Jesus Our Intercessor

Heb. 7: 25 “Wherefore He (Jesus) is able to also save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He (Jesus) ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

This scripture verse is preceded by some verses that call Jesus our priest.  The role of the priest is to be a go-between.  The role of the priest is to represent God to the people and to represent and offer prayer to God on behalf of the people.

As the preceding scriptures state, the earthly priest could only offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people for their sins for a short period of time.  The sacrifice had to be offered on a regular basis because the blood of an animal could only suffice for a short period of time.

On the other hand, Jesus, Himself, was the sacrifice not an animal.  He offered His own blood rather than that of an animal.  Since Jesus was sinless, He is called the Lamb of God, having no spot or blemish.  His sacrifice covered once and for all the sins of all mankind.  The wrath of God against mankind was satisfied once and for all.

Heb. 7: 25 says that Jesus, our high priest, ever lives to make intercession for us.  If all our sin was forgiven, why does it state that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us.  Does Jesus have to constantly plead with God to forgive our sin.

It doesn’t seem to make sense that Jesus who died once and for all for the sin of the world have to continually plead with God to not wipe us out for our sins.  

That is where we need to study the word, intercession, in the Greek.  The word is comprised of two root words.  What these words imply is this:  just that fact that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, ever present with God, is a reminder to the Father of what Jesus did for mankind.  

Jesus is like a billboard that says, they are forgiven, each and every time God looks at Jesus.  He stands as the symbol of total forgiveness because of His personal sacrifice on the cross. His presence with God represents that He interceded of all mankind.

Jesus doesn’t need to do anything else than just be there as our intercessor, not in pleading with the Father, but the Lamb whose blood paid the price once and for all.

The Father sees the Lamb, knowing the sin nature of mankind is forgiven.  They will still sin, but that sin nature has been covered by the blood of the Lamb.  

It is our responsibility to totally believe we are forgiven even though as humans we will still sin.

Paul battled that issue as he explained in Romans 7: 15 – 25.  Paul explained he knew what was right and what was wrong, yet sometimes he did what he knew was wrong because the flesh fights with our spirits.

What was Paul’s answer to this issue?  Romans 7: 24 – 25 “O wretched man that I am.  Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Our responsibility and our faith should be in the fact that though I seem to screw up a lot (sin), my faith in what Jesus did for me, is what salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is all about.  
This is not a license to sin.  Sin has earthly consequences. I need to recognize my sin and stop doing what I am doing.  However the blood of Jesus and faith in His blood is what allows me to stand forgiven in the eyes of God because of Jesus who serves as the symbol for my forgiveness before the Father, despite my flesh’s constant weaknesses.

The Father sees me righteous, as if I never sinned, despite the sinfulness of my flesh, because of the blood that is on the mercy seat in heaven.  Praise God for His mercy, His graces and His forgiveness.

Have faith in the blood!

- Pastor Jim

No Comments


Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags