Sunday, February 22, 2015

Jesus Our Perfect High Priest

16And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God."(Leviticus 21: 16-17)

While Moses instructed the priests of his day, and then to the people of Israel, about the required physical perfection of their priests, today we can come to God regardless of our perfections because of our perfect Great High Priest, Jesus:

"26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. " (Hebrews 7: 26-27)

This High Priest offered Himself:

"18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

and also

"
5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure." (Hebrews 10: 5-6)
 
Jesus was offered for all our sins, and declared without defect before:
 
"Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man." (Luke 23: 4)
 
Today, this same Perfect Sacrifice is our Perfect High Priest, in whom we are also perfected:
 
"11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. " (Hebrews 10: 11-14)
 
and
 
"And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." (Acts 3: 16)
 
and also
 
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2: 10)
 
and thus
 
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corithians 5: 21)
 
So now we are all members of a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2: 9) and we can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)
 
All of this we receive because of our Perfect High Priest, Jesus!

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