Jesus Our Great High Priest

Mar 12, 2010 12:37 PM

Jesus Our Great High Priest

by makestraight

I’m going to use this blog to also post Bible passages that we can meditate on, whether it’s related to Gracepoint or not, just to appreciate God’s word.

I like the following passage in Hebrews 4, because it reminds me that it’s the Word of God directly that can judge our thoughts and attitude [via the Holy Spirit who convicts us]. It’s not the primary role of leaders to do this. We have direct access to God, and God knows us fully.

So even if we do outward acts “correctly” and “righteously”, it does not mean anything without the correct thoughts and attitudes. God knows what’s hidden in our hearts. It’s all uncovered before him. If we are seeking self-righteousness, God knows. If we are seeking our own glory, God knows. If we are seeking to please men, God knows.

But it’s a grand and wonderful thing that Jesus himself is our Great High Priest. He knows we are weak. He knows we are sinful. But he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, and because he is gracious, we can approach him DIRECTLY and with confidence when we repent! And we receive grace and mercy. Jesus himself is our mediator. While church leaders are valuable and necessary, they should never fill the role as some kind of pope figure who has to mediate between God and us. God himself [Jesus] is our mediator!

It is this very thought that allows me to fall in love with my Lord Jesus over and over. This is an experience that became real to me only after I left Gracepoint. For me, because of the culture there, this only remained in my head. I operated my daily life by the fear of leaders, to please their Gracepoint-centric ideas of all that’s acceptable or unacceptable, and their heavy-handed, micromanaging ways. Gracepoint may blame it upon “just me”, but I disagree, and assert that it’s their legalistic, and fear/guilt/debt driven culture.

The pure gospel is much simpler, I’ve discovered. And it’s more full of joy and freedom. It’s amazing!
Hebrews 4:

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.