THE PRIESTLY OFFICE OF CHRIST

By Gary Ray Branscome

The same grace that Christ proclaimed as our divine Prophet He obtained for us as our divine priest. As it is written, “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… For by one offering He has perfected for ever those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:10-14). For, He is, “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He, “Gave Himself a ransom for all” (1Timothy 2:6). “The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). And, “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1John 2:2).

The words, “Christ then arrived as a high priest of the good things about to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with human hands, that is to say, not a part of this creation, and it was not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood that He entered once for all into the holy place, obtaining eternal redemption for us,” tell us that what Christ obtained for us was obtained “by His own blood” (Hebrews 9:11-12). For, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, receiving the curse in our stead: for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). He “Gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a special people, eager to do good works” (Titus 2:14). And, because of His sacrifice, “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “For you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body, and with your spirit, which are God’s” (1Corinthians 6:20). “Knowing that you were not redeemed from the fruitless lifestyle handed down to you by tradition from your fathers, with corruptible things, such as silver and gold; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:18-19).

The Bible uses many different words to describe what Christ accomplished as our High Priest, and they all play an important role in understanding what He accomplished. For example:

a) If two parties are alienated and hostile to each other, a mediator is someone who goes to each party in order to work out a reconciliation. The words, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” describe Christ as our Mediator (1Timothy 2:5). The words, “The covenant of which He is mediator is superior to the old one, being founded on better promises,” and the words, “He is the mediator of a new testament, so that since a death has taken place that redeems them from sins committed under the first testament, those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance,” describe Him as “The mediator of the new covenant” (Hebrews 8:6, 9:15 and 12:24).

b) If you sell something, buying it back is called redeeming it. We see that word used in Leviticus 25:29, “If a man sells a residence in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold”. The words, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” tell us that we are “justified” through the redemption Christ made for us – His own death being the price (Romans 3:23-24). The words, “We have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” and the words, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,” tell us that we were redeemed by the “blood” of Christ, that we are redeemed by the forgiveness of sins, and that it is ours through “grace” (Colossians 1:14 and Ephesians 1:7). “You are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1Corinthians 1:30). [See 1Timothy 2:6, Hebrews 9:12,15.]

c) If two parties are alienated from each other a propitiation would be something that would eradicate anger bringing peace and reconciliation. The words, “God has shown His love for us… This is the love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins,” tell us that what Christ did removed the anger that separated us from God (1John 4:9-10). For, “Christ Jesus” is the one, “Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:24-25). And, Christ, “Is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1John 2:2).

d) Christ’s death has propitiated God’s anger making reconciliation possible. And, “If, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, when we were enemies, much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10). “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2Corinthians 5:19). As a result, “You who once were far away are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who has made both Jew and Gentile one… that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross” (Ephesians 2:13-16). “For all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him [Christ], and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself” (Colossians 1:19-20).

e) Christ’s death is also described as a ransom. In both Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 we read, “The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many”.

f) The Bible tells us that Christ was made sin for us. As it is written, “God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us; so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2Corinthians 5:21). And by, “Sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3).

g) The Bible tells us that Christ became “a curse for us”. As it is written, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us [i.e. receiving the curse in our stead], for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

h) The Bible tells us that Christ took our sins and their punishment upon Himself. As it is written, “Surely He has taken on Himself our pains, and carried our sorrows: yet we regarded Him as condemned, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed. Like sheep we have all have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6). For He, “Bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live to righteousness” (1Peter 2:24). And, that is why John the Baptist said that Christ was, “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

i) The Bible tells us that Christ shed His blood for our sins. As it is written, “It was not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood that He entered once for all into the holy place, obtaining eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12). For, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin” (1John 1:7). And, that is why Christ said, “This is My blood, that of the new testament, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

j) The Bible tells us that Christ’s death blotted out the indictment against us. As it is written, “He has made you, who were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, alive together with him, having forgiven all of your sins, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

k) The Bible tells us that Christ freed us from the curse of the Law. As it is written, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, receiving the curse in our stead: for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). And, “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

l) The Bible tells us that Christ freed us from the wrath of God. As it is written, “You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who has rescued us from the wrath to come” (1Thessalonians 1:9-10). “For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that, whether we are watching or sleeping, we will live together with him” (1Thessalonians 5:9-10).

m) The Bible tells us that Christ freed us from eternal condemnation. As it is written, “Truly, truly, I tell you, He who hears My word, and believes on Him who sent me, has everlasting life, and will not come into condemnation; but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

n) The Bible tells us that in Christ we are righteous and beloved. “For God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us; so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2Corinthians 5:21). And so, “Beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7).

In the Old Testament the priests offered lambs and goats for the sins of the people. However, in the third chapter of Galatians the Apostle Paul carefully explains to us that in every age salvation has always been through faith in Christ. As it is written, “The Scripture, having foreseen that God would justify the heathen through faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham in advance, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed. So then those who have faith in Christ are blessed with Abraham, who also believed” (Galatians 3:8-9). Why then was the Law given? Paul goes on to tell us that, “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be declared righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Galatians 3:24-25). And, how did the law bring people to faith in Christ? Well it was divided into two parts. The purpose of the commandments and condemnation of sin was to reveal to us our sin and need of God’s forgiveness. Which is why Paul said, “The knowledge of sin comes by the law” (Romans 3:20). The purpose of the sacrifices was to teach the people the importance of admitting their sin and seeking God’s forgiveness. It is important to understand that the sacrifices were not a different way of salvation, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). By requiring animal sacrifice, God taught the people that forgiveness is not cheap. And, because Christ’s sacrifice is the only source of forgiveness, and God instituted those sacrifices as a type of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, He counted faith in the promise of forgiveness that He had connected with that sacrifice as faith in Christ. For, “The covenant concerning faith in Christ, that was confirmed by God at the time of Abraham, cannot be nullified by the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it is not given by promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise” (Galatians 3:17-18). David trusted in that promise, saying, “I have placed my faith in your grace [mercy]; my heart will rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5). And, that promise of grace (mercy) is why God said, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6). The actual sacrifices were just a means of giving people God’s promise of mercy and forgiveness. Salvation has always been, and will always be, through faith in God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ!

The Bible describes Christ’s saving work as obedience. That obedience can be seen as: a) the active obedience by which He placed Himself under the Law and fulfilled it in our stead, and; b) the passive obedience by which He allowed Himself to be crucified and placed under the curse of God for our sakes. Concerning His active obedience we read, “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5). “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). [See Matt. 3:15.] Concerning His passive obedience we read, “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). And, His blood, His death on the cross, is the purchase price of our salvation. As it is written, “Feed the church of God, that He has purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20;28).

By His obedience Christ Has delivered us from; a) sin, b) death, and c) the dominion of sin [power of the devil]. Concerning the first, we read, “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14). Concerning the second, we read, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2: 14). And, concerning the third, we read, “For sin will not have dominion over you: because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).