same doctrines that they have been taught. They should follow the faith of them who had first taught and discipled them. For Jesus Christ was the same now that He was then, and therefore, so was Christianity in general.
The Christian faith does not change. It is not one way now and one way when they were converted. Christ and Christianity are the same thing. The writer of Hebrews did not want them uncertain and changeable in their faith. He wanted them to be faithful to their former faith and not be carried away with new and strange doctrine. The next verse emphasizes this when it says that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. By yesterday is meant all time past; by today, the time present; and by forever, all that is future, from the present time to eternity.
DOCTRINE: Jesus Christ is the same now as He ever was, and ever will be.
Jesus Christ is unchangeable in two ways.
- Christ is unchangeable by His divine nature. As Christ is one of the Persons of the Trinity, He is God. He has the divine nature, or the Godhead, dwelling in Him. He has all the divine attributes of God and cannot change.
In His human nature, Jesus Christ was not absolutely unchangeable. Yet because he was also God, He was not in subjection to His human nature altogether. For example, having the divine nature to uphold it. His human nature was not subject to fall and commit sin, as Adam and the fallen angels did.
While on earth, the human nature of Christ was subject to many changes. He had a beginning. He was conceived in the womb of the virgin Maary. He was a baby and grew and matured into adulthood. This growth was in both mind and body. For we read that He not only increased in stature but also in wisdom (Luke 2:52).
The human nature was not subject to sinful changes, as Adam’s or the angels’. His human nature was always in relation to the divine nature which upheld it. The divine nature of Christ is absolutely unchangeable, and cannot be altered or changed in any way. It is the same now as it was before the world was created.
His divine nature was the same after His incarnation as before. Christ was born in a stable, laid in a manger, lived and matured as a man on earth, finally suffered dreadful agony in the garden, and died on the cross. His divine nature never changed. Afterwards, when Christ was glorified, and set on the right hand of the Majesty on high. His divine nature did not change. - Christ is unchangeable in His office. He is unchangeable as the Mediator and Savior of his Church and people. This is seen in several ways.
First, this office never ceases or is replaced. Christ is the only Mediator between God and man who ever has been or ever will be. He is an everlasting Savior. There have been mediators in type, and others that have temporarily held the office, then have passed away. Yet the one true Mediator continues forever. Prophets have been raised up, then died; and others have taken their places. Moses died and did not continue as a mediator. The dispensation which he introduced was abolished and gave place to another that Christ would introduce. Moses gave way to Christ, but Christ never gives place to any other.
John the Baptist was a great prophet, but was Christ’s forerunner. Like the morning star, the forerunner of the sun, he shined just a little while. His ministry ceased, and gave way to the ministry of Christ, just as the morning star goes out as the sun rises. In John 3:30, John the Baptist says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Christ’s ministry never deceases.
Likewise the priests in the Old Testament had short-lived and changing priesthoods. Aaron died, and his son Eleazar succeeded him. There were many priests, one after another. But Christ continues as the high Priest forever. Hebrews 7:23-24, “And they truly were many priests; and they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But Christ, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”
These priests succeeded one another by inheritance. The father died and the son succeeded him, and so on. However, Christ’s priesthood, “is without father and without mother, without descent.” He had no ancestor that went before Him in His priesthood, or any posterity that would come after. In that respect, Melchizedek is a type of Christ. Scriptures give us an account that he was a priest, but not a priest by inheritance like the sons of Aaron were. Hebrews 7:3, “without father, and without mother, and without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.” It is then said of Christ, Psalms 110:4, “The LORD hath sworn and will not repent.. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
The things that pertain to Christ’s priesthood are everlasting. The tabernacle at which the priests of old officiated was a tabernacle and the true sanctuary, which the Lord has built, and not man. Hebrews 8:2, “A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” The holy of holies into which He entered is heaven. He is priest in a tabernacle that shall never be taken down, and in a temple that shall never demolished. The altar on which He offers incense, and the priestly garments or robes in which He officiates are not of corruptible nature.
Christ also is everlasting with reference to His kingly office. David and Solomon were great kings, and beautiful types of Christ. Yet their kingdoms and greatness ended at their deaths. The most glorious earthly kingdoms that ever have been, most notably the Grecian and Roman empires, have come to an end, but Christ’s is an everlasting kingdom, and His throne is eternal. Hebrews 1:8, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Though all other kingdoms will be demolished, Christ’s kingdom will stand forever (Daniel 7:13-14).
