Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hebrews 5:9

"and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;" — Hebrews 5:9 (ASV)

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Being made perfect. "What," says one, "did Christ need to be made perfect?" Not in his nature, for he was always perfect in both his divine and his human nature; but perfect as a Saviour, perfect as a Sympathizer, above all, according to the connection, perfect as a High Priest.

Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Christ will not save those who refuse to obey him, those who will not believe in him; there must be an obedient faith rendered to him, or else the virtue of his passion and death cannot come to us.

And being made perfect, –

That is, perfect in his obedience, perfect as a sacrifice, perfect as the Mediator and Substitute for his people, –

He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Brethren, what a grand expression that is, "eternal salvation"!

You know that there are some who preach a temporary salvation; they say that you may be in Christ today and out of Christ tomorrow, that you may be saved by grace at one hour, but damned by sin the next. Ah! but the Bible says no such thing. This may be the gospel according to Arminius, but it is not the gospel according to John, nor according to Paul, nor according to our Lord Jesus Christ. That gospel is, –

"Once in Christ, in Christ for ever;
Nothing from his love can sever."

Christ became the author of "eternal salvation," and the word "eternal" must mean without end; so that, if we once receive the salvation which Christ has accomplished, we are saved in time, and shall be saved throughout all eternity. Christ is the Author of this eternal salvation; not our good works, though our faith and our works become the evidences of our having received this eternal salvation.