The Lord Jesus Christ saved us by his active and passive obedience. By his active obedience in obeying the law for us, the Son of man, Jesus Christ fulfilled all righteousness (Matt 3:15). By his passive obedience, He was made to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor 5:21). Our sin and guilt being transferred and imputed to Him, He paid the penalty for sin that was due for us. He was the Lamb of God, without spot and blemish that was slain for us; without shedding of blood is no remission. On the cross at Calvary, He cried “It is finished” to signify the completed work of salvation for us. Heb 10:12 states: ‘But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.’ Yet when he ascended on high, seated at God’s right hand, his priestly work of mediation and intercession for the saints continues. He is well qualified to represent us ‘For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;’ (Heb 7:26).
He sustains all things
All the stars of heaven, the earth and all its creatures and the whole universe are sustained by the Lord Jesus. Paul states in Col 1:16-17: ‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’ From his heavenly throne on God’s right hand, He upholds all things by the word of his power (Heb 1:3). We owe our very being to him.
He is the merciful and faithful High Priest
While human intercessors may fail, he is ever faithful. ‘Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people’ (Heb 2:17). While the office of the priests under the law continued, the priests themselves died. ‘….they were not suffered to continue, by reason of death’ (Heb 7:23b). But Jesus Christ is our eternal High Priest. Hence, ‘….he ever liveth to make intercession’ for us (Heb 7:25).
He is our Advocate
As an advocate, He pleads for our cause. ‘My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world’ (1 John 2:1,2). Here John is writing to believers that are often beset by sins. Paul wrote of the on-going struggle between the old man and the new man in every Christian as described in Romans 7. Without the Lord Jesus as our Advocate, we, as offenders have no recourse. But in the merit of Jesus Christ the righteous, He intercedes on our behalf and pleads for our pardon from God the Father.
He makes intercession for us
Christ by his intercession disannuls all bills of indictment brought against the elect. Job was not spared of such indictment from Satan, the enemy of our soul and the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us before our God day and night (Rev 12:10). ‘Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us’ (Rom 8:33-34).
The Lord Jesus Christ not only acts as our mediator in presenting our prayers to the Father, he intercedes for us. Have you wondered what will be the prayer of Christ for the believer? John 17 records for us the prayer of Christ for his disciples and ‘but for them also which shall believe on me through their word’ (John 17: 20b). In that prayer to God, Jesus prayed ‘Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth’ (John 17:17). As much as Christ empathized with our infirmities, he desires that every believer is made holy and pure, set apart from the world and wholly dedicated to God. So Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6: ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctification; that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no [man] go beyond and defraud his brother in [any] matter: because that the Lord [is] the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.’
What is our response?
As much as Christ intercedes for each one of us, surely it is only our reasonable service and with much gratitude that we daily ought to come before the throne of God. Hebrew 4:15-16 exhorts:‘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.’ Indeed what a wonderful Saviour and Lord we have.