The Pioneering Spirit

MEMORY SELECTION: “In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” —Hebrews 2:18

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 2:10-18

THE Apostle Paul in Hebrews 2:6-8 describes God’s purpose in creating Adam. He created him on a life plane a little lower than the angels and crowned him with the highest of glory and honor that could be accorded to him on his plane of life. He was given dominion over all other lower creatures of earth and there was not anything terrestrial that he was not given dominion over. But then the account goes on to say, “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” We know that this first objective was not attained because Adam did not keep his covenant with God. He was disobedient, and as a result he suffered the penalty for sin which was death. He not only lost his life but also his dominion.

In verse 9 of our scripture we read, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Adam was perfect until he sinned. (Gen. 1:31) God’s law required an exact counter-part to take Adam’s place in death, in order to lift the sentence that was placed upon him. Jesus, when he came to earth, was an exact corresponding price for Adam. He was, like Adam, made a little lower than the angels. He was, like Adam, crowned with the glory and honor accorded this highest form of life on the earthly plane of existence. All of this was for the purpose, “that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” It is interesting to note that only Adam was condemned, but Jesus died for “every man.” This was possible because Adam’s sin was inherited by all his progeny. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”—Rom. 5:12

In Hebrews 2:10 the apostle indicates that it was not only God’s purpose that Jesus, by his death, should, in due time, lift adamic condemnation from all men, but also that it was his purpose to bring many sons to glory who would be like Jesus in temperament and character. To do this it was necessary that Jesus, as their Head and Example, be made perfect through sufferings. What does it mean to be made perfect? Surely Jesus who was holy, harmless, and separate from sinners was perfect as a man. The answer is that Jesus as a man went out of existence when he took Adam’s place in death. In order for the Heavenly Father to perpetuate the life of Jesus, his begettal to a new life by the Holy Spirit was necessary. He was begotten to a new nature at Jordan. In order for Jesus to be resurrected from the condition of death and exalted to the very nature that God himself enjoys it was first necessary that Jesus be tested under difficult and trying circumstances. The Apostle Paul states in Hebrews 5:8,9, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect he became the author [or cause] of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him [his footstep followers down through the Gospel Age].”

It is necessary, also, for his footstep followers to learn the same lessons of obedience by suffering under difficult and trying circumstances. The apostle indicates that the same standard applies to the Lord’s brethren. Hebrews 2:11,12 reads, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” The meaning of “sanctify” in our scripture is to make holy or set apart. What the apostle is saying is that God has made the footstep followers of Jesus holy, and set them apart as his sons. Jesus was a son, and his followers all have the same origin. Therefore Jesus is not ashamed to call them brethren.

In Hebrews 6:19,20 the apostle states that those who share the hope of the high calling have it as an anchor both sure and steadfast, based on heavenly promises, and have as an example their forerunner, or pioneer, even Jesus.

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