From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part four of a series. Read part three

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who is passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." There can be no better exhortation for today's church. It is where Evangelical repentance must begin.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. (Hebrews 8:1-2)

In his final mediation on this great statement of the all-sufficiency of Christ, J. Sidlow Baxter writes this:

In the preceding three meditations we have reflected on three aspects of our Lord's heavenly priesthood: (1) we need such a priest; (2) we have such a priest; (3) we need no other priest.

But now, what is the upshot of all this? Well, see Hebrews 4:14 again: "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who is passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." And what is "our confession"? See chapter 10:23, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope" ([elpidos, "joyful and confident expectation"] not "faith" as in A.V.). What then is this "confession of our hope"? The answer is in chapter 9. See first, verse 26, "But now, once in this end-era of the ages He [Christ] hath APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Next see verse 24, "For Christ is entered ... into heaven itself, now to APPEAR in the presence of God for us." Finally see verse 28, "And unto them that look for Him He shall APPEAR the second time, apart from sin, unto salvation."

Note those three "appearings" of our Lord. First, He did appear, on earth, to put away sin. Second, He does appear, now, in the presence of God for us. Third, He shall appear, the second time, with completive salvation to them that look for Him.

That is the "confession of our hope". It is the glorious hope that He who once appeared on earth as our Sinbearer, and now appears in heaven as our all-perfect Priest, will ere long appear again, in His garments of heavenly glory and beauty, to bring us the consummating benedictions of the new covenant in His blood. Meanwhile, our glory-robed, sympathetic High Priest and Advocate and Intercessor ministers representatively for us yonder in the heavenly Holy of Holies, bearing our names like jewels on His mighty shoulders and on His gentle bosom.

Beyond the clouds that drape the sky,
Beyond the stellar worlds on high,
There gleams a heavenly temple fair,
And Jesus, my High Priest, is there.

Yes, there for me He intercedes,
And all His Calvary merit pleads;
And represents before the Throne
My needs as if they were His own.

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not an 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. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4: 14-16). Notice the four things in that sixteenth verse: (1) where to come - "the throne of grace"; (2) how to come - "boldly" or confidently; (3) why to come - to "obtain mercy and find grace"; (4) when to come - "in every time of need", that is, continually.

[Adapted from J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake My Heart (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960 and 1994), page 128.]

Next: Jew and Gentile: One Church in Christ

sac0043