“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost – that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. (26) For such a High Priest became us – Who is Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners – and made higher than the heavens…” [Heb.7:25-26]
“As ye have therefore – received Christ Jesus the Lord – so walk ye in Him: (7) rooted and built up – in Him – and established – in the Faith – as ye have been taught – abounding therein with Thanksgiving.” [Col.2:6,7]
“I am crucified with Christ – nevertheless I live – yet not I, but Christ liveth in me – and the life that I now live – in the flesh – I live – in the Faith of the Son of God – who loved me and gave Himself for me.” [Gal.2:20]
“Know ye not, that – so many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus – were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore – we are buried with Him – through baptism into death – that like as Christ was raised up from among the dead – through the Glory of the Father – even so we – should Walk in Newness of Life.” [Rom.6:3-4]
These texts describe quite well the relationship that our Savior, Christ Jesus, initiates and enters into with every one of His sinner-children whom He has come into this – our world of fallen humanity – to Save. And, this is without exception where every single individual one of His loved and saved-by-grace sinner/children are concerned! This is a vital part of the Everlasting Gospel that is being described from Rev.14:6-7: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven – having the Everlasting Gospel – to preach unto them that dwell on the earth – and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people (7) saying with a loud voice – Fear God and give glory to Him – for the Hour of His Judgment is come – and worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountain of waters!”
There is One word in our English language – that sums up the meaning of all of the miraculous performance — of the eternally saving work – of our Lord Jesus Christ – of whom it is also written that “He came into this world – to save sinners” [see 1Tim.1:15]. That One word is: Vicarious! Which word has been defined as meaning – One Person – taking the place of another person in something endured, suffered or performed. The benefits and advantages of the Representing Person – having been fully applied to the person(s) represented; Substitutional! This is exactly what Jesus – the Great Shepherd and Savior – has done for each one of His sinner-children – His Sheep! [See Jn.10:27-28] As the above — Heb.7:25-26 text — says of Jesus — This is the pure truth of the gospel message – in the immutable and the eternal – Word of God – Praise His Holy Name!
This is what the First passage from He.7:25-26 descriptively declares to us. It tells us that only He is able [Or, all powerful enough to save us – from the “gutter-most – to the uttermost”]. He is our Eternal High Priest and Substitute! We come unto Holy God – by Him – and by Him alone! He represents us before God – His God and Father – and our God and Father [see Jn.20:16-18]. In fact, everyone who has been saved by Him – has been chosen and placed in Him – from before the foundation of this world! [See Eph.1:3-5] This articulates God’s perfect plan for the eternal salvation of His entire family! And, the list of Divine descriptives in Heb.7:26 of our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly what we need to be — in order for us to be approved and accepted forever in God’s Holy presence. It says: “For such a High Priest – became us [or, conspicuously was suitable and proper for us to be] —
Holy [or, the impossibility to sin] Harmless [or, completely innocent of any sin] Undefiled [or, completely pure; unsoiled] Separate from sinners – and – made [or, was raised up with Him] higher than the heavens!” This is what We are by the love and grace of our Kinsman-Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. We will survey these same texts next month as well – and hopefully see further ramifications of this wonderful Truth! Amen. — John Carpenter