Second, Christ is at all times totally sufficient for the office He has undertaken.
He understood the office from eternity, and was sufficient for it from all eternity. He has been in the exercise of His office from the fall of man, and has remained equally sufficient throughout all ages.
His power, wisdom, love, excellency, and worthiness have also forever been sufficient for the salvation of sinners, and for the upholding and glorifying of believers. He is forever able to save, because He lives forever. His life is endless and unchangeable. He is not governed by flesh, but by the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16). He is at all times equally accepted as a Mediator in the sight of the Father, who is always well pleased in Him, and lovely in His eyes. Christ is daily His Father’s delight, rejoicing always before Him. The sacrifice He offers and the righteousness He performs are now and always have been totally sufficient. His blood is as sufficient to cleanse away sin now, as when it was warm from His wounds.
Third, Christ is now, and ever will be faithful fulfilling the duty of His office.
Men fail continually in the offices or business in which they are called. They are inconsistent in their dealings with others. However, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He always executes His office in a holy manner. He always has and always will execute it so as to glorify His Father and encourage holiness. He always acts with grace and mercy in His office. He always has and always will execute it so as to glorify His Father and encourage holiess. He always acts with grace and mercy in His office. He undertook the office of a Mediator from eternity with delight. He delighted in the thought of saving sinners, and still delights in it. He has never chaanged.
When Adam fell and became a rebel and an enemy to his Father and himself, it was Christ’s delight to take the part of a Mediator for him. When He came into the world and faced His last agony, when the bitter cup that He was to drink was set before Him, “his soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death,” and caused Him to “sweat as it were great drops of blood.” Still He was resolved to be the Mediator for sinners, and delighted in the thought of it. Even when He was suffering and enduring the cross, the salvation of sinners was a joy set before Him. Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
He never alters from His readiness to receive and embrace all that do in faith come to Him. He is always equally willing to receive us. His love is unchangeable. He loved from eternity. Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I draen thee.”
He has loved us with an everlasting love, and will always love us forever. John 13:1, “Having loved his own he loved them unto the end.”
Fourth, Chris is the same yesterday, today, and forever, as to the purpose of His office.
His supreme purpose is the glory of God, particularly in the honor of His majesty, justice, and holiness, and the honor of His holy law. This is why He undertook to be the Mediator between God and man. He did it for the honor of God’s justice and majesty, and that law may be vindicated in His sufferings. He also undertook the office to glorify the free grace of God. His special purposes were the salvation and happiness of the elect.
He sought these ends when entering into covenant with the Father from all eternity. He sought these from the beginning of the world, and will set them until the end of time.
Fifth, Christ is consistent in the rules of carrying out His mediatorial office.
The rules by which Christ acts in the execution of His office are contained in a twofold covenant.
- The covenant of redemption or the eternal covenant that was between the Father and the Son. In this covenant, Christ undertakes to stand as Mediator with fallen man. All things were agreed upon beforehand. This eternal agreement between Father and Son is the highest rule that Christ acts by in His office. It is a rule from which He never departs. He never does anything, more or less, than is contained in that eternal covenant.
Christ does the work that God gave Him to do in that covenant, and no other. He saves those, and only those, that the Father gave Him in that covenant to save. He brings them the exact degrees of happiness that was agreed. Christ is unchangeable in this rule. It stands good with Christ in every article of it yesterday, today, and forever. - The other covenant regarding Christ’s mediatorial office is the covenant of grace that God established with man. Although not as central as redemption, it is still a rule. God makes promises to His creatures, and His rules to enforce them conform precisely to them. Yet they are not rules to God in the same sense as we have rules to live by. God’s promises are because of and a result of His purposes (plan).
The covenant of grace is not essentially different from the covenant of redemption. It is just an extension of it. Only the covenant of redemption is revealed to mankind for their encouragement, faith, and comfort. The fact that Christ never departs from the covenant of redemption implies that He will never depart from the covenant of grace. All that is promised to men in the covenant of grace was agreed on between the Father and the Son in the covenant of redemption.
The one way that Christ’s unchangeableness in His office appears is this: He never departs from the promises that He has made to man. The covenant of grace is the same in all ages. It is not essentially different now from what it was under the Old Testament, and even before the flood. It will always remain the same. It is called an everlasting covenant. Isaiah 55:3, “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
Just as Christ does not alter His covenant, He also unchangeably fulfills it. He never departs. He has given wonderful and precious promises to believers, and He will fulfill them all. Heaven and earth will pass away before one jot or one tittle of His promises will fail. It is in reference to these promises that Christ says, “I am that I am,” and is called “Jehovah” (Exodus 3:1, and 6:3). When the children of Israel were in Egyptian bondage, Jesus Christ revealed Himself by this name to encourage the people that He would fulfill His promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Sixth, He is unchangeable in the acts that He exercises in His office. He is unchangeable in His acceptance of those who believe in Him, for He will never reject them. He is unchangeable in His intercession for His Church and people. He ever lives to make intercession. Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
His intercession before God in heaven is a continual intercession. It is a constant presentation of His will before the Father for the salvation and happiness of those that are His. Just as He is unchangeable in His intercession, so He is unchangeable in upholding and preserving those that are His. He orders all things for their good until He brings them to His heavenly glory. He is unchangeable in how He takes care of His own. He will take care of them until He receives them up for their enjoyment forever.
APPLICATION
- We learn from the truth taught in the text how perfect Christ was to be appointed as the Representative of fallen man. Adam, the first representative of mankind, failed in his work because he was a mere human capable of failing. He had a great trust committed to him — the care of the eternal welfare of all his posterity. Being fallible, he failed and transgressed God’s holy covenant. The devil led him astray with temptation and he fell; and all his descendants fell with him.
We stood in need of a representative that was unchangeable, and could not fail in his work. Jesus Christ is the One that God appointed to this work. The One appointed as the second Adam is the One that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He could not fail!
He was sufficient to be depended on to stand the trials and difficulties, and finish the work. His work was the redemption of His people. - God will use this truth to awaken professing believers. You can be sure that Christ will fulfill His many warnings to unbelievers. Christ has threatened to destroy this wicked world. Matthew 18:7, “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Christ declares that all thata do not believe will be damned. This is what Christ charged His disciples before His ascension, when He sent them to preach and teach all nations. Mark 16:15-16, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth shall be saved, and eh that believeth not shall be damned.” Christ declares that every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be thrown down and cast into the fire. Matthew 7:18, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”
Christ particularly warns gospel sinners of terrible punishment. He has declared that every branch in Him that bears not fruit will be cut off, cast forth, gathered up, and burned. However, wicked men and false Christians may dwell among the godly just as tares grow among wheat. When the harvest comes, and the wheat is gathered into the barn, the tares are gathered into undles and burned (Matthew 13:30). In Matthew 13:41-42, He says that at the Day of Judgment, “the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
In Matthew 7:22-23, He says of visible Christians that say to him, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do the will of his Father in heaven, that He will tell them on that day, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Likewise, those that build their houses on the sand shall fall, and fall hard. They will see many coming in from the north, south, east and west that will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and in the kingdom of God, and they will be thrown out!
He teaches in His parables that unprofitable servants (and professing Christians that came to the gospel feast without a wedding garment) will be bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
He often pronounces judgment on hypocrites, and threatens to shame them. The foolish virgins take their lamps but no oil. They will be shut out from the marriage when others enter in with the Bridegroom. When they come to the door and find it locked, they will cry, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” but their cries will be in vain.
On the Day of Judgment, Christ will separate the righteous from the wicked, just as shepherd divides his sheep from the gates, Christ will set the righteous on His right hand and the wicked on His left. Then He will say to the wicked, “Depart, accursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” The wicked will immediately go away into everlasting punishment.
He also particularly warns those who do not have a spirit of self-denial. Those who do not cut off a right hand or a right foot, nor pluck out a right eye, will go with two hands, or two feet, or two eyes into hell-fire. These do not have a spirit to sell all for Christ’s sake. They do not in comparison hate father, mother, wife, or earthly possessions. They will not be acknowledged as His disciples. They are ashamed of Him before men, Christ will be ashamed of them before His Father and before the angels.
Those that have a revengeful and unforgiving spirit will also not be forgiven. Neither will those that have a malicious spirit and lack Christian love and meekness. The same with those that have angry, wrathful, and scornful dispositions, and say to their brother, “Raca,” or “Thou fool;” they shall be in danger of everlasting punishment in proportion to the heinousness of their crimes.
Concerning worldly-minded men, He says that “it is impossible for those that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God;” and “Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation; and woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger.”
To those addicted to worldly pleasure and entertainment, He says, “Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.”
Finally, He has declared that punishment for gospel sinners will be far more dreadful than thata of the worse heathen. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgement than for them. They that are cast into hell will never come out.
