Only One High Priest - Forever!
"For the priesthood being changed,
of necessity there is also a CHANGE OF THE LAW.
For he of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe,
from which no man has officiated at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah,
of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood."
Hebrews 7:12-14
All of the law given to Moses was ministered by the priests who were required to be of the tribe of Levi. They interceded for the people and brought sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins.
But Jesus was NOT of the tribe of Levi!
It is written that Jesus Christ is our high priest FOREVER. Therefore, none of the commands and requirements of the Law of Moses apply to us, because believers in Jesus Christ have a different covenant, a different High Priest, and a different law. The old is removed, and the new covenant was established by Christ himself.
vs 18-19:
"For on the one hand there is an ANNULLING
of the former commandment
because of its weakness and unprofitableness,
for the law made nothing perfect;
on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope,
through which we draw near to God."
vs 22:
"...by so much more Jesus has become a surety of A BETTER COVENANT."
And there is now only ONE priest:
vs 23-24"
"Also there were many priests,
because they were prevented
by death from continuing.
But he, because he continues forever,
has an unchangeable priesthood."
There are no longer many priests, because the one perfect High Priest has come, and he lives forever so he will never be replaced.
vs 26-27:
"For such a High Priest was fitting for us,
who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,
and has become higher than the heavens,
who does not need daily, as those high priests,
to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins
and then for the people’s,
for this he did ONCE FOR ALL
when he offered up himself."
In the Roman Catholic church they perform the ritual of "the mass" daily. They call it "the perpetual SACRIFICE of the mass," in which they say Christ is crucified daily. What heresy! What an insult to the finished work Jesus accomplished on that cross "ONCE FOR ALL!" Yet they preach this heresy and the people are deceived.
Jesus is not crucified every day in the mass. Scripture clearly shows us that he was sacrificed "ONCE FOR ALL when he offered up himself." He is no longer sacrificed because the sacrificial Lamb of God did die, and then he rose from the dead. There is no more death for him. He rose from the dead. He is alive. He lives forever. And he said, "It is FINISHED!"
If you belong to Jesus Christ you are not bound to keep the Levitical laws. And you are not bound to come to God through a priest. You come to God through Jesus Christ and him only. Jesus has come with a better covenant, not dealing with outward rites and rituals but dealing with the TRANSFORMING OF THE HEART of man for whoever will put his trust in him and follow the lead of his Holy Spirit.
He said:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME.
John 14:6
And in another passage:
"Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have entered a NEW covenant, and cannot go back to the old.
"...by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant."
Hebrews 7:22
It's not rites and rituals. It's not religion. It's having one's heart changed. He is our ONE AND ONLY High Priest who has paid on our behalf the debt due on our sins when he hung on that cross as the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God. By coming to him, the believer is cleansed once and for all as he submits himself and his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ who will not keep him "good" by rites and rituals, but will change him by transforming his heart.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation;
old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new."
2nd Corinthians 5:17
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