There’s any number of things which someone might start only to have someone else finish. It’s the exception, rather than the rule, that a baseball pitcher will go all nine innings. Often, whether ahead or behind in the game, the starter will, at some point, end up in the dug out watching as another closes out the game. If the medical training I’ve received from watching too many re-runs of M*A*S*H is trustworthy, often surgeons, after having performed a delicate operation, will have someone else close up for them. But, praise God, such is not the case with our salvation. He who redeemed us . . . and “began a good work” in us (Php. 1:6) . . . is also the One who has determined to be our Closer.

Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.    (Hebrews 7:25 ESV)

He who introduced a better hope (7:19) . . . He who is the guarantor of a better covenant (7:22) . . . He who is of the order of a better priesthood (6:20) . . . is He who is able to save to the uttermost . . . to save completely . . . to save entirely . . . to save eternally.

Saved to the uttermost . . . let that flow from your lips a couple of times and see if the worship wheel doesn’t start turning!

And the “uttermost-ness” of our salvation isn’t because we “can take it from here.” It’s not like He paid the price . . . and provided us the power . . . now it’s up to us to bring it home. Uh, uh! Nor has He left it to someone else, a parent . . . a pastor . . . or any other person, to “close out” the work He begun. Instead, He lives forever to intercede before the Father on our behalf. He’s our Closer.

He is my Closer because of the permanence of His priesthood. As He who has defeated death, “He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever” (7:23-24). It is resurrection power that fuels the eternal sufficiency of His sacrificial work. The empty tomb is my assurance that He who died for me, now lives to intercede for me . . . that He who betrothed me to Himself, is now alive making ready His wedding feast . . . that He who has adopted me into the Family, is even now preparing a place for me that I might be where He is . . . that, in the meantime, He who knows my every weakness, is, even now, praying for me.

He is my Closer because of the purity of His priesthood. The One who prays for me does so at the right hand of the throne of God . . . having entered beyond the holy of holies as One who is Himself “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” (7:26b). Because He is without sin, not only was He able to be offered as the Lamb of God as the once for all sacrifice for my sin, but He is also uniquely qualified to act as the Mediator between man and God. Having known the reality of our mess but being Himself undefiled, He dwells amidst the heavenly and holy throne of God bringing His people before their God.

Finally, He is my Closer because of the preeminence of His priesthood. The writer to the Hebrews says that my High Priest is “exalted above the heavens” (7:26c). He has been given the highest place of honor (NLT) . . . occupying a chair that is higher and loftier than the heavens themselves. There is no higher name of authority than that of my beloved High Priest . . . He who lives to make intercession for me.

There’s a lot of things that someone can start only to have someone else finish. Our salvation, however, is not one of those things. He who began the good work has promised to complete it . . . He who has brought us “safe thus far” has promised to “lead us home” . . . He who saved us, will Himself save us to the uttermost.

He is our Closer . . . to Him be glory alone!