GOD does not now dwell in the thick darkness. “The darkness is past,” says the apostle John, “and the true light now shineth.” And for a blessed and simple reason. The Word has been made flesh and come among us. Perfect grace has been manifested to the chief of sinners. Instead of our not being able to approach God, God has approached us.
“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.”
“In Him (Christ) was life, and the life was the light of men.”
The record of God is, that—
“God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”
“He that hath the Son hath life.”
“The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared.”
The chief of sinners was welcome to the Lord Jesus. The leper, whose defiled state excluded him and every one that touched him from the camp of Israel (an image of sin), Jesus laid His hands on and touched. Gracious goodness has visited us. God has shown Himself “the Friend of publicans and sinners.” But this is far from being all; for though God visited the sinner thus in grace, the sinner could not approach Him in His holy habitation uncleansed. Hence the blessed Jesus not only lived but died; and now mark the effect of His death.
The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom — that was the veil behind which God was previously hidden and unapproachable; but that which rent the veil (that is, the death of Christ) put away sin perfectly for every one who believes in Him. He has borne their sins. His blood cleanses them from all sin; and not only have they found that God in perfect love, has commended His love to them in that while they were yet sinners Christ died for them, but they have found, if they believe in the efficacy of that sacrifice, what has purged their sins, for it was “when He had by Himself purged our sins,” and not till then, that “He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hence the blood of Christ purges the conscience, makes it perfect (Heb. 9, 10), and God remembers our sins and iniquities no more; hence, also, “there remains no more sacrifice for sins,” because they are remitted, and that “by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.”
The Epistle to the Hebrews, from which I quote these statements, gives two striking reasons why there could be no repetition of the sacrifice, nor any more sacrifice for sins. First, “without shedding of blood there is no remission,” therefore Christ must have suffered often if there were any besides that accomplished on the cross. Further, it is added, the Jewish priests stood offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which could never take away sins; but this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down, for by one offering He hath perfected forever them who are sanctified. Such is the plain and blessed language of Scripture. God would show His goodness and grace towards us, but He could not bear sin, nor receive what was defiled and guilty into His presence in His holy habitation; and hence gave His Son to put it away that we might draw nigh with full assurance of faith. But this work is accomplished once for all. We have, therefore (it is the conclusion drawn in Hebrews 10), “boldness to enter into the holiest by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.” There no priest could enter (save the high priest once a year, as we have said) when there was a special class of priests on earth; and now every Christian can enter with boldness under the great High Priest, who is over the house of God. Believers are that house. We are those priests, as I have already shown. No priest can go further than entering into the holiest; and there I do not want him, for I can go boldly myself. If I get him to go for me I am denying my own right and Christian character, and the efficacy of Christ’s work. He who sets up a priesthood on earth between the believer and God is denying the efficacy and truth of the work of Christ. He has “died the Just for the unjust to bring us to God.” If I am brought to God I do not want a priest to go to Him for me. If the veil is rent, and I am told by God to enter into the holiest through that new and living way, I do not want another to go there because I am not able to.
The essence of Christianity is to reveal God, and to bring us to God, to give us holy, happy liberty as children in His presence into which we can enter, as cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. The essence of a distinct human priesthood is to say we cannot but must get others to go into God’s presence to offer our gifts and sacrifices for us. It is a denial of the whole efficacy of Christianity, and the place in which all Christians are set; who, if Christianity be true, are all God’s priests on the earth, to offer up spiritual sacrifices — the fruit of their lips, giving praise to His name.
But, I add more: — It is false and useless. The veil is rent, God is manifested in His holiness, the light has gone forth, and you, my reader, must “walk in the light as He (God) is in the light,” or you can have nothing to say to Him. You cannot have a hidden God, as in Judaism, for a priest to go to who yet could not reach Him. The light shines, and you must walk in it yourself. There is no veil over the glory of God now; there may be over your heart, but then, if so, you are an unbeliever, and no priest can represent you before God. You have to stand before God in the light yourself. If you have come through the blood of Christ, the light will only show so much the more that you are perfectly clean through it. But you cannot even be clean and another go into God’s presence for you. If you are clean, you are a priest and have be draw nigh yourself.
The work of Christ is a perfect and divine work, but you cannot approach God by a proxy here below; you cannot have another person clean or holy for you on the earth. If Christ has answered for you, all is well, go boldly to the throne of grace yourself; if not, no one else can do it for you. Now that God has been revealed, you must have to do directly with Him for yourself. No doubt that will be in condemnation, if you do not come to Him through Christ; but you must come yourself: the state of your own conscience is in question directly between you and God. If you do come to God by Him, no human priest can interfere, nor do you want any.
I repeat, then, the establishment of a human priesthood, as a class distinct from all other Christians, is the denial of the truth and efficacy of Christianity.
All Christians are priests, according to the New Testament; their offerings are spiritual offerings of praise to God’s name.
J. N. D.