Hebrews 7:19 "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God."
"The law made nothing perfect." The law was never intended to
bring us to perfection. This is why in chapter 6, the writer says, "let us
go on unto perfection." The Pharisees apparently thought themselves
to be perfect as they walked about in their grand robes and various ribbons and
attire. They loved for people to look at them and admire them as if they were
perfect. What was the basis for their thinking themselves to be perfect?
Was it not they felt they were keeping the law perfectly? In reality,
they picked certain parts and used that as their standard for perfection.
Several years ago, there was a commercial for a particular laundry detergent.
They took a white sock that had been worn and covered with dirt. They placed
the sock in the washer and used a different detergent than the one they were
advertising. When the sock came out of the washer, it looked nice and bright.
It almost looked "perfect", until they placed it against a new sock.
Then you could see the detergent had not made the sock absolutely clean. When we
seek to use our "parts of the law" that we feel we are keeping
perfectly, we can see ourselves as being nice and clean. If we dare to compare
ourselves to one another, we could probably find ourselves to be looking really
nice and clean. But when we place ourselves beside the One Who is absolutely
perfect, we see our own imperfections.
The law - our works of "righteousness" - makes nothing perfect. In
fact, the law when properly used will show us our imperfections. "But the
bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto
God." What is that "better hope"? Is it not the
washing of regeneration by the shed blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ? That better hope is based upon the absolute righteousness of
Jesus being imputed (placed in our account) by the Sovereign grace of God.
If we are basing our hope on our own works, our own righteousness, then it
truly is a "hope", not an assurance. It is the same type hope we
would express as children. "I hope we get to go fishing today." The
truth of that hope is - maybe we would or maybe we wouldn't. The
"better hope" of Jesus Christ is an absolute assurance. We have been
made whole, we are righteous through the finished work of redemption that was
accomplished by our Lord. He kept the law perfectly. He died in our place. He
has assured our home in heaven and nothing can separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus.