BOB SLOSSER
It's Time to Learn of the
Great High Priest
By Bob Slosser
CBN.com Columnist
CBN.com
– Even before completing His task and going to heaven, Jesus did
as much as He could without getting everything topsy-turvy to get His people
toughened up mentally and even somewhat physically for the huge worldwide work
He had for us. But a lot of it had to wait until things were ready; the world
still needed a lot of development that He and the Father had in mind.
But then then it was now and ready to go.
The writer to the Hebrews said it this way: "Therefore let us leave
the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again
the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in
God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection
of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so"
(Hebrews 6:1-3, NIV).
And, of course, if youre anything like me, you may find yourself uttering,
"Uhhh, but, are you sure Im ready? I think I could use a bit more understanding
about a couple of those things, dont you agree? Especially on the last three
or four of those things."
Of course, you notice that the Hebrews author says in the next few paragraphs
things like: "We are confident of better things in your case things
that accompany salvation." And thats His point, of course, as we have
seen in recent weeks. He wants them to go beyond mere salvation, which many
have thought was the whole ball game. No, He intends to lead them beyond that
and into things that accompany salvation and show them how to live under a
great high priest. And dont forget, church, theres a big needy world out
there. "God is not unjust," Hebrews says. "He will not forget
your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and
continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to
the very end, in order to make your hope secure. We do not want you to become
lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has
been promised" (6:9-12).
Beloved, this is why we you and I have nothing to fear. For we know Jesus,
and Jesus knows us. Right now. We can be filled with the Holy Spirit if we
only seek it. Right now. And we read this: "For Christ did not enter
a man-made sanctuary that was a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself,
now to appear for us in Gods presence." And this is critical to our
understanding: "Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again,
the way the High Priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that
is not His own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the
creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of
the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
And here appears the singular importance of the church, the Body of Christ.
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the realities
themselves, and the church must be taught and teach that, as this writer was
doing to the Hebrews (do you know any Hebrews or maybe Israelis?). For "when
this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at
the right hand of God. Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made
His footstool, because by one sacrifice He has made forever those who are
being made holy." He will not continue doing this forever and forever.
It is not necessary, dear Israelis. It was once for all time.
Confidence, beloved, is all we need, in the words of the precious Apostle
Paul, "You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our
Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that
you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called
you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."
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