Christ has voiced all of these against the ungodly while He was here on earth, and from our text we learn that He is the same now and forever. He has not changed, and never will. All that He warns will certainly come to pass. He is holy in nature and will. He is exactly now as He was then.
Therefore, no unsaved person that continues as such, will escape punishment. Christ’s threats are the threats of One that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He has threatened with His mouth He will fulfill with His hands. When Christ appears at the Day of Judgment, and you stand at His bar to be judged, you will find Him exactly as He is in the Scriptures. - The truth in the text may be applied as a way of reproof. First, to those who seemed to be touched by the Lord and living the Christian life, but now no longer seem to care and have backed away the doctrine shows your foolishness. You are acting as if Christ has changed, as though He was not to be feared as you once believed. There was a time when you were afraid of His displeasure and wrath. You were afraid of hearing those dreaded words, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” Why have you changed? Is there not reason to still fear Him?
There was a time when those very words caused you to reflect and repent. So why do you make light of them now? Has Christ become weaker than He once was, and less likely to fulfill His words of warning? Do you think that Christ is now softer on sin, and has decided not to punish it?
There was a time when you would have cried to think that you may not have a part of Christ or be in Him. You sought Him, prayed daily, and did whatever you could to learn and grow. Why are you so careless now? Has Christ changed? Is an interest in Him less valuable or necessary now? Was closeness with Him worth earnestly seeking, praying, and striving for then, but not now? Did you need to be in Christ then, but have figured out how to get by without Him now?
There was a time when you seemed very concerned and guilty over your sin against God and Christ. It convicted you. You even wept about it in your prayers. But now, you are really not concerned. The thought of having so often and so greatly offended Hi does not both you in the least. You can easily be quiet, and have your heart taken up by one vanity after another. Your thoughts never come back to your sin — that same sin you used to be careful to avoid. You were watchful then to avoid nything that is forbidden in God’s Holy Word. You would never profane the Sabbath by wasting time in God’s house, or by neglecting the duties of reading and prayer. You were careful that your behavior was upright before God and man.
But now you just do not care. You put up no defense when tempted. You never even ask yourself, “Is this sinful or contrary to the mind and will of God for me?” You have grown very bold in neglect of what is right, and practice what is not, just as if you really believed that Christ’s attitude toward sin had changed. But you are wrong! Just the opposite is true!
But when you were in your right mind, and strove to live for Christ and purged the sin in your heart, you only understood in part the hatred God has for sin. His wrath is infinitely more dreadful than you could conceive while walking in the light. …let alone now!
The truth is Christ is unchangeable, and you are not! It is you who has changed — annd for the worst! Christ is equally an enemy of sin, and you have become more sinful than you then were. Christ’s wrath is exactly the same as it was. But you are worse, for now you are in danger of experiencing it! If you do not repent, you are very near to experiencing its full extent. You hung over the pit of hell then, and you still are, the difference being that you are now kindling and enraging te flames of that same fiery gult that you hang over. The moth of time has been nibbling at that slender thread ever since, and it is now ready to break. Your heart is hardening. The devil has a hold of you, and your way of escape is blocked up. Your case is in many ways worse, the more unconcerned and carless you are.
Second, this doctrine reproves all those who have made a profession of faith in covenant with God and have proven to be false believers.
If Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and always fulfills His promises to us, we should do the same. If God never breaks His covenant with His people, then woe unto those who break their covenant with Him. We in this country have broken covenant with Him. Our professiosn of faith and religious practices of the early years of our country have degenerated. Although Christ and His doctrine and the faith that He taught is always the same, yet multitudes in this country are driven to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Religion in this country has been corrupted by many evil customs and practices.
This doctrine also warns every person that does not take care to keep his or her covenant with Christ. We are under the solemn bonds of our baptismal covenant. The covenant has sealed in our baptism; we have expressly and solemnly promised to walk in obedience to all the commands of God as long as we live. We have renewed this covenant time after time by solemnly taking the body and blood of Christ at the Lord’s Supper. The Supper brings dreadful guilt on those who are not careful to fulfill their vows. They that solemnly vow to obey Christ seal these vows by eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper, yet live in ways of sin, are truly very guilty.
