“Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Hebrews 13:21
There is something fulfilling in understanding, implementing, and finishing a project. Add to that the gratification that in each stage of the project you have the exact tool ready, organized, and at hand. Finally when the tool is implemented by the hands of a master and the final project reflects the experience it brings satisfaction to those who witness and/or take part. The work…works.
The book of Hebrews is all about better things: a better word of promise, a better priest, a better sacrifice, and a better covenant. The reason for all the better is Jesus. Jesus was the redemption consolidator. In the old covenant you needed a priest, fire, an altar, and a sacrifice to obtain redemption. Jesus consolidated all that. He was the great high priest; he was the sacrifice, he sent the fire, and because of all that you can make an altar and call on God. Jesus took the plan of salvation and finished it. In doing so, Jesus was given authority over sin and death. If you wish to be justified and sanctified; to accomplish this you must come through Christ and follow His will. “Thy will be done.” This is sanctification. The Holy Ghost, within a cleansed heart, leads it to do the will of the Father and his son Jesus Christ. All other things in life fall secondary to this primary focus. The inward work on the heart is good, right, and perfect. Yet, Ezekiel prophesied to Israel “Hath not the potter power over the clay?……behold I will work a work on a wheel.” While the work within is a complete work, the walk is not a complete walk. The Christian must live a life pleasing to God. This will mean shortcomings, misunderstandings, mistakes, and chastisement from God; but it does not have to mean sin. Jesus Christ perfects the heart, and by the working of the Holy Ghost perfects us to do his will. Like a potter, within himself are the tools to fashion the clay. The potter molding us into that which he would have us to be. He looks down at the clay and sees the end result; while all others look and see only a lump. If we are obedient, then he is ever “working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight.” The purpose of conviction is to draw you to a place of repentance, and ultimately into sanctification. The purpose of chastisement, exhortation, reprove, rebuke, etc. Is to fashion you into the total image of what Christ would have you to be. Sometimes, we move with benevolent ambition, only to understand later the ambition was well placed, but the movement was not. Sometimes we don’t move at all claiming we are “waiting on the Lord.” Only to understand that we were really bound by fear “blaming it on the Lord.” Our inaction is a consequence of our lack of devotion. Sometimes we become apathetic, indifferent, cold, or misguided. Sometimes we encounter situations we have never seen, and see things through a different lens which we never saw before. Through it all we need grace, and God comes from God. Through it all we need the working of Christ the Holy Ghost in our lives; being constantly perfected by the working, to do His will.
Jesus is a wise master builder, and even he submitted himself to the same perfecting by the Father. Even the sinless Christ “learned obedience through the things which he suffered.” There was a work that was yet incomplete, and needed pressure, persistence, and sacrifice. Jesus is working in us by the power of the Holy Ghost to the same ends. The work, works; if we let it.
