Our Eternal High Priest And Substitute

by John Carpenter | Mar 4, 2025 | Devotional

“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

Our Resolution As Followers Of Christ

by John Carpenter | Jan 23, 2025 | Devotional

“I therefore, the prisoner of (or lit. “in”) the Lord – beseech you – that ye walk worthy of the vocation – wherewith ye were called” [Eph.4:1].

 

“Be ye therefore followers of God – as dear children (see: Mt.13:36-38) – (2) and walk in love – according as Christ also hath loved us – and hath given Himself for us – an offering – and a sacrifice to God – for (or lit. “into being”) a sweet smelling savour.” [Eph.5:1-2] (see also: Rom.12:1-2).

 

“Forasmuch, then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh (i.e. in His flesh) – arm yourselves likewise – with the same mind (or, with the same way of thinking as our Lord Jesus Christ) – for He that hath suffered in the flesh – hath ceased from sin. (see: Rom.8:1-4) (2) That he no longer should live the rest of his time – in flesh – to men’s lusts – but to God’s Will! (see: Mt.7:21) (3) For the time past – of our life – may suffice us – to have wrought (or, “to have fully worked out”) the will of the Gentiles (or, more lit. “nations of unbelievers”) when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.”

It is a common practice — at this particular time of year – in its very beginning – that we are traditionally inclined to make new and better resolutions as far as our personal lives are concerned. Our Lord through the Apostle Paul does the same for everyone whom our Lord – through Paul’s personal testimony and witness – drew unto Him in their reconciliation and regeneration.

And, in regards to the Christian walk – of “the new man” (see: Eph.4:20-24) — what better resolution could we make than a resolution to be – more closely — a follower of God the Son – through this fallen-in-sin world? In addition to the worthy work of evangelizing the world around him – Paul also diligently sought to exhort his awakened and quickened bothers and sisters – to “walk worthy of the vocation” (or, the “calling”) wherewith ye were called” unto eternal salvation! And, what better encouragement can there be – but to exhort to obey the command to be the genuine “followers of God” as His dear children – as we walk through this world?! We should be earnestly praying that God the Holy Spirit – cause us to exude precisely — what the context of Eph.5:2 is describing! That we “walk in love according as Christ also hath loved us – hath given Himself for us – an offering and a sacrifice to God – (lit.) into becoming an odour of a sweet smell.” And this He did – all for us! Praise His Holy Name!!

We should not be surprised to behold Peter’s encouragement unto us in the same way! He wrote that Christ Jesus suffered for us – on our behalf — and that we should therefore exude the same way of thinking that He, Himself, was led by God, His Father, to do! He walked through this world entirely mindful of the fact that He was following His Father’s Will and agenda – in everything that He thought – everything He said and everything that He did! We also – in our walk through this world – as having been truly awakened and quickened – by His Holy Spirit! We, too, are following Him – having been chosen and placed in Him – before the foundation of this very world – to follow in His very steps – in His Holy and perfect obedience! Praise His Holy and Precious Name! Peter also reminds us from 1Pe.2:21> “For even hereunto were ye called – because Christ also suffered for us – leaving us an example – that ye should follow His steps” (see also: vs.22-25).

We will be looking a bit more closely to the spiritual reality that emerges for us – not only to understand – but also to come to emulate – all to the glory only of Christ our wonderful Savior! — John Carpenter

The Incarnation of The Eternal Son of God

by John Carpenter | Dec 11, 2024 | Devotional

The 2024 time to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord God into the image of our fallen-in-sin likeness is upon us. Every year at this time of the year we – together – share our love and affection toward one another through our mutual worship of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birth into our history is monumental to say the least! Why? Because His birth marks the fulfilling of God’s Covenantal Promise that He has provided – for all who truly are born from above according to His Word – and by His Holy Spirit – the One who is their Eternal Kinsman-Redeemer! He has redeemed everyone that truly believes and loves God’s only-begotten Son who is the one and only Savior (and conqueror) over sin and Satan! He has Redeemed all His saved ones – through His shed Blood upon the Cross of Calvary! It was for this purpose – that God the Father – gave and sent His eternal Son into our world.

The specific Covenant that this refers to is none other than the Everlasting Covenant as described in He.13:20-21. These verses announce and declare: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight – through Jesus Christ – to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Without a doubt, this is describing the Arch-Covenant of all the other covenants that have been – in our history — cut between God and all of His other chosen earthly, temporal mediators. They – each individual and temporal mediator — in their own way — have been divinely chosen to be types and shadows of God’s chosen and eternal Savior/Christ – who is the One Mediator/man of the truly Everlasting Covenant. It was Christ alone, whom was promised to come into this fallen-in-sin and passing away world to be the Sovereign Savior/Substitute of each one of God’s eternally loved and chosen/sinner children. The other earthly mediators, in turn, were God’s chosen patriarchal participants to be types of Christ throughout the unfolding history– and the unfolding mystery – of the gospel of the glory – only — of Christ Jesus, the one and only Mediator between God and men. It is He who has fulfilled God’s loving, magnificent and gracious plan of Eternal Redemption for each of His elect-to-eternal-salvation/sinners. The Redemption and eternal salvation of all of God’s eternally loved and chosen children throughout the history of fallen humanity – has been accomplished – through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ [see and read He.9:11-15].

As previously stated — the “Everlasting Covenant” referred to in He.13:20-21 is the Covenant that was cut between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit — from eternity, in eternity and for eternity! This Covenant was cut — before even the creation/foundation of this fallen and sinful world (as we know it to be). From eternity is when Omniscience conceived the wonderful plan of our eternal salvation. And, whatever our God thinks in His Omniscience in regards to us – as far as He’s concerned — it has already happened in our history! The Word of God plainly states from Is.14:24: “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as — I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” That which His Omniscience conceives (where we are concerned) – it happens by His Omnipotence – and it is – and has been – eternally sustained and maintained by His Omnipresence. Hence, the Word of God also explicitly declares from Ps.115:3 “But our God is in the heavens – He hath done – whatsoever He hath pleased.”

Would not this statement necessarily have to include all the things which He centers on and around and with His dearly beloved and only begotten Son — in whom He is well pleased? Of course it does! It absolutely has to! Praise His Name! God has successfully accomplished – this – His perfect plan; His eternal purpose; His irreversible decree — via the person and work of His beloved incarnated eternal Son of God – whom is the validation and fulfillment of God’s incorruptible, unthwartable and infallible Word of Promise! He sent Him into our fallen and cursed world – in “the likeness of (our) sinful flesh!” [as is plainly stated in Ro.8:2-3 which says: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh [i.e. our flesh] God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh – and for sin – condemned sin in the flesh…”].

Christ, therefore, came into our lost world – in our exact likeness! I say in our exact likeness – that’s excepting the fact that — He was conceived into our fallen-in-sin humanity by the Holy Spirit of God. This means that He was a man exactly like us – only without any sin. He was holy! This means that it was impossible for Him to sin! He was as holy as His Father, God, is holy — but in fallen human bodily form [see Col.2:9-10]. 1Co.15:45-49 refers to Christ as being the last “Adam”: “And so it is written, The first man, Adam, was made a living soul – the last Adam – was made a life quickening spirit! (46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural — and afterward that which is spiritual. (47) The first man is – of the earth, earthy – the second man is the Lord from heaven. (48) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy – and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” What a wonderful Truth of the Gospel!

He is proven to be the alpha and the omega of the first and last Adams’ written about in 1Co.15:45-49! Hence, He is the beginning and the end – of all that is involved in holy, just and righteous God – doing what He had to do – in saving our lost souls!

God’s Word from Mt.1:20-21 tells us concerning Joseph — God’s chosen husband for Mary – who was God’s chosen virgin – the one predestined to be the mother of Jesus. Joseph had natural misgivings about actually taking Mary to be his wife when it became known that she was pregnant. Therefore, God sent to him His angel to inform him – and to comfort him. The Word of God says: “…behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying: Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

This is when the eternal Son of God became – in our history — our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – the only sovereign Savior, Substitute that there ever was, is, or ever will be – the eternal Son of man and the eternal Lamb of God! He is our very own “Kinsman Redeemer”!

Now, what exactly does this mean – that He is our “Kinsman Redeemer”? This means that He is – as being our Lord and Savior – related directly to us and with us. This means that He must be – and absolutely is — one of us. In order for Him to be our eternal Redeemer (which He is), He must legitimately hold and occupy a true familial relationship with us! The Christ, by virtue of His incarnation into our human history, has become — just as Isaiah’s prophecy declares concerning Him: [Is.9:6-7 > “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end – upon the throne of David and upon His Kingdom – to order it, and to establish it, with judgment and with justice – from henceforth even forever! The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this!”] He has become our everlasting Father – and He is the greater Son of David – He is the rightful heir to His throne – He now eternally occupies that sovereign throne — from where He – as being both God and man, the last Adam — eternally governs His whole and entire Household. Praise His Holy Name!!

Please remember us in your prayers. God Bless you and keep you for His eternal glory – Amen!

— John Carpenter