Third, this doctrine convicts those who have lived piously and have fallen into the ways of sin. Only you know who you are; you must judge yourself. There are many here in this congregation that in times past have lived pious lives. Ask your own conscience if your piety is real? If your conscience condemns you, think of how you are treating Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is never false to any to whom He manifests His favor. How greatly does God complain of such false religion in the Scriptures! Hosea 6:4, “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.” Psalms 78:56-57, “They tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies, but turned back and dealt unfaithfully with their fathers, they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.”
Fourth, the true believer is also warned of backsliding (declension). There are many here whom I fear are in backslidden conditions. Your lives were previously full of life and love of Christ, but you are now dull and indifferent. Your hearts used to yearn after God, but now yearn for the world. You previously lived upright lives, but have since lived in a way that discredits your faith.
Why are you departing from your Redeemer who does not depart from you? His love for you never changes. It continues to hold you up. He remains totally faithful to you, preserving you, praying for you, defending you against the enemy. Why are you letting your love for Him fail?
Remember when you were first saved? Your heart was wrapped up in love for Christ. You delighted in Him and His praises. You continually mediated on Christ and the things of Christ, and your thoughts and prayers to Him were sweet. You loved speaking to and about Him! Why have you lost your first love? Is Christ less excellent now than He was then? Is He less worthy of your love?
Fifth, this doctrine should convict all people in this very town. We have backslidden as of late. This is evident in what we all confess. Recently Christ was the object of love among us. The hearts of the people in general in this town were engaged on Christ, as though He truly is All in All. People were engaged in conversations with one another about Christ. Those who thought they had not interest in Christ were full of concern about how to obtain an interest in Him. We were ready to abandon our worldly concerns, as though Christ was all we needed. The town seemed to be full of the praises of Christ.
But now … it is not that way. How little is Christ regarded here now? He has dropped out of our common discourse and individual conversations. Many of you have stopped following Christ to pursue after the world; one to pursue after riches, another to be engrossed by worldly entertainments, another by fine clothes and fashion. Young and old have gone their own ways, wandering from Christ. Christ is not as valued now as He once was. Christ is not now so worthy to be loved, to be praised, or to be thought of and talked of. Are we so foolish as to think that He that is the same yesterday, today, and forever is different than He was three years ago? - The truth taught in the text is also for our encouragement. Sinners whose minds and hearts are concerned about the state of their souls may come to Christ, and put your trust in Him for salvation. If Christ is now and ever will be the same, this is a great encouragement for you to come to Him. Consider these two things:
A. Christ has invited you to come to Him with a promise that He will accept you. Christ in His word often invites those that are in your circumstances. Are you a lost sinner, or a lost sinner under great conviction? He will accept you.
If we consider your circumstances merely as those of a lost sinner, Christ invites you. For He is often inviting and calling on sinners to come to Him. Proverbs 8:4, “Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.” And Proverbs 9:4-5, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and ye that want understanding, come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled.” Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.”
If we consider your circumstances as a sinner burdened on your soul with concern about your condition, you are specially invited by Christ. Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And Isaiah 55:1, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” And John 7:37, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.”
That Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever is an encouragement for you. Come! These invitations are for you to come to Christ in two ways:
First, Christ invited sinners like you when these words were first written. So likewise He does now, for He is the same now that He was then.. So look on the invitations that you see in the Bible as being not only for them, but for you! Christ makes them now as much as He made them then. The invitations that come from Christ’s mouth when He was on earth are made to you now! Christ has not changed. He is the same as ever He has been. So whenever you read or hear the invitations of Christ, look at them as if they now came from His blessed lips — directly to your ears.
Second, if you come to Christ, he will accept you as surely as He has invited you. Christ will be consistent with Himself. He will not appear one way in calling and inviting you, and then another way when you come to Him. Christ is not two-faced — smiling when inviting and frowning when people come at His call. He has not changed!
Jesus Christ is truly gracious and sweet in His invitations. He will also be just as gracious and sweet in His acceptance of you if you answer His call. John 6:37, “Him that cometh with me I will in no wise cast out.” He that is the same yesterday, today, and forever will fulfill His promises to you.
B. How has Christ treated those that have come to Him before you? Jesus Christ has always graciously received those that have come to Him. He makes them welcome. He has embraced them in the arms of His love. He admits them to a blessed and eternal union with Himself, and gives them all the rights and privileges of the sons of God. He is still the same!
