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."