JESUS CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST
Jesus Christ is the Name I love. I wrote the following while in Osaka.
JESUS CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST
Q. Where is Jesus Christ right now?
A. He has ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God.
Q. What do we mean when we say that Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God?
A. This means that Jesus Christ is given absolute power and glory. Jesus said, "ALL POWER is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). He has "power over all flesh" to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him (John 17:3). He is also given glory-- divine, eternal, and holy glory. The Lord Jesus prayed in John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." This means that Jesus Christ deserves worship and honor. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9- 11).
Q. How is His ascension to heaven related to our salvation?
A.He is now in heaven in the presence of God for our sake (Heb. 9:24). He acts as our High Priest and Advocate to the Holy God.
Q. What is the meaning of Christ's Priesthood?
A. In the Old Testament times, God separated the Levites for the priesthood ministry. They are called priests so that they may intercede for God's people. Among the priests, there is one High Priest who annually comes into the most holy place of the temple to offer the blood of sacrifices of all the people (Heb. 9:25). "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offer year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." (Heb. 10:1,3,4). But when Jesus finished the work of redemption at Calvary, He took away the Old Testament practice and established the New Testament (Heb. 10:9). In the New Testament, believers are called priests unto God (I Pet. 2:9) and Jesus Christ is called the Great High Priest. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus Christ the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Heb. 4:14,15). "But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:24,25). This means that we have an intercessor before God day and night. Christ, being our high priest, presents before God His finished work and holy sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.
Q. How does this truth (i.e., the truth that Christ is our High Priest) affect our daily lives?
A. In the Old Testament, the people are represented before God only once a year. But now we can "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16). We can ask God for pardon anytime and be assured of receiving His forgiveness because of the work of Jesus Christ. We can cast unto Him our worries and find peace (Phil 4:6,7) through Jesus Christ. We can come to Him asking for strength and be given grace (2 Cor. 12:9) through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus took the nature of man, He became "a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor [help] them that are tempted." (Heb. 2:16-18). When we therefore pray, we are assured that Christ knows our needs and feelings for He tasted what it is to become a man. Therefore He can perfectly explain our petitions to the Father. "And having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." (Heb. 10:21-23)
Q. What do we mean when we say that "Christ is our Advocate"?
A. Christians have been pardoned. But it does not mean that believers in Christ will not anymore commit sin. But "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (I John 2:1). "Advocacy is that work of Jesus Christ for sinning believers which He carries on with the Father whereby, because of the eternal efficacy of Christ's sacrifice, He restores them to fellowship" (p.1343, Scoffield Reference Bible). "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). Jesus Christ is our lawyer before God. If we commit sin, Jesus represents us before God the Father, not to justify our sins, but to present His finished work at Calvary. When Jesus died, He paid for the past, present, and future sins of those who trusted and will trust in Him. In this way the Father is satisfied and our sins are forgiven. But He is also just in that we suffer the earthly consequences of our deeds though we have been cleansed of our sins.
Q. How should this truth affect our lives?
A. The Apostle John's purpose for informing us that we have an Advocate with the Father is to persuade us to avoid sinning (I John 2:1). With this truth in mind, those who profess they know God will be more careful to keep His commandments (I John 2:3-6) and live in holiness. John's other purpose is to warn the believers of worldliness, which is destroying the Christian churches. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (I John 2:15-17).
JESUS CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST
Q. Where is Jesus Christ right now?
A. He has ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God.
Q. What do we mean when we say that Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God?
A. This means that Jesus Christ is given absolute power and glory. Jesus said, "ALL POWER is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). He has "power over all flesh" to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him (John 17:3). He is also given glory-- divine, eternal, and holy glory. The Lord Jesus prayed in John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." This means that Jesus Christ deserves worship and honor. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9- 11).
Q. How is His ascension to heaven related to our salvation?
A.He is now in heaven in the presence of God for our sake (Heb. 9:24). He acts as our High Priest and Advocate to the Holy God.
Q. What is the meaning of Christ's Priesthood?
A. In the Old Testament times, God separated the Levites for the priesthood ministry. They are called priests so that they may intercede for God's people. Among the priests, there is one High Priest who annually comes into the most holy place of the temple to offer the blood of sacrifices of all the people (Heb. 9:25). "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offer year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." (Heb. 10:1,3,4). But when Jesus finished the work of redemption at Calvary, He took away the Old Testament practice and established the New Testament (Heb. 10:9). In the New Testament, believers are called priests unto God (I Pet. 2:9) and Jesus Christ is called the Great High Priest. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus Christ the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Heb. 4:14,15). "But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:24,25). This means that we have an intercessor before God day and night. Christ, being our high priest, presents before God His finished work and holy sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.
Q. How does this truth (i.e., the truth that Christ is our High Priest) affect our daily lives?
A. In the Old Testament, the people are represented before God only once a year. But now we can "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16). We can ask God for pardon anytime and be assured of receiving His forgiveness because of the work of Jesus Christ. We can cast unto Him our worries and find peace (Phil 4:6,7) through Jesus Christ. We can come to Him asking for strength and be given grace (2 Cor. 12:9) through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus took the nature of man, He became "a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor [help] them that are tempted." (Heb. 2:16-18). When we therefore pray, we are assured that Christ knows our needs and feelings for He tasted what it is to become a man. Therefore He can perfectly explain our petitions to the Father. "And having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." (Heb. 10:21-23)
Q. What do we mean when we say that "Christ is our Advocate"?
A. Christians have been pardoned. But it does not mean that believers in Christ will not anymore commit sin. But "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (I John 2:1). "Advocacy is that work of Jesus Christ for sinning believers which He carries on with the Father whereby, because of the eternal efficacy of Christ's sacrifice, He restores them to fellowship" (p.1343, Scoffield Reference Bible). "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). Jesus Christ is our lawyer before God. If we commit sin, Jesus represents us before God the Father, not to justify our sins, but to present His finished work at Calvary. When Jesus died, He paid for the past, present, and future sins of those who trusted and will trust in Him. In this way the Father is satisfied and our sins are forgiven. But He is also just in that we suffer the earthly consequences of our deeds though we have been cleansed of our sins.
Q. How should this truth affect our lives?
A. The Apostle John's purpose for informing us that we have an Advocate with the Father is to persuade us to avoid sinning (I John 2:1). With this truth in mind, those who profess they know God will be more careful to keep His commandments (I John 2:3-6) and live in holiness. John's other purpose is to warn the believers of worldliness, which is destroying the Christian churches. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (I John 2:15-17).
posted by Pids Nogales | 9:10 AM
1 Comments:
Wow, great blog. I look forward to seeing more of it. Good job.
Pastor Gary
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