First, in Scriptures many have come to Him. We have accounts in the history of Christ’s life of many that accepted His calls. We have accounts in the book of the Acts of the Apostles of multitudes that believed in Him. We read of none ever rejected by Him! We have seen many great sinners that have come to Christ: many old, hardened sinners, backsliders, and those guilty of quenching the Spirit of God. Yet He was the same each time! He is ready to receive the same sinners now! Jesus Christ has never rejected any that have come to Him! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Second, this is a great encouragement to all people to look to Christ despite difficulties and afflictions. We see in the history of Christ many coming to Him for help for a great variety of afflictions and difficulties. We have no account of His rejecting any one of them. On the contrary, all those who came to Him in a friendly way for help found help. When they came to Him, He quickly relieved them, and always did it freely without a price. He helped people fully and completely as He delivered them from their afflictions and difficulties.
In the doctrine of the text we learn that even though He is no longer physically on the earth, but in heaven, yet He is exactly the same now as He was then. He is as ready and able to help under any kind of difficulty. This is a great encouragement for the sick who look to Christ for healing, and for their friends to plead for them. How ready was Christ while on earth to help those that looked to Him when distressed? How sufficient was He as He commonly healed by laying on His hand, or by speaking a word? We read of His healing all kinds of sickness and all types of disease among the people. People under the most terrible and irreversible diseases were often healed. Christ is still the same!
There is also great encouragement for mourners who look to Christ for comfort. We read of Christ’s pitying them, as in the case of the widow of Nain in Luke 7:12-13, etc. We also read of Christ’s pity in John 11:32, etc., “And so he wept with those that wept, and groaned in the spirit, and wept with compassion for Martha and Mary, when he saw their sorrow for the loss of their brother Lazarus.” And He is still the same. He is as ready now to put those that are in affliction as He was then.
There is great encouragement for those who are struggling with the temptations of Satan. How often do we read of Christ casting out Satan from those possessed? Christ is still the same. Whoever is under spiritual darkness from considering their own sinfulness should be encouraged to look to Christ for comfort! For if they do, He will be ready to say to them, as He did to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee.” For He is still the same!
C. The truth taught in the text is a consolation to the godly. You have in Him an unchangeable Savior. He has loved you and undertaken for you from all eternity. He died for you before you were born, and has since converted you by His grace, and brought you savingly home to Himself from a blind, guilty, and undone condition. He will likewise carry your heaert. He will perfect what is lacking in you, in order for your complete deliverance from sin and death.
See your Savior in these words, Roman 8:29-30, “For whom he did foreknow them he also did predestinate, and whom he did predestinate them he also called, and whom he called them he also justified, and whom he justified them he also glorified.” Your Savior has promised you very great and precious blessings in this world. He has promised things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived in the world to come. His unchangeableness assures you of all He has promised.
You can also see from this doctrine the unchangeableness of His love. When you consider how great a love He had to give Himself up to God as a sacrifice for you, in His agony and bloody sweat in the garden, and when He went out to the place of His crucifixion bearing His own cross, you may rejoice that His love now is the same that it was then.
You may be comforted that you have an unchangeable friend in Jesus Christ Consistency is the most necessary and most desirable qualification of a friend. A true friend is not fickle. His friendship can be depended on as that of a steady and true friend. How excellent is His friendship! See how He treated His disciples on earth, whom He graciously treated as a tender father treats his children. He meekly instructed them, talked with them, pitied them, helped them, and forgave their sins. Consider this doctrine: He is still the same and ever will be the same!
Because your Savior cannot change, you are assured of your continuance in a state of grace. You are changeable. It left to yourself, you would soon fall utterly away. There is no dependence on your unchangeableness. But Christ is the same. When He has begun a good work in you, He will finish it. He has been the Author and will be the Finisher of your faith. Your love to Christ is changeable. But His to you is not. He will never allow your love for Him to fail. The apostle gives this reason that the saints’ love to Christ cannot fail, viz. that His love to them never can fail.
From the unchangeableness of Christ we see the unchangeableness of His intercession. He will never stop interceding for you.
From this we learn that heavenly happiness must be true. Once we enter the happiness of heaven, it never shall be taken from us. Christ, your Savior and friend who gives it to you, cannot change. He will be the same forever and ever, and therefore so will your happiness in heaven. Christ is an unchangeable Savior; He is your unchangeable Portion. That should be your rejoicing! You can lose your earthly happiness. But the joys of heaven can never be lost. Christ can and will not ever fail!
Your dear friends can be taken away and you can suffer many losses. Eventually you must part with all those things. Yet you have a portion, a precious treasure worth more than ten thousand times the price of all things. Your portion cannot fail you, for you have it in Him, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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