IN the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 10:12 where Christ is spoken of as having “forever sat down,” it is in contrast to the many priests standing, their many and repeated sacrifices never allowing them to say that their work was done. Whereas the one sacrifice of Christ, when He as the spotless Victim offered Himself to God, settled once and forever the question of sin, and His shed blood atoned fully and finally for the sins of His people.
In abiding proof of His atoning work being done, He as the one and only Workman (if it may be reverently so said) has forever sat down on the right hand of God. A blessed and uninterrupted seat of holy rest, before and with Him to Whom the work was rendered! No more offering for sin! Never more blood to be shed for the remission of sins! For God and Christ Who were together in judgment at Calvary are now together in heaven, where no sin can be. God is fully and everlastingly satisfied, and Christ is forever seated, never to rise to repeat His work. More the believer cannot need, in respect to a guilty conscience and its being once and forever purged. He rests as God Himself rests, in the infinite value of the accepted blood of Christ. Faith can ever boldly repeat the language of contrast to the blood of bulls and goats in peace and triumph: “How much more shall the blood of Christ.... purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)). The throne of God in light, holiness and righteousness, and a burdened conscience charged with its guilt, thus find their peaceful meeting-place in the precious blood of Christ.
Such is the reasoning of the Holy Ghost, Who has come to bear witness to the finished work of God’s own Son; no less to apply it so as to give holy and abiding rest of conscience to those now favored to draw near to God, by the new and living way, without a veil between (Heb. 10:2020By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20)).
Well may such a work, not only beget faith’s unbroken confidence in it, but endear the glorious Person of Him Who did it, and the God of love Who gave Him, both to maintain the rights and majesty of the throne, and the soul’s deep, deep need. Praise, eternal praise be to God for such a gift of love, and for love’s mighty work, giving such present and eternal peace.
G